Return to Downton Abbey: A Grand Event (2019)

[bunniefuu]

I'm here in the heart of the English countryside, visiting one of the most recognizable places in the world, Highclere Castle, better known to millions of television viewers as Downton Abbey.

Highclere has come to life once again with the release of the "Downton Abbey" movie.

And I don't know about you, but I can't wait to experience this wonderful world on the big screen.

This was a very unusual job, and those of us who've been around a bit longer told the youngsters and said, "Don't think this is normal".

This is the biggest thing we've done, because this is one of the biggest things that has been.

Certainly by the end, all of us realized that we were in something that was unique and special and probably wouldn't happen again in our careers.

It's been such a... an amazing journey for us to be part of the show, and to be part of something that has had this success around the world.

I feel really lucky with the film.

I feel like it's, it's just so exciting.

Do you have enough clichs to get you through the visit?

- If not, I'll come to you.

- Oh, here we go.

I'm gonna take you behind the scenes at Highclere Castle, where we'll see exactly what it takes to keep a massive estate like this ticking over.

No maid?

No valet?

No nanny, even.

It's 1927.

We're modern folk.

We're going to explore Highclere's links to royalty with Geordie Herbert and his wife, Fiona.

Your grandmother is the queen, correct?

- They're n...

- Am I... is that wrong?

I don't think I can claim that close a relationship - with the royal family.

- Oh, not that close, okay.

But they can claim a super close relationship with the United States, as we'll be finding out later on.

I'm thrilled because I'm getting to chat with some of the cast of my favorite show, up close and personal, as we look back at 10 years of "Downton Abbey".

And we'll be treating you to a sneak peek of the movie.

The king and queen are coming to Downton.

What?

It's all to come as we "Return to Downton".

"Downton Abbey".

Well, what can I say?

Following the lives, loves, highs and lows of the aristocratic Crawley family and their staff below stairs, has been part of our lives for nearly a decade.

I absolutely love it.

This fall, "Downton" comes to life on the big screen, and when I was asked, I literally jumped at the opportunity to see where it all happens for myself.

And for an occasion this big, Derek's debut into aristocratic high society, I need to arrive in style.

- Hi.

- Hi.

Great to see you.

Welcome to Highclere.

- Thank you so much.

Hello.

How are you?

- Very nice to meet you.

- Nice to meet you, too.

- Say hello, Alfie.

Here's Alfie.

He's very happy to meet you.

Oh, man, well, thank you so much.

- Come on in.

- This is incredible.

Wow.

More from the Lord and Lady later.

And more from the cast of the series and the movie, who call this fabulous place a home from home.

And what a cast it is.

Led above stairs by Hugh Bonneville as the debonair and charming Lord Grantham.

What I liked about him was the sense of a man who was conservative with a small "C", liberal.

I liked him.

I liked, uh, I liked his company.

No maid, no valet, no nanny, even.

It's 1927.

We're modern folk.

We never thought Irishman Allen Leech would become such an integral part of the British aristocracy.

Now we can't imagine "Downton" without him.

I went for a role for a guy called John Branson at the time.

He was...

And he's supposed to be from the north of England; he was never Irish, until I walked into the room.

I was really interested in the character because he seemed to be challenging the conventions of the fact, that, you know, once you went into one line of service, that's exactly where you stayed.

You never had a chance to elevate your position.

The downstairs team is led by the super efficient Mr.

Carson, played by Jim Carter, who comes riding back into town like a sheriff.

It's very like Clint Eastwood walking into town, you know, to sort of sort everything out.

I come in in a big duster coat, mean and moody, with a hat pulled down low over my eyes, and I take charge.

Um, you couldn't have "Downton" without Carson.

Carson is going to move back into the house for the royal visit.

What?

In the kitchen is the high-strung Mrs.

Patmore, who rules the roost.

And fans love nothing more than to see her freaking out when confronted with

- modern technology.

- It's a mixer!

I don't blame her.

She didn't know.

I mean, she thinks that's it now.

If they bring machines in, we're all out of a job.

And Michael Fox who plays Andy, one of the newest additions to the cast, he's the first person to learn Downton's big news - in the movie.

- Blimey.

When I read the script, I opened the first page, and saw that I have the line that starts it, I was like, "This is very cool".

- What have you got there?

- Wouldn't you like to know?

