Downton Abbey 3 gets heartbreaking update after months of silence

Gareth Neame has shared a fresh update on Downton Abbey 3. Following months of radio silence, the executive producer has confirmed a particularly heartbreaking storyline, which will impact each and every character. 

Speaking with TV Line, Gareth explained: “The fact that Dame Maggie herself has now passed away since that time, I do think, has given a real added poignancy to a story that we would have planned anyway.

“The loss of the Dowager [in Downton Abbey: A New Era], it now feels far more significant that you see actors playing characters mourning the family matriarch. But I also see actors mourning the matriarch of the show, and it feels more genuine and more meaningful.”

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According to the EP, Downton Abbey 3 will pay tribute to the late, great actress, who starred as Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham. Following Maggie’s death in September 2024, Gareth believes that the cast and crew’s “huge respect for her … will come across in the next movie.”

In the 15 years since Downton Abbey’s inception, the stars and crew members have become incredibly close. When the news of Dame Maggie’s passing was made public, several of her former co-stars paid tribute. 

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Hugh Bonneville, who portrays the Earl of Grantham, remarked: “Anyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent. She was a true legend of her generation and thankfully will live on in so many magnificent screen performances.”

Meanwhile, Michelle Dockery – aka Lady Mary Crowley – said in a statement: “There was no one quite like Maggie. I feel tremendously lucky to have known such a maverick. She will be deeply missed and my thoughts are with her family.”

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When Downton Abbey 3 premieres on 12 September 2025, it will no doubt be a bittersweet occasion for its stars. Currently, details surrounding the movie have been kept top secret, although the cast were spotted shooting at Ripon Racecourse in north Yorkshire last year. 

Back in character as Lady Mary and Lady Edith Crawley, respectively, Michelle Dockery and Laura Carmichael were seen walking and talking in their period costumes. Allen Leech, Nathan Wiley, Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern were also visible on the set. 

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Updates may be scarce but Harry Hadden-Paton – who plays Herbert “Bertie” Pelham – told HELLO! that the third and final film was coming along nicely. “It’s going very well, no major dramas,” he said in July. 

“We all know what we’re doing by now – I would say it’s bigger and better than before. The set pieces are huge. There’s a drone in almost every new scene and an amazing new cast as well. Some really exciting new people.” 

Asked what it was like reuniting with his cast members, Harry told HELLO!: “It’s wonderful, it’s like putting on an old pair of slippers. Everyone knows everyone so well. We’ve all been through quite a lot together so there are no surprises. It’s easy and we’re all very grateful for it. It’s a joy to have a chance to get together again.”