The third and final Downton Abbey movie arrives in cinemas today, concluding the period drama’s storyline from 1912-1930.
Although the ending is open-ended and leaves the chance of a soft reboot in the future, The Grand Finale concludes with Lord and Lady Grantham moving out of the stately home into the Dower House.
This is the downsized property previously occupied by the late Lady Violet Crawley, who died in the second movie.
Lady Mary is now in charge of the Downton estate with George as her heir, and the 1930s looming.
In one of the final scenes, Michelle Dockery’s character looks around the Main Hall and has flashback memories from the TV series era of 2010-2015.
Flashback footage (not the actual actors returning to playing the characters) of Dan Stevens’ Matthew kissing Mary is depicted. He tragically died in a car crash soon after the birth of their son, George. Next, Mary continues to look around the Main Hall, as footage of the annual servants’ ball is played from the 2011 Christmas Special.
Among them is Jessica Brown Findlay’s Lady Sybil, the youngest Crawley daughter, who died of eclampsia after giving birth to her daughter. And last and certainly not least is the late Dame Maggie Smith’s late Dowager, to whom the film is dedicated, following her real-life death last year.
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is out now in cinemas.