Over the next hour, myself and some of the cast members are going to indulge ourselves with the cream of high society.

And where better to do that than right here, in the majestic Highclere Castle.

I still feel a buzz whenever we come round the, there's a particular bit in the driveway as you come up here, uh, where you glimpse the-the-the tower.

Then it disappears from view.

It's like it's taunting you, teasing you onwards.

And then suddenly you turn a corner, and there it is.

And it's extraordinary, and it's dramatic.

I guess that's the idea of it.

It's designed that you come round...

There it is.

And you thought, "Ah, this is, this is my office.

"This is, this is not a bad place to come to work".

Every morning you walk down the driveway, and it's just, like, you have to pinch yourself a bit.

You're working there.

'Cause it's stunning.

Obviously, when we finished the show, we all had our moments of kind of saying goodbye to that magnificent view and what a place to work.

And it hit me again when we went back to do the movie.

We turned that corner, and I had exactly the same feeling of, of just, just absolute awe of this incredible building.

Highclere Castle, situated on 5,000 acres of beautiful English countryside.

And who better to show us around this wonderful estate than the owners of Highclere Castle, the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon.

Lord and Lady Carnarvon, also known as the Earl and Countess, Geordie Herbert and his wife Fiona, have lived here together as husband and wife since 2001.

But Lord Carnarvon's ancestors have been here since the late 1600s.

Wow.

Just incredible.

Just the, just the detail and the, the grandness of it all.

I don't think we could make a room like this today for all our mechanical ingenuity.

I think...

I'm not sure we have the craftsmen; it's such a beautiful room.

What must it be like to live here?

Well, I guess there's only one way to find out.

What is it like to live somewhere like this?

I can tell you, we never get bored, of, of the views, the buildings, the landscape we have around us.

We never take it for granted.

There's something interesting in every part of the year, in every season; the trees, the landscape changes, the light changes.

Highclere is an extraordinary place that always has an interest.

And who can argue with that?

I just can't wait to see more of this place.

And of course, to get some more sneak peeks at the upcoming "Downton Abbey" movie.

But before that...

Coming up, we're gonna revisit a time when there was no "Downton Abbey"...

I know, it's hard to imagine... as the stars of the show reveal how it all came to be.

Welcome back to Highclere Castle, the home of "Downton Abbey".

Just look at this place.

It's simply awesome.

A spectacular home in a spectacular setting.

Why would anybody want to leave this fantastic countryside?

Isn't it time to chuck in the towel?

Lots of people have.

You mean...

leave Downton?

The Downton Abbey story begins in 1912.

But as we find out in the movie, the man who really has the problem of continuing the estate, still hasn't figured it out by 1927.

Despite all that, he's still enjoying life on his country estate.

In Downton Abbey, the lucky man at the center of it all is the refined and sophisticated Lord Grantham, played by the equally refined and sophisticated Hugh Bonneville.

It's been such an essential part of his life, and he still remembers how it all came about.

I can remember the very moment I first heard about "Downton Abbey".

I was doing a film called "From Time to Time", which was, uh, an adaptation by Julian Fellowes, and he was also directing.

And I said, "What are you...

What else have you got on the, on the go at the moment?" And he said, "Well, I've got four or five things "on the go at the moment.

"Uh, one's about the "Titanic", one's about a country house estate".

And I said, "Oh, what's that?

Is it "Gosford Park"?" He said, "Well..." and then he told me the story of how the show had evolved.

And I have to say it never really changed.

I mean, that-that vision he had in his head of what the show was, and what the world of the country house that he was calling Downton Abbey would need to be like, really was there, set from the outset.

And what a vision that was.

Six series, 52 episodes, including five specials, and now the movie.

No wonder everybody's so excited.

Are you excited?

I am a bit.

Are you?

Would it be common to admit it?

Not to an American.

I spent six years of my life, plus the, the time that we did the movie, which was only a short time, but...

lot of memories here, and friendships forged.

It does feel like a sort of home from home.

With its iconic architecture and landscaped gardens, Highclere Castle is one of the U.K.'s premier tourist attractions.

On average, 1,400 people a day visit this magical corner of the English countryside.

You have 1,400 people visit this extraordinary building.

Well, we have...

we have quite a lot of visitors in the summer, in the summer holidays, and in the Easter holiday.

Outside that period, we tend to go down to special guided tours around themes, around talks, or different ways of presenting the castle in different ways for different types of people.

