Downton Abbey Leading Ladies And Their Real-Life Partners

Since the debut of "Downton Abbey" in 2010, fans have laughed, cried, and experienced the life of the Crawley family (and their servants) in the early 20th century. Through its six seasons and three films, the women of the Julian Fellowes-created masterpiece have become incredibly beloved across the globe. And while the love lives of the characters they play in the series and its sequel films are often very eventful (Lady Mary and Matthew Crawley remain one of the most iconic television couples in our opinion), their real-life relationships are often just as newsworthy.

We decided to take a closer look at who the ladies of "Downton Abbey" have been dating, marrying, and divorcing over the years. Now, there are actors like Sophie McShera (Daisy) who keep their personal lives very private, which is why she isn't on this list. However, most of the lovely ladies of "Downton Abbey" have shared glimpses of their romances here and there, much to the delight of fans. From romances that blossomed on the set of the popular period drama to relationships that have crumbled in the spotlight, the women who starred in "Downton Abbey" have anything but boring love lives!

Jessica Brown Findlay, who played Lady Sybil, the youngest of the three Crawley sisters, in the first three seasons of "Downton Abbey," seems to be very happy with her love life. In 2017, she met actor Ziggy Heath on the set of the series "Harlots," and in 2020, the two tied the knot. Findlay's pandemic wedding was intimate and small.

"It was wonderful — low-key and micro," the "Downton Abbey" star told The Times. "After a lockdown 30 people felt huge. I wouldn't change anything about it. We got rid of all the furniture so everyone could be spread out, and we did speeches on the stairs." In November 2022, the couple welcomed twins after Findlay opened up to her followers on social media about her struggles with fertility. "IVF has made me even more aware of just how much women are capable of and what we can achieve whilst going through pain and heartbreak," Findlay said on Instagram earlier that year. Thanks to IVF, the happy couple now has two adorable sons. Prior to her relationship with Heath, Findlay was dating artist Thomas Campbell.

Laura Carmichael played Lady Edith, the middle and often-overlooked Crawley sibling, throughout all the seasons and films of "Downton Abbey." While the show catapulted her into international fame, it also changed her personal life. On set, Carmichael met Michael C. Fox, who portrayed Andrew Parker. In 2021, the two stars — who tend to keep their romance private — had their first child. In 2025, they tied the knot. "When you are able to work and love it, it is such a joy. And I've fallen in love and made wonderful friends – how lucky am I?" Carmichael gushed to Town & Country in 2019.

"I owe a lot to this show," Carmichael's husband admitted during the "Downton Abbey Celebrates The Grand Finale" (via E! News). "So much of my life has been shaped around this show," he added. During a 2019 appearance on "This Morning," the actor revealed that the two love working together, but they always keep it professional on set. "We keep things slightly separate," Fox explained, adding that working with his wife was an "absolute joy." Of course, there are a lot of things to consider before dating a co-worker, but Carmichael and Pelham seem to have made it work.

Michelle Dockery, who portrayed the oldest of the Crawley family's daughters, Lady Mary, in all of the "Downton Abbey" seasons and films, is another cast member who is happily married. In 2023, she tied the knot with film and television producer Jasper Waller-Bridge. The two began dating in 2019, and in 2022, they got engaged. In September 2025, at the premiere of "Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale," Dockery announced her pregnancy.

Prior to Waller-Bridge, the actor was also in relationships with John Dineen, Joseph Millson, and Trent Davis. Dockery was engaged to Dineen, who unfortunately died in 2015 before their wedding, which was planned for the following year. "Oh, I refer to myself as a widow, yes," the actor told The Guardian in 2017. She added, "That's the first time I've said that, and it's a bit of a relief to say so."

Siobhan Finneran, who played Sarah O'Brien on "Downton Abbey," has a current relationship status that is a bit of a mystery. While the star has been linked to fellow actor Don Gilet, if they are officially together, they are definitely keeping their romance very private. Apart from the occasional hand-holding moment, the two stay out of the spotlight.

