Downton Abbey: The Finale

The Crawleys attend a 1930 London theatre premiere featuring Guy Dexter and Noël Coward, who also wrote the play. Backstage they meet Dexter, Coward, and Thomas Barrow, who is now Dexter's assistant and partner-lover. The encounter foreshadows the mix of social circles and hidden tensions that will carry through the story.

The next day, the Crawleys attend Lady Petersfield's ball when news breaks that Mary and Henry Talbot are divorcing. Mary is asked to leave because royals are expected to attend, underscoring the social scrutiny she faces. The incident signals the reputational challenge that will confront Mary and the family.

Mary remains at Grantham House to host Harold Levinson, who has arrived from America after their mother Martha's death. He is accompanied by financial adviser Gus Sambrook, who allegedly saved him from ruin during the 1929 crash. A complicated attraction forms between Mary and Sambrook, and they drink heavily, ending up in bed together.

During the visit to Downton Abbey, Harold reveals that he squandered their mother's fortune on bad investments. He proposes investing Downton's remaining assets to recover losses and repay Sambrook, placing the estate on risky ground. The family weighs whether to trust Harold's plans or protect Downton's future.

The Crawleys face social ostracism from neighbours after Mary's divorce, while Robert resists selling Grantham House to raise capital. Sambrook presses his leverage, attempting to blackmail Mary about their intimate liaison. The threat strains family solidarity and raises the stakes of the financial crisis.

Tom Branson arrives at Downton with his daughter Sybbie, bringing a new dynamic to the estate. He harbors concerns about Sambrook and quietly helps navigate the crisis. His presence adds a practical counterweight to Mary's leadership ambitions.

At Royal Ascot, an acquaintance reveals that Sambrook is a fraud who has swindled others, fueling Tom's warnings to the Crawleys and Harold. The revelation casts doubt on Sambrook's ability to salvage the Levinsons' fortune. The tension between trust and security reaches a breaking point as Edith confronts Sambrook.

Edith confronts Sambrook and forces him to depart, removing a direct threat to Mary's reputation. Sambrook has a final tense exchange with Mary, which she dismisses with cool resolve. Harold reconciles with Cora and returns to America shortly afterward.

Tom and Bertie Pelham convince Robert that Mary is acting in Downton's best interests and that she should run the estate. The family plans to move to the Downton dower house, taking along John and Anna Bates, who are expecting a second child. Anna becomes Cora's lady's maid and Baxter joins Mary in her service, marking a major reshuffle of Downton's household.

Dexter, Coward, and Barrow travel to Downton Abbey as part of rehabilitating Mary's reputation. Edith and Cora hope the visit will improve her standing, so they urge the staff to spread news in the village about the impending visit. Mr. Molesley returns as a full-time footman, hoping the guest stars will notice him and Coward is impressed that he wrote the script for The Gambler.

Mr. Molesley, hired as a footman, hopes Dexter and Coward will notice him. Coward is impressed that Molesley wrote the script for The Gambler, which lifts Molesley's spirits. The conversation also inspires the title for Coward's upcoming play, Private Lives, reportedly inspired by Mary's divorce.

The dinner hosted for the visiting luminaries is a success, restoring the Crawleys' reputation. Daisy Parker is introduced as Downton's head cook following Mrs Patmore's retirement, marking a culinary shift in the kitchen. The household mood brightens as Downton's standing improves.

Isobel, Lady Merton, and the county fair committee clash over how to run the event, prompting a fresh approach. Isobel invites Daisy and Downton's retired butler Carson to join the committee, supporting her ideas. Mary presents the fair's main award to Mr Mason, symbolizing a return to communal harmony.

As the family prepares to leave the Main Hall, Mary experiences flashbacks of past losses and loves, underscoring her growth. Robert and Cora stroll the estate grounds on the way to the Downton dower house, reinforcing their renewed partnership. A mid-credits scene shows the couples enjoying each other's company, with Mary reading to her children.