Sometimes we're also asked to entertain amazing visitors from abroad, which...

It's the house doing what it's always done.

He was one of Britain's most familiar faces.

He's been in movies like "Paddington" and "Notting Hill".

But for all of us, he's Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham, and the fans just love him.

There are a number of people who said to me, "You must have been so relieved when "Downton Abbey" came along".

I said, "Well, I've been working for 25 years quite happily, you know, so I've been fine, thank you very much".

- Remember to pray for us.

- I'll put in a word.

But I think even Maggie said that she was quite happy bumbling along in life until "Downton Abbey" came along.

And then, you know, people did start tapping her on the shoulder in the car park, at the supermarket.

And that's certainly true for all of us, and the opportunities it's afforded all of us have been extraordinary.

When we knew that the show was coming to an end, we all felt that it was the right time.

And it was only after maybe a year of being apart, suddenly the talk of possibly doing a movie, uh, was-was kind of thrown around.

And we were all suddenly going, "Actually, I wouldn't mind going back.

I wouldn't mind going back and seeing everyone".

So "Downton" is coming to the big screen, and people like Carson the butler are coming back into our lives.

Well, I think that the film, I think it was the pressure of public expectation.

I mean, I know there was a disappointment when the series finished, 'cause the real fans felt it could have carried on forever.

Every time we met anybody, every time we met any member of the media or the public, "Is there gonna be a film?

When's the film coming out?

Is there gonna be a film?" And I think that pressure just grew and grew, so I think we sort of bowed to the inevitable.

Downton Abbey's the heart of this community, and you're keeping it b*ating.

So you think we should battle on?

While there's blood in your veins.

The "Downton Abbey" movie is the climax to everything we've come to love about Lord Grantham and his family, the Crawleys, and their home, Downton Abbey.

We all hope that that translates onto the big screen; I think it will.

I think the scale of the film, the sense of it being, now, that big, as opposed to that big, or even that big, I think it'll be a pleasure for audiences because it has been sh*t with that in mind, this big screen in mind.

Everything, from the costumes to the sets, it's all on a slightly grander note.

It's just more of, I think, what people love about "Downton".

It definitely is a... continuation of the story, but there is a sense that it's just bigger and bolder, and there's obviously this massive event that's occurring.

So it definitely is elevated, and that's something we all wanted with the movie.

We wanted to make sure it wasn't just a simple continuation.

It couldn't just be, like, a one-off Christmas special.

It had to be... had to be bigger than that.

People will feel quite moved by it, because it's like revisiting...

It's a reunion with old friends.

If you're a fan of the show, I think you'll be delighted to see the return of-of so many familiar faces.

And I can imagine there'll be a lot of, "Aw", whenever, um, a familiar or favorite character comes on.

And, uh, the odd boo, and the odd, uh... maybe the old lump in the throat as well.

The appetite is-is there amongst the, uh, the fans.

I just hope we don't disappoint.

Your Majesties, welcome to Downton Abbey.

"Downton Abbey" gives us a taste of how the elite lived in the early 20th century.

After the break, we'll bring things right up to date.

Don't go anywhere.

I'm at Highclere Castle, where "Downton Abbey" the series, and now the movie were sh*t, and we're here to celebrate its big-screen debut.

No maid, no valet, no nanny, even.

It's 1927.

We're modern folk.

Downton Abbey is full of stars, and Highclere is, in many ways, the real star of the show.

Highclere was a character, you know, the main character in "Downton Abbey".

It played Downton Abbey very well.

It has a very specific look to it.

It's kind of like compact, but epic and beautiful.

And you've got the little areas you can sneak off to, like the folly, where you can have a little private chat in this grand folly.

What was it like when Highclere was chosen to be the location for "Downton Abbey"?

The actual production team for "Downton" did look all around the country at many other historic places.

And, of course, it was a great honor for them to finally come back and make the decision to film "Downton" here.

The design of Highclere and its shape, both externally and internally, allowed the cast to be on a great stage.

The castle was just another character - that lent strength to the whole story.

- What?

Highclere really is something.

It certainly is a long way away from where I grew up in Utah.

Okay, before all my Utah friends and cousins start taking to Twitter to complain, I love Utah.

But I sure could get used to a house like this.

I've asked Lady Fiona to give me the 50-cent tour.