In 2014, Finneran divorced actor Mark Jordon, to whom she had been married for 17 years. Together, the two share two grown-up children. In the late '90s and early aughts, Finneran seemingly took a break from acting; however, in a candid conversation with The Guardian, she revealed that it was just perfect timing. "You sometimes look back and think, yeah, I made a decision not to work when the children were small," she explained. "But I don't think I'd made a decision. I think there probably wasn't a lot of work coming in, and that just fitted in quite brilliantly with the fact that I had two kids under the age of two."

Joanne Froggatt portrayed the iconic Anna Bates in all of the "Downton Abbey" seasons and films, and while her career has been thriving for years, her personal life has had quite a few ups and downs. In 2020, news broke that Froggatt was getting divorced from her husband of eight years, James Cannon. "We've actually been separated for a little while," Froggatt admitted to The Telegraph. She added: "I'm looking to the future. I'm just going to embrace this year and see what happens."

Three years later, Froggatt seemed to have found happiness again as she was spotted with mystery man Mark Turner, who seems to prefer a life far away from the cameras. "Joanne is having a great time with Mark," a source revealed to the Daily Mail in 2023. About a year after they were first linked to each other, Froggatt announced her pregnancy, and at the age of 44, she welcomed her first child. Froggatt is proof that it is more and more common for women to have children in their 40s — especially as we now know that it is possible to get pregnant while you are in perimenopause.

Phyllis Logan is another crucial actor of "Downton Abbey" as she portrayed the formidable housekeeper Mrs. Hughes in all six seasons and three films. Logan's private life has been picture-perfect over the years. In 2011, Logan tied the knot with fellow actor Kevin McNally. That same year, he got cast on "Downton Abbey" too.

In a candid 2025 interview, McNally revealed that his wife wasn't too thrilled when she found out he'd be joining the cast of the series she worked on. "There's a very funny story about when I got it," the actor said (via Hello!). "I came home and came to the house and I said, 'Oh Phyllis, I've just been offered a job,' and she said, 'What is it?' and I said 'Downton Abbey'. "And she said, 'No, no, no, what is it?' and I said 'Downton Abbey' and she said: 'Oh, that's so embarrassing. It's like bring your husband to work day, I don't come spoiling Pirates of the Caribbean for you! I don't know what she got up to on the set when I wasn't there," McNally explained. Luckily for their marriage, McNally didn't stay on the set of the series for too long, as he only appeared in three episodes as Horace Bryant.

Rose Leslie, who played Gwen in Season 1 of "Downton Abbey," is happily married to "Game of Thrones" star Kit Harington. Of course, fans of either of the two stars already know that the two worked together on the set of the hit HBO show, which is also where they fell in love — but not where they met. "We had known each other before we started working together on Game of Thrones," Leslie revealed to People. "It was always such a privilege to be working opposite him and such a blessing that we get on in real life because it made our characters more believable."

Similarly, Harington revealed what it was like falling for his on-screen love interest. "The three weeks in Iceland where we shot the second season," was a favorite memory of his, he told L'Uomo Vogue. "Because the country is beautiful, because the Northern Lights are magical, and because it was there that I fell in love. If you're already attracted to someone, and then they play your love interest in the show, it becomes very easy to fall in love." The couple tied the knot in 2018, and together they have two children

"Downton Abbey" would be unimaginable without Elizabeth McGovern, who portrayed Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham, in the entirety of the series as well as all three films. In 1992, McGovern married producer and director Simon Curtis, and together the two have two daughters. After more than three decades of marriage, McGovern and Curtis seem as happy as ever.

Prior to marrying Curtis, McGovern was linked to Hollywood stars Sean Penn and Timothy Hutton. During a conversation with the Daily Mail in 2022, the "Downton Abbey" star briefly talked about her relationship with Penn. "There's a road I could have taken, but I decided to call it off. It just felt like we were on different tracks," she said. "We were only in our early 20s. It would have been nothing short of a miracle had that become a lifelong partnership because we were both really young and figuring out who we were." Of course, Sean Penn's love life is no stranger to us — his nuptial ceremony to musician Madonna is even part of our list of celebrity weddings that were almost derailed by awkward moments.

