Historical Romance
‘Downton Abbey’ Relationships Guide: Who Did Lady Mary, Edith, Tom & More End Up With?
Forgive the viewers of Downton Abbey if they don’t know exactly where each love story ended up because, frankly, so much has happened. When the PBS phenomenon first launched in 2010 (15 years ago!), the Crawley family and the staff who kept their life in order were living in 1912 and the immediate aftermath of the sinking of the Titanic.
Fast forward a decade and a half, and after six seasons, two big-screen films (Downton Abbey and Downton Abbey: A New Era), and one more on the way (Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale), the characters are now braving the new decade of the 1930s, with all its progress and flagrant new takes on the order of society. In the last two decades, the family — upstairs and downstairs — has gone through its fair share of tragedy, joys, and, most importantly, significant others. It’s a wonder any of them have survived it all.
But as fans prepare to say goodbye (for now) with the release of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, let’s check on who the major characters ended up with, and whether or not their love is destined to make it to a happy end in the final film.
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Who does Lady Mary end up with?
While Downton Abbey has always been an ensemble piece, Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery) has risen to be the de facto lead of the series and the family at large. Her love life has become the stuff of legend as well. First, she had a secret sexual dalliance with a Turkish diplomat, played by Theo James, who died in the middle of the deed. Then, she spent several seasons in a will-they-won’t-they tango with her true love, Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens), whom she eventually married and had a child with before he died in a car accident.
After that, she is pursued by Lord Gillingham (Tom Cullen), who seems like a good match. But ultimately, it is racecar driver Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode) who manages to steal Mary’s heart, marrying her and giving her a daughter. End of story, right? Think again because the trailers for The Grand Finale reveal Mary and Henry have divorced, so Downton’s most eligible bachelorette is back on the market — if she wants to be.
Who does Lady Edith end up with?
With her older sister Mary constantly reminding her how unattractive and unlikable she is, it’s no wonder that it took Edith (Laura Carmichael) a little while to get her footing in the world and in love. She was left at the altar by her considerably older first fiancé, and she had a baby with her editor/lover.
Rory Mulvey / Focus Features / Everett Collection
But she eventually found Herbert “Bertie” Pelham (Harry Hadden-Paton), who gave Edith the title, status and happy marriage she long deserved. They now have a daughter, Marigold, and even spent a lovely vacation in the South of France in Downton Abbey: A New Era. While she has long been ridiculed by her sister Mary, Edith has found more stability and nobility (she’s the Marchioness of Hexham!) in life and love.
Are Robert and Cora Crawley still together?
Robert (Hugh Bonneville) and Cora (Elizabeth McGovern), the parental units of the Crawley family, have had their trying times. His affair and her miscarriage, to name a few. But through it all, especially the changing times and the slow march toward relinquishing Downton to Mary, the elder Crawleys have become pillars of their family, community, and society. While they aren’t perfect, they certainly set a standard for their daughters, one they continue to work to uphold even as they enter their third act.
Who does Tom Branson end up with?
Tom (Allen Leech) may have begun his time as the former valet and Irish activist who once melted the heart of the youngest Crawley, Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay), much to the chagrin of most of her family. But after Sybil’s death in childbirth, he has become an honorary member of the Crawley family, eventually playing a role in saving the estate and adopting the high-class way of life that he protested against when they first met.
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This complete embrace of each other has made his gradual step back into romance all the more exciting, especially in the first Downton Abbey movie, when he met and fell hard for Lucy (Tuppence Middleton), the lady’s maid (and secret daughter) of Maud Elliot (Imelda Staunton), Dowager Baroness Bagshaw. In A New Era, Tom and Lucy get married, a joyous occasion for everyone who grieved Sybil alongside him for many years.
Do Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes end up together?
Good news for everyone, your favorite housekeeper and butler are still going strong. While it was not something the show acknowledged in its early years, there is something sweet and surprising about the blossoming romance between Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan) and Mr. Carson (Jim Carter).
It is not the most dramatic relationship in the series, nor does it have much story to tell. What it does have is a dependability, which goes a long way in an uncertain world. We are pleased to report the happy couple is still happy, and we dare The Grand Finale to change it.
Who does Thomas Barrow end up with?
As the only gay member of the staff and family (that we know of), Thomas Barrow (Robert-James Collier) has not had an easy road. He has had everything from flirtations to outright relationships, but they have always been in the shadows. That hasn’t changed with his latest man, but something is different. In A New Era, the film being made at Downton brings Guy Dexter (Dominic West) into Barrow’s world, igniting a blazing love affair that has swept Barrow off his feet and out of Downton for good.
Rory Mulvey / Focus Features / Everett Collection
He left his position to be Dexter’s “assistant,” their cover to be together as he travels the world as an actor. While it isn’t the outright love story he has watched countless Crawleys and coworkers have, Barrow knows he lives in a time when being gay is a crime, so having a dashing actor move heaven and earth to him along for the ride is about as Hollywood as he might ever get.
Are Anna and John Bates still together?
Anna (Joanne Froggatt) and Bates (Brendan Coyle) are, perhaps, the most tragic couple in Downton history. But mercifully, they have moved past their traumatic era (goodbye black widow ex-wives and sexual predators!) and settled into a nice calm as married parents still working in harmony. In the final season of the series, Anna gives birth to a son, and the trailers for The Grand Finale suggest she is pregnant with another. So yes, the Bates’ are finally getting their happy ending — and damn if they don’t deserve every second of it.
Who does Daisy Parker end up with?
For a time, assistant cook Daisy (Sophie McShera) couldn’t escape the admittedly kind gesture of being the (reluctant) widow of war hero and former footman William Mason (Thomas Howes). But in time, as she got her footing in the kitchen under Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol), Daisy also found her confidence as a young woman in the world.
Eventually, she found herself ready for love at the sight of Andy (Michael C. Fox), a new footman in the Crawley household and a devoted partner just looking to make Daisy happy, which he accomplishes as her new husband.
Who Isobel Grey marry?
Like Mary, much of Isobel Crawley’s (Penelope Wilton) story in the early seasons revolved around her love of and eventual grief for her son, Matthew. But as time went on, she opened herself up to the possibility of loving again and found herself a good candidate in Richard Grey (Douglas Reith), the Baron Merton. She fended off a hostile welcome from his children to prove to herself and to Dickie that they should be together, but it came by relinquishing his claim to his estate. He chose love over title, and that is the kind of grand gesture you tune into Downton Abbey for.
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, In Theaters, September 12