Wow.

Do you know how many rooms there are here?

- How many?

- Well, you have to guess.

Um, oh, okay.

Let's see, one, two, three...

I'm gonna guess 40?

- No.

- 30.

Between 250 and 300.

Wow.

So I was way off.

Okay.

I mean, we only ever really worked on two floors of that place, and I genuinely don't know what's...

I know that there's another two floors of bedrooms, but I've only ever peeked in and seen one of the corridors.

The place is vast.

All sorts of people have visited here, from kings to commoners, even murderers.

Only kidding.

That's just in "Downton Abbey".

Derek, I think you might recognize this room.

Oh, absolutely.

Wow.

Look at this place.

It was in the very first, um, series of "Downton Abbey".

- Years ago now, I suppose.

- Yeah.

But actually, it was decorated for royalty, for the Prince of Wales.

It was the reign of Queen Victoria, and he was her eldest son to become Edward VII.

So it was a tremendous honor having him stay.

- Well, let me show you something else.

- Okay.

- I'm gonna stay on the royal theme.

- All right.

Man, this place is like a maze.

I'm glad I have Lady Fiona here to show me the way, or I might never find my way out.

How clever of you to find me.

Well, not really.

I lived here 40 years.

Everywhere you walk or sit is connected with the past.

It's about a hundred years old.

This bed is a hundred years old?

The mattress is.

The bed's older.

I mean, let's just have a little...

So I probably... need to replace it.

I feel like I'm ruining history right now by sitting on it.

Reminders of the Carnarvons' past are everywhere.

Did Lady Fiona say 300 rooms?

Just to put that all in context, that's 168 more than the White House.

So, this is pretty cool.

My man here, Capability Brown, was the gardener and landscape designer to all that you see here.

5,000 acres of just stunning beauty.

Capability Brown...

you're the man.

The gardens, well, they put Buckingham Palace in the shade.

The castle is sitting on 5,000 acres of rolling countryside.

Imagine a yard that size.

Or mowing the lawn.

Everywhere you look, there's another surprise.

So, I guess there's some kind of secret garden around here somewhere, but, uh...

Oh.

Well, it's not much of a secret, is it?

To keep, you know, this house, this-this estate going, must be just...

I mean, it must be a lot of work.

It is a lot of work, because we have endless things to fix and repair.

And I'm sure you've looked and seen all these wonderful old buildings in the landscape here, which the British call "follies".

'Cause they were a folly.

They have no use, but nowadays, they're an incredible cost to keep up, as well as this glorious building we're in now.

We're tenants here.

We're stewards for our lifetime.

You can do your best, and then, at the end of the day, that's all you...

God can ask you to do.

They've been in an extraordinary position for this estate to have been in the family for so many generations.

And this has survived.

This has survived by adapting to change.

And one of the changes that they've taken under their wing is to acknowledge that you can make money out of having TV shows.

"Downton Abbey" first appeared on our screen September 26, 2010.

Who could have predicted what would happen next?

Well, none of us knew.

We didn't have a crystal ball to see how popular it would become.

Actually, to start with, we wondered if anybody would watch it.

And then, by the third one, in England and the U.K., we'd beaten "The X Factor", so we thought we were doing all right.

- Yeah.

Wow.

- And then in America, I'd watch to see whether you switched from Super Bowl to "Downton Abbey" or not.

And that gave me the idea of whether we might get another series or not.

People are fascinated about what happened in these houses, and at that time because while there's a hierarchy within the story, there's no hierarchy within the characters.

So you know the same amount about the footman as you do about the lord of the manor.

And I think that's what appeals to people.

This was a very unusual job, and those of us who'd been around a bit longer told the youngsters and said, "Don't think this is normal.

"Don't think one of these is coming next year, because it won't be".

A lot of us, most of us certainly by the end, all of us realized that we were in something that was unique and special.

Probably wouldn't happen again in our careers.

Will you have enough clichs to get you through your visit?

- If not, I'll come to you.

- Oh, here we go.

Up next, the cast of the show take us behind the scenes of the "Downton Abbey" movie as, spoiler alert, a very special guest comes to visit.

Blimey.

Welcome back to Highclere Castle, one of the most famous stately homes in the world, where I've been invited to experience a taste of the royal treatment.

Of course, they're no strangers to royalty around here, and at the heart of the "Downton Abbey" movie, it's a visit by the king and queen.

