When Downton Abbey first aired back in 2010, the world was introduced to the aristocratic Crawley family and their loyal team of in-house staff at the Downton country estate. With gripping stories penned by acclaimed screenwriter Julian Fellowes and winning performances from the likes of Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, the upstairs-downstairs period drama became a hit with both audiences and critics, spawning a total of six seasons and not one, but two big-screen adaptations, most recently Downton Abbey: A New Era.
Smith’s portrayal of Downton Abbey’s Dowager Countess has been a highlight throughout the drama’s television and cinematic run. With her hilariously sharp, no-nonsense wit, there’s certainly no mystery as to why the Countess of Grantham has long been a fan favourite. Thankfully, Smith has reprised her much-loved role in the 2022 Downton Abbey sequel, which follows the Crawley family as they leave their Yorkshire estate behind to embark on a Gatsby-style getaway to the south of France.
As with the show’s original run, Downton Abbey: A New Era will likely produce yet more brilliant quips from the one and only Smith. To mark the release of the latest chapter in the Crawley family’s story, here are some of the most iconic Dowager Countess quotes in Downton Abbey history.
On The Weekend
ITV / Downton Abbey
Series 1, Episode 1: “What is a weekend?”
On Technology
Series 1, Episode 7: “First electricity, now telephones. Sometimes I feel as if I were living in an H.G. Wells novel.”
On Romance
Series 2, Episode 2: “I am not a romantic. But even I will concede that the heart does not exist solely for the purpose of pumping blood.”
On Feminism
Series 2, Episode 4: “I’m a woman, Mary. I can be as contrary as I choose.”
On Making A Distinction
Series 2, Episode 6: “I don’t dislike him. I just don’t like him, which is quite different.”
On Making An Entrance
Series 2, Episode 8: “I do hope I’m interrupting something…”
On Life
Series 2, Episode 9: “Life is a game, where the player must appear ridiculous.”
On Age
Series 3, Episode 3: “At my age, one must ration one’s excitement.”
On Making Yourself Useful
Series 3, Episode 4: “You’re a woman with a brain and reasonable ability. Stop whining and find something to do.”
On Logic
Series 4, Episode 3: “If I were to search for logic, I would not look for it among the English upper class.”
On Friendship
Masterpiece PBS
Series 5, Episode 1: “There’s nothing simpler than avoiding people you don’t like. Avoiding one’s friends, that’s the real test.”
On Social Graces
Series 5, Episode 9: “The presence of strangers is our only guarantee of good behaviour.”
On Marriage
Series 6, Episode 3: “I know several couples who are perfectly happy. Haven’t spoken in years.”
On Being Humble
Downton Abbey (film): “I am an expert in every matter.”
On Humour
Liam Daniel/Focus Features/Kobal/Shutterstock
Downton Abbey (film): “Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.”
On Men
Downton Abbey (film): “What simpletons men are.”
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