Matthew Crawley and his mother Isobel move into Crawley House in Downton village. Matthew Crawley, a distant third cousin, learns of his good fortune as the new heir. In addition, the Duke once had a romantic relationship with Thomas, the footman. The family thought he was interested in marrying Mary however, it is revealed that the Duke was only interested in marrying Mary because he thought she would be inheriting the whole of the Grantham fortune. The family receives the visit of the impoverished (but entitled) Duke of Crowborough. Meanwhile, Lord Grantham hires his former batman, John Bates, as his valet. News arrives that threatens the future of Downton Abbey: Lord Grantham's cousin James Crawley, heir presumptive to the earldom, and his son Patrick have died in the RMS Titanic disaster. Theo James as Kemal Pamuk Ottoman (Turkish) Embassy attaché (episode 3)Īpril 1912.Nicky Henson as Charles Grigg Carson's former colleague (episode 2).Jonathan Coy as George Murray Lord Grantham's lawyer (episode 1).Charlie Cox as Philip, The Duke of Crowborough suitor of Lady Mary (episode 1).David Robb as Dr Richard Clarkson the Crawley family doctor.

Kevin Doyle as Joseph Molesley Matthew Crawley's valet.

Allen Leech as Tom Branson the Crawley family chauffeur.

Robert Bathurst as Sir Anthony Strallan Crawley family friend.

Samantha Bond as Lady Rosamund Painswick Lord Grantham's sister.

The series begins in early 1912 with the aftermath of the Titanic disaster and ends in late 1914, at the outbreak of World War I, and follows the lives of the Crawley family and their servants. The demise of both heirs in the sinking of the Titanic destroys the plans and brings into play a distant male cousin, Matthew Crawley, a solicitor from Manchester, as heir presumptive to Downton and the countess's fortune. The earl and countess, who have three daughters and no son, arranged for their eldest daughter to marry her cousin, son of the then- heir presumptive. As a condition of the marriage contract, her considerable fortune was contractually incorporated into the comital entail in perpetuity. The device that sets the drama in motion is the fee tail or 'entail' governing the (fictional) Earldom of Grantham, endowing both title and estate exclusively to heirs male and complicated by the dire financial state of the estate, the latter only resolved when the earl-then the heir apparent-married an American heiress.

The first series is focused on the need for a male heir to the Grantham estate, and the troubled love life of Lady Mary as she attempts to find a suitable husband.

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