And everyone's tremendously excited.

Well, I tell you, when I read the script, I opened the first page, and saw that I have the line that starts it, I was like, "This is very cool".

Blimey.

- What have you got there?

- Wouldn't you like to know?

I'm the first person to receive the news that the royal family are on the way, and that-that threads through the whole house.

The king and queen are coming to Downton.

What?

Yeah, well, it's-it's in the trailer, so it's no big surprise that, uh, we get a letter as indeed we did get a letter in the beginning of the very first episode of seismic news.

That was the "Titanic" going down.

Now I get a letter announcing another piece of seismic news which is that the royal, uh, couple are going to come to stay, the-the king and queen.

And with that, of course, comes a-a whole load of, uh, baggage.

Quite literally.

A royal luncheon, a parade and a dinner?

I'm going to have to sit down.

Even for the Crawleys, I mean, they themselves live in this, you know, beautiful home which is, you know, for many people, would feel it's like a royal household.

But even for them, it's a huge deal that they're coming to visit.

It's a very exciting time for the Crawley family.

It's a huge thing for the family, and it's really huge for the staff, who want to show Downton off at their best.

Welcome to Downton Abbey.

What's really exciting with the movie is the fact that this grand occasion of the royals arriving whilst...

it's such an honor for the family and for the house.

It causes absolute pandemonium and chaos within, uh, not only the family but also the staff of the house.

I want every surface to gleam and sparkle.

For most of the downstairs, it's like, the FA Cup Final, or for Americans, the Super-Super Bowl.

It's like, it's the hu... it's the biggest thing.

They just want to put on the best show they can and-and be brilliant.

And then they kind of get sidelined.

So, my maids and I will not be involved in the preparations.

You mean, during the stay, you'll be the butler, and...

Excuse me, I am not a butler.

I am the king's page of the backstairs.

They have to join forces and rectify the situation.

And there's quite a lot of, um, fisticuffs that ensues.

How's it all going?

- Mary's got it under control.

- Hardly.

There was very much the sense of, uh, h-how do you re-recruit those who-who actually, when we were in the series, had departed.

I need your help, Carson.

I'll be there in the morning, milady.

Don't you worry.

It's very like Clint Eastwood walking into town, you know, to sort of sort everything out.

I come in in a big duster coat, mean and moody, with a hat pulled down low over my eyes, and I take charge.

Um, you couldn't have "Downton" without Carson.

Your Majesties, welcome to Downton Abbey.

A royal visit is a really big deal, and it leads to all sorts of conspiracy and intrigue.

Isn't that right, Allen?

I can't tell you anything.

I'd love to tell you.

I-I mean, this is... we're about to go into the press tour, and all we can say is "I can't tell you anything".

Come on, Allen.

You got to give us something.

Branson certainly is very, very prominent within the movie, yeah.

Which I was delighted about, because I kind of felt it was nice that he... he finished his story, and-and it definitely does kind of put a full stop on Branson's story within Downton.

The, uh, the papers tell me the king and queen will be staying at Downton Abbey during their tour of Yorkshire.

Well, if it's in the papers, it must be true.

Yes, great honor.

Although, as an Irishman, you may feel differently.

I know when my parents and all have been paid a compliment.

Well, there's to be a m*llitary parade, I gather.

How do you, how do you feel about that?

What do you mean, how do I feel?

Only you didn't say whether you support them, the king and queen.

I support Lord Grantham.

Very neat.

Not to be outdone by its fictional counterpart, Highclere Castle has also played host to royalty.

That's a painting by Anthony van Dyck of Charles I on horseback.

The real king and queen have actually visited here before.

So what is that like?

What's that preparation like?

Well, funny enough, I wasn't completely alive then...

- Oh!

- ...'cause it was before my time.

Whoops.

Put my foot in my mouth there.

There hasn't been a royal visit on that scale in a really long time.

The connection to royalty runs deep here in Highclere.

Your grandmother is the queen, correct?

- No, no...

- Oh, am I...

Is that wrong?

I don't think I can claim that close a relationship - with the royal family.

- Oh, not that close.

Okay.

No, she's my godmother, which is, which isn't a blood relation, but it's an honor to be her godchild... son.

I can't catch a break here.

We're not British royalty.

