One of the main reasons Downton Abbey has captured audiences’ hearts for over a decade is the relationships within its grand halls. Sure, there are a lot of franchises with compelling connections on the 2025 movie schedule, but Downton stands apart when it comes to strong familial bonds. For example, Lady Mary and Lady Edith’s relationship changed throughout the series and well into The Grand Finale, but there’s one fun comment Laura Carmichael told me her character would never deign to give her onscreen sister satisfaction about.
I don’t need to tell fans the Crawley sisters started on such polar opposite ends of the spectrum, Lady Sybil not withstanding. Their philosophies on life, their dating habits (or lack thereof), their political views, and even their wardrobe choices couldn’t have been more different during the course of the series. For much of the series, it seemed impossible that the two would ever see eye-to-eye.
So when I had a chance to sit down with Laura Carmichael, I needed to know if there was one thing she thought Edith would never admit to Mary out loud. Turns out there was, and she told me:
I mean, I think she’d be like, well, she looks great, doesn’t she? She’s always dressed really great. They will still find each other, you know, they won’t complement each other completely. Like a rivalry between them. But, um, she softens a bit. She looks fantastic in that red dress. She says that, doesn’t she? But it would be probably something as trivial and sisterly as that.
It is undeniable that Lady Mary looks amazing in that red dress, a dress that could rival any of the top gowns in Bridgerton , which is saying something. When Edith sees Mary in it for the first time, she does, in fact, tell Mary that she “will be a sensation.” There is admiration behind those words and not jealousy. Well, maybe a twinge, but only because she really does look fantastic.
These characters have truly come full circle. At the beginning of the franchise, Edith wanted to ruin Mary, and in the latest movie, we see her trying to save her from a scandalous divorce. Their positions in society have completely reversed. Mary began with all the power, outshining her sister at every turn, and now Edith holds that power and status.
Once upon a time, she might have used it against Mary, but both have matured and can now see each other in a new light. Their bond has evolved, and that long-buried affection finally rose to the surface, revealing the deep love that had always existed between them. It’s perhaps the most complex and complicated relationship on the show, in a show full of those moments.
That affection and mutual respect carry into Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale. Anyone eager to see where these sisters end up in the final installment or see Mary in that iconic red dress can stream it now with a Peacock subscription.
There may not be any more Downton Abbey on the horizon—though never say never—but if we do see Mary and Edith again in the future, I can only imagine that their familial bond will continue to strengthen with time. Still, I agree with Carmichael: there will always be a touch of rivalry between them, because they simply wouldn’t be Edith and Mary without it.