Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery Is Pregnant, Expecting Baby

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The Downton Abbey family is getting a little bigger.

At the London premiere of “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” on September 3, Michelle Dockery – famously known for her role as Lady Mary Crawley in the cherished series and its film adaptations – announced that she is expecting her first child.

Accompanied by her spouse, Jasper Waller-Bridge, on the red carpet, the actress proudly displayed her expanding belly in a blue Prada ensemble that boasted an adorned collar and a chiffon cape.

Approximately two years following their wedding at a London church attended by loved ones such as Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the bride’s sister-in-law, Michelle, 43, and Jasper, 37, welcomed their pregnancy.

Although Michelle portrays a mother on Downton Abbey, her real-life parenting style differs significantly from her character’s. In her own words, “I adore children, but Mary isn’t the most natural mother. That’s simply not her personality – or more accurately, that wasn’t the typical attitude of people back then.

In 2014, Lady Mary stated to The Express that being an aristocrat meant she had limited time with her child, approximately two hours a day. She emphasized that this wasn’t the affectionate, doting relationship she would typically have with an infant.

Apart from Michelle, another Downton Abbey star, Joanne Froggatt (Anna Bates), is also growing her family at present. Joanne’s second pregnancy was featured in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, which is the last movie installment of the series.

She claimed the growing baby bump as hers, sharing this in an interview with Radio Times on September 2. Julian Fellowes graciously included it in our narrative as, at this point, it’s quite noticeable, making it a more logical choice.

Over the past 15 years, her character and Brendan Doyle’s (John Bates) have experienced quite a rollercoaster ride. Speaking at 45, she expressed her delight by saying, “It was heartening to see Anna and Bates having a positive future ahead of them. Essentially, the Bateses finally got their deserved happy ending, something everyone has been rooting for.

For more behind-the-scenes secrets about Downton Abbey, keep reading…

The inspiration for the period drama was largely based on creator Julian Fellowes’ own family background, specifically his father being a diplomat. As he shared with Closer magazine, “My mother hadn’t gone through the formal presentation process as a debutante.” He added, “His side of the family believed she had ‘caught’ him and never truly accepted her. They tolerated her only because she gave birth to four healthy sons, fulfilling her role in the family lineage.

2. Oh, did we mention Fellowes is actually a Baron and a member of the House of Lords? 

3. “Jill Trevellick openly shared with Backstage that we managed to secure our preferred actors for each role,” she said, verifying that Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, and Dan Stevens were the top contenders for their respective parts.

In natural and easy-to-read language, the sentence could be rephrased as follows:

Finding the perfect actor to portray John Bates, the valet, proved to be the most challenging. After reviewing over 60 potential candidates, Brendan Coyle was eventually chosen for the role due to a specific concern the studio had about him not being suitable for the part.

Trevellick clarified, “We considered Brendan for the role quite early. To be precise, Julian wrote with Brendan specifically in mind, as he had already seen him in ‘North and South’ and felt that Brendan was perfect for the part. We initially chose Brendan, but there were doubts at the broadcast level, not because they disliked Brendan, but because his previous role was in a period genre piece that they feared might clash and potentially air on a rival channel at the same time…However, I believe we eventually convinced them.

Six weeks later, they were able to offer Coyle the part.

5. Downton Abbey’s first jaw-dropping moment occurred when the captivating main character, Matthew Crawley, met his untimely end in the season three finale. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Stevens admitted that there were many disappointed fans asking for explanations after he chose to leave the series at the conclusion of his three-year agreement.

Regarding his decision to part ways with Downton Abbey, he clarified, “Working on a lengthy television series was an extraordinary experience in countless ways. However, now I’m focusing on finding new opportunities that will continue to stimulate and amuse me.

6. During a chat with TopMob News, Fellowes made clear that Steven’s decision to depart (and decline reappearance in season four) was the reason behind the character’s unexpected exit.

In America, contracts are often lengthy. So, it appeared as if the production team had impulsively decided something, but in reality, he had reached the end of his three-year contract and was eager to explore new opportunities. Navigating through this change proved challenging, with some correspondence leaving quite an impact. As he put it, “it sent chills down my spine!

Despite Matthew’s tragic demise, the audience’s interest remained undeterred, as the fourth season premiere smashed ratings records with a staggering viewership of 10.2 million people.

If Stevens had informed Fellowes earlier about his decision to depart the series, he mentioned that he would have altered Lady Sybil’s farewell scene differently: “Perhaps I would have written their deaths together in a car accident scenario.

9. Highclere Castle served as the backdrop for Downton Abbey, transforming into one of the most sought-after tourist spots in the U.K. during the 17th century. Interestingly, it was also listed on Airbnb, allowing two ardent fans to spend a night within the expansive 100,000 square-foot castle prior to the film’s release in September 2019.

10. However, the tenants might have encountered a spirit, as the historical advisor of the show confirmed the widespread ghost tale during an interview with Travel + Leisure.

Alastair Bruce shared that Jean Margaret Herbert, the Countess of Carnarvon, looked pale when he described the opening sequence for the show. In this scene, Daisy sets everyone into motion by getting the house ready before Lord Grantham descends. Mrs. Hughes is seen moving about and the camera zooms in on a chain around her waist filled with keys – this chain is characteristic of Jean (the Dowager Countess of Carnarvon). She turned pale because it’s hinted that the house has a ghost, a former housekeeper, who is often heard jingling her keys.

11. Despite “Lady Edith Crawley” being her most recognized part, Laura Carmichael nearly missed out on auditioning for the show.

Due to her role in a traveling adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” Carmichael confided to the Tribune News Service that she initially believed it would be a small part, requiring only one line and a brief day on set. However, she was concerned about passing up this opportunity to perform Shakespeare for a television job. She remarked, “I thought I might need to decline this fantastic Shakespeare production for a TV role. What a shame!

In 2012, it was Gillian Anderson who initially declined the role of Cora Crawley. However, Elizabeth McGovern eventually took on the part of the American heiress who later became the Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey.

According to Vanity Fair, as reported by Brian Hoey, author of “At Home with the Queen,” Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed the show immensely and would amusingly check its facts. People were told by Hoey that she particularly enjoyed finding errors in it. Furthermore, Prince William is also known to have watched the series, as confirmed by star Allan Leech.

Leech reminisced on “Watch What Happens Live” in 2013, recalling that the man he shook hands with expressed his fandom for the show, but added that only after his wife had given birth. Given his newfound free time, it seemed as though Kate Middleton had gotten him hooked on the series, with an invitation to watch together.

14. Smith, who played Dowager Countess Violet Crawley, admitted to never watching the series.

She shared with The Telegraph that she might examine her work once everything is concluded, possibly due to its frustrating nature. She often finds herself reflecting on changes she’d like to make and questioning why she made certain decisions.

15. Since the genre was period drama, the principal actresses frequently had to don corsets beneath their outfits, as revealed by the costume designer Susannah Buxton, causing “authentic issues.

She expressed to The Mirror that it was a difficult ordeal for those involved, as they found the costumes extremely awkward. It required some getting used to, and since the actresses weren’t accustomed to wearing such restrictive clothing, they were quite uncomfortable. In fact, the costumes were so tight that the cast members couldn’t even eat while wearing them.

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2025-09-03 23:47