Lesley Nicol, who portrayed the cook Mrs. Patmore in all seasons and films of "Downton Abbey," is on the list of celebs who got married later in life. She was happily married to David Heald, whom she met at the age of 50. "People give you rules. They say: 'You'll not get married, you're over 50, you're set in your ways!'," she told The Guardian in 2016. Nicol and Heald got married in 2007 when the actor was in her mid-50s.

"Don't be restricted by other people's perceptions. When we met, it felt natural for Darbs to be in my life," she added. "The only unnatural thing was when he left my flat and went home. I'd think: 'He shouldn't leave. He belongs here.' ... Getting married was the best thing I've ever done." Unfortunately, 76-year-old Heald died in 2022. Since then, Nicol hasn't been linked to anyone else. While the love she has for her late husband is as big as ever, the "Downton Abbey" star has adjusted to a new life after becoming a widow.

The late Dame Maggie Smith portrayed Violet Crawley in all of the "Downton Abbey" projects apart from the 2025 film. Smith married her first husband, the late actor Robert Stephens, in 1967, and together they had two sons. In 1973, the couple separated. "I said 'It can't go on' and he said 'No, it can't.' Honestly, I don't think I could have mattered less to him by then. But by then, nothing mattered to him," she revealed years later (via People).

In 1975, the "Harry Potter" star married her second husband, actor Beverly Cross. The two remained together until his death in 1998. When asked about the loss during an appearance on "60 Minutes" on CBS News, Smith said, "I don't know. It seems a bit pointless. ... Going on one's own and not having someone to share it with." The actor added that there was no way she would find a new partner. In 2024, Smith died at the age of 89.

Penelope Wilton is yet another cast member who appeared in all seasons and all films of "Downton Abbey." The actor, who portrayed Matthew Crawley's mother, Isobel, has been divorced twice in real life. Wilton divorced her first husband, Daniel Massey, with whom she shares a daughter, in 1984. He went on to marry her sister.

In 1991, she married her second husband, actor Ian Holm. Unfortunately, things didn't work out between the two, and in 2001, the couple got divorced. "I envy people who have gone through a marriage together," the "Downton Abbey" star told The Telegraph in 2018. "You have so much more to share of your life – the holidays you've been on, the politics you've followed, the books you've read. Yes, it must be a wonderful thing when you get older to be with the person you have history with." As of this writing, Wilton seems to be single.

Amy Nuttall portrayed Ethel Park in Seasons 2 and 3 of "Downton Abbey." While her time on the project was limited, it's safe to say that the show helped her gain numerous fans across the globe. And with the spotlight, her love life was at the center of attention, too. In 2022, Nuttall separated from her husband, actor Andrew Buchan, and soon after, news broke of him leaving her for a co-worker. While Nuttall hoped they could get back together, their marriage was on thin ice, and news of a divorce continued being reported.

"It took a lot for Amy to give the marriage another chance but she thought it was worth one final roll of the dice," a source told The Sun in 2023 after an attempt at reconciliation reportedly failed. "There is no suggestion he has cheated again, but as far as she is concerned this is it. She is obviously gutted but also accepts that their time together has come to an end. [Amy] doesn't want to throw away over a decade together but at the same time she is far from a pushover." 

Together, Nuttall and Buchan share two children. While, as of this writing, there haven't been reports of a divorce being finalized, the Daily Mail reported in 2024 that she seemed to have ditched her wedding ring.

Lily James joined the cast of "Downton Abbey" as Lady Rose, a cousin of the Crawley family, in Season 3, and she remained in the series until the end of Season 6. Over the years, James has been linked to quite a few Hollywood heartthrobs, including Dominic West, Matt Smith, and Jack Fox, as well as musician Michael Shuman. However, as of writing, James seems to be among the celebs who have embraced being single.

"I've never been on a dating app, personally," she admitted to People. "I was always in relationships when the apps started. Now, I just don't know. I feel a bit self-conscious. ... I try to stay really private, as private as I can. To be on a dating app feels a bit counterintuitive to that desire."

Now, if you care for more off-screen romance, be sure to also check out the real-life partners of the ladies from "White Lotus."