I suppose you could argue that-that people with extraordinary heritage and big wonderful country houses like this one are somehow connected to ancient history in Britain, and therefore may be connect-connected to-to our royalty, which of course goes back many hundreds of years.

In 2010, a new chapter opened up in Highclere's incredible history when a then-unknown series called "Downton Abbey" rolled in and completely took over the place.

We're coming into a front room.

That's what's bizarre about it.

It's like, "Morning.

How you doing?" They were extremely tolerant for so many years.

There's a rather magical connection between us all, because none of knew that we were gonna be here many years later, still celebrating something that's, uh, proved so popular.

Downton Abbey is a perfect representation of what it was like to live as an aristocrat in early 20th-century England.

The makers of "Downton Abbey" have worked tirelessly to make sure that every aspect of the show is suitably regal and elegant.

Downton isn't a documentary.

It's a romantic view of the past, which is one of the attractions of it.

But we were quite strict on trying to obey the manners of the time.

You would never see anyone cross their legs in "Downton Abbey".

Certainly not in the first few seasons.

And, uh, if they did, woe betide them, you know.

I mean, of course, who knows whether people crossed their legs or didn't cross their legs, but it just became a form that, in our world, that there was a sort of formality of, uh, of behavior.

Alastair Bruce, who, uh, was the etiquette and-and kind of our historian as well, he hated the fact that I always put my hands in my pockets, 'cause he said, "You just wouldn't do that".

So he had the c-costume department sew up the pockets.

All the departments, like the art department, the, you know, the costume, makeup, they all knew their-their historical accuracy.

And even down to, if you got a letter in the show, somebody will have written a letter... a proper letter.

That's how I found out my name was Beryl.

I-I was given a letter that was from my sister and it said, "Dear Beryl", and I said, "Excuse me.

"Is that my name?

"Has that been... is that a decision?

'Cause I'm...

I'm not sure about Beryl".

And they went, "Oh, no, no, no.

Yes, we've run it by Julian.

You're Beryl".

I went, "Oh, okay".

Some of these things wouldn't be noticed by an audience, but they certainly-certainly help give a-an air of authenticity or-or an app... an attempt at authenticity that we-we valued.

So now I know.

Don't cross my legs.

Don't put my hands in my pockets.

Look right before crossing the road.

The list is endless, but I'm prepared to learn.

After the break, I'm gonna take a look at life belowstairs.

It's all to come as we "Return to Downton Abbey".

Welcome back to Downton Abbey...

I-I mean, Highclere Castle.

Everywhere I stick my head, there's something breathtaking and amazing to see.

This truly is how the other half lives.

Well, we've seen the upstairs, the opulent rooms, the extravagant luxury, and the 24-hour service, but not everyone was so lucky to live in such splendor.

So what was life like for those who lived belowstairs?

I assume this is your maid?

- Yes, this is Lucy Smith.

- Oh.

Good evening, Smith.

Good evening, milady.

- Hmm.

- I think the world of Downton is an exploration of what it is to have class.

And that applies to both the upper class and the lower class.

It's-it's, um...

Having class is treating people with respect.

People always say, "I would have loved to have been back in that time", and I always say, "Well, where?

Do you want to be upstairs?

Or do you want to be down?" Because, I mean, th... they worked, and they worked hard, and their life was-was one of servitude.

And I think there was a lot of hardship in that.

We were told at the very beginning, "Don't feel sorry for these people.

They have good jobs, "they have a roof over their head, "they have a kind employer, actually.

"They've got clothes on their back.

"Their friends and family and peers are probably working in a factory if they're lucky, or a field".

These people have their own hierarchy, which you can see in the show, that... and in the film...

The downstairs hierarchy is as strong as the one upstairs.

- Thomas!

- "Mr.

Barrow" to you.

We're proud professionals.

We don't have to be deferential to people upstairs.

We don't bow and scrape, we're going about our business.

It's-it's like, um, stage management and actors, really.

Y-You're all working together for... on the same production.

You never hear anyone knocking on a door.

You know, Carson and the staff melt into a room.

Because if you knocked on the door every time, they... the family would spend the entire day saying, "Come in.

I said come in".

I mean, for me, it's really difficult to be invisible, because you can always see my lanky, big-head frame in the background.

That is another reason why this sense of the downstairs having their ears on everything that's happening upstairs but not vice versa.

The staff of the house know everything that the Granthams are up to, but the Granthams don't know what's go... necessarily happening amongst their staff.

It's quite funny, seeing that dynamic going on with, you know, above and belowstairs, just, like, this... still trying to keep this swanlike grace upstairs while their feet are going underneath.

In the early years of the 20th century, an estate like Highclere Castle would employ 25 maids, 14 footmen and three chefs on top of a whole load of valets, grooms and estate managers.

You'd imagine that would be enough for anyone.

But in the "Downton Abbey" movie, the royal visit brings a whole lot more.

We have two of each.

The principal valet and the principal dresser will arrive in advance of Their Majesties, who bring an equerry, a lady-in-waiting, two detectives and two chauffeurs.

The other chef goes from Raby to Harewood, four footmen go with him and the other four come here.

Do you all understand me?

In "Downtown Abby" the movie, we see the return of our favorite characters, including Carson the butler, played with poise and precision - by Jim Carter.

- I heard about "Downton", um, in the way that you hear about any job, really: through my agent.

Uh, it was this, uh, period drama written by Julian Fellowes.

I thought, "Ooh, "Gosford Park".

Oh.

"Didn't he win a gold statuette for that?

Hmm, got to be good".

And I read for the part.

A few weeks later, I met another actor of similar generation to me, and he said, "Oh, you swine.

You've got the only old man's part in "Downton Abbey".

I said, "Excuse me?

I don't think of myself like that".

Carson was forced to retire in the series finale, but with a royal visit on the horizon, his steady hand is needed to bring some order to the chaos.

Milady.

Please, come in.

I love it that she, you know, she notices in Barrow straightaway that he is like a rabbit in the headlights and can't quite handle this huge thing that's about to happen.

- He won't clean the silver.

- What?

He says the page of the thingummy will choose which pieces

- to use.

- I see.

She, of course, goes to her-her best mate, Carson, and, um, asks him to come back, and I think that's such a lovely moment in the film.

Fans are over the moon to see him return, but their enthusiasm isn't shared by everyone.

This is the thing.

Carson is going to move back into the house for the royal visit.

What?

The butler had great power.

They run the house, like...

And the-the-the lord of the manor knew that.

I mean, the house is nothing.

If you're just, like, lord of the manor and no one's serving you, then you're just a guy in a house.

They sure knew how to live back then.

Unfortunately, nowadays, the service just isn't the same.

Hello?

Yes?

Yes, Mrs...

No?

A tea, yes.

Two sugars.

Thank you.

Doesn't work.

I'm talking to nothing.

There was always more of a frenetic energy when you were filming downstairs as opposed to when you were up in the house.

Everything's slightly more sedate, especially in the, in the dining room, uh, where it's very difficult to sh**t those scenes so you kind of have a certain level of calm.

Because the scenes were more formal, people were more dressed up, there was less hurly-burly.

There was a sort of slightly quieter sort of feeling to it.

Plus... and, um, you heard it here first... the upstairs people would always get their mobile phones out between takes, which kept them quiet.

Um... Downstairs was much more rambunctious.

But the scenes were more hustle and bustle and getting food ready and... and there's a much more energetic/chaotic atmosphere downstairs.

The days upstairs, you can't help but feel you have to be respectful of... this incredible building.

Whereas, when you're downstairs, you're in a studio, You got a cup of tea, you spill the cup of tea, it doesn't matter, because behind the set is just an old studio.

I felt the quality came through on the camera.

I think Highclere Castle shows up very well on camera.

I think the costumes were fantastic and got better and better as the series went on, particularly the women's costumes as fashions changed and the world of women changed more radically than anybody else's world.

There's no question that as soon as you put on a costume from, from any era, it immediately starts informing you about the way that character behaves or moves.

Particularly things like...

Well, when you're wearing, you know, white tie and tails, with a sort of equivalent of a razor blade round your neck, making you stand and-and move in a certain way, Hey, you think, how did they get through meals?

I would've hated going to dinner.

You know, constantly having to wear these sort of great cardboard, stiff things that, you know, you feel like a robot in.

For the girls, girls were changing clothes four times a day if they were, you know, high society, because wasn't all that else to do, really.

Uh, apart from going riding and elope.

Has my new ball dress arrived?

Not yet.

But it will.

The costumes are just incredible in the film.

I mean, I never thought that Anna, our amazingly talented costume designer, could surpass herself, because the last season was extraordinary.

And she's just cranked it up another notch for the film and everybody looks incredible.

When we come back, we're gonna find out about the extraordinary connections Highclere has with America.

And, of course, we're gonna take a final sneak peek at the "Downton Abbey" movie.

Don't go anywhere.

There's much more to come as we "Return to Downton Abbey".

I've been invited to Highclere Castle where I'm getting an exclusive tour and a cheeky glimpse of the upcoming "Downton Abbey" movie.

More from the movie later.

Highclere Castle has been a part of this ancient landscape for over 350 years, which makes it at least 100 years older than the United States.

That's crazy.

"Downton Abbey" is quintessentially English, but it has an important American connection.

We're looking at you, Lady Cora.

- Me?

Why?

- It seems to me with Cora that you have someone who is slightly outside of the British way.

So, I suppose it gives the audience a way in.

I think maybe that's why American audiences love Cora and they love the show so much.

She's kind of a consistent presence, negotiating this family that she's found herself in, and so that continues in the movie, I would say.

It's no wonder that "Downton Abbey" was such a big hit back home.

It caught fire here, but then the flames were fanned in America where people went crazy for it.

All over the world, people respond very...

"Oh!" They love it, you know, and to bring that sort of pleasure to people is great.

I-I think that's the... kind of the nicest thing about it.

I think, with America, it's the fascination of these houses and-and this way of life.

There is a romanticism as well about the British way of life at that time.

I remember Hugh came back from America, and he'd been in the White House with Elizabeth and Lady Cora.

I mean, to name but one, Hillary Clinton had edged her way across the room, elbowing people out of the way, so she could say hello and tell them that all the Clintons watch "Downton" every Sunday night in their pajamas.

- What?

- That's real.

Someone was jogging past me in New York, and I was just sitting on the bench, I was having a coffee, and someone just went, "Hey, Andy!" I was like, "What?" And he was like, "Looking forward to the film", and then just jogged off.

It was, like, that is so weird.

I don't know if I will get used to that.

Passport control...

I got stopped, and the guy was very disappointed in me.

Looked at my passport, looked at me, he was like...

He had just watched the episode with his wife where Branson had left Sybil back in Ireland even though she was pregnant.

And he just went, "That was a crappy thing you did to your wife".

So he was pretty upset.

I love meeting fans who've watched the show with their family.

It's something that I'm really proud of about the show, is that it is something that, um, you'll sit down to watch with your mum or your grandma or your kids.

That sense of it actually being a cross-generational show became evident relatively quickly.

And it was so satisfying, so gratifying.

As I... as I said, none of us could have anticipated that.

Fans simply can't get enough of "Downton Abbey", so what is the secret to the show's success?

I think it's good stories that people got hooked into, and it was a... you know, a warm and comforting way to-to spend a-a Sunday evening.

And I think that worked all across the world.

"Downton Abbey" is a phenomenon.

It came to life on our television screens, it touched our hearts, and now it's set to capture our imaginations once again on the big screen.

It's been such a-an amazing journey for us to be part of the show and to be part of something that has had this success around the world.

This was a very unusual job.

And those of us who've been around a bit longer told the youngsters and said, "Don't think this is normal.

"Don't think one of these is coming next year, because it won't be".

Whoever was in this, be it Maggie Smith, Jim Carter or Michelle Dockery, Hugh-Hugh Bonneville, this is the biggest thing we've done, because this is one of the biggest things that has been.

The stories that the show evoked still touch people, you know, audiences all over the world, and that's very heartening to know that the work we did is, uh, sort of touching new audiences all the time.

After all these years, you still astonish me.

Oh, good.

I'm glad I'm a revelation and not a disappointment.

I feel really lucky to be able to come back and do it, and I feel really lucky with the film.

I feel like it's-it's just so exciting.

Just coming back together again as this big family that we've become has been amazing.

And it hasn't really felt like work for me.

It kind of feels like we've been having a bit of a party.

You know, I still say making this film and... returning to all these characters has been a joy to play and also a joy to watch.

I've loved seeing them all again.

It's been nearly four years since "Downton Abbey" last lit up our lives, and it's about to return in grand style.

Be sure to check it out in theaters from tomorrow.

This is a magical place, and I feel honored to have been a guest here.

It's time to leave now, but I, for one, am already looking forward to the next time that I will "Return to Downton".