The Downton Abbey SPOILERS Thread

[jabbur]

I'm good with the names because I can read them. Otherwise I wouldn't know doo-doo

I'm still trying to figure out Robert Crawley who is an earl, but also called the Lord of Grantham and resides in Downton Abbey
Is Downton Abbey the castle and Grantham the village, or the other way around? Seems Crawley should be in there somewhere.

I believe Crawley is the family name like Windsor is the family name of the Queen. He is an earl which gives his title of Lord of Grantham and Downton Abbey is the name of the castle.

 

[pacanis]

What is Grantham? Their village/estate?

 

[jabbur]

I believe so. A little googling and earldoms were bestowed on families of influence and named after the area where they lived or had their land/interests invested.

 

[pacanis]

ahhhh...
When I first started watching it I thought Robert and his immediate family's last names was Grantham, while the cousins' (Matthew and Isobel) names were Crawley. Then I caught that his last name was Crawley, too, and couldn't figure where Grantham came from.

 

[bakechef]

oh noooooo!! Now I'm right back where I started GQ!

For the life of me, I can't find the season 2 Christmas Special anywhere.

If you read my previous post, the US version is treatiing the Christmas special as the last episode, episode 7 which will be 90 minutes. This current Christmas special wasn't Christmas themed like the previous one. So if you follow PBS, you'll get it all! Hope that helps!

Amazon is selling all episodes as the UK versions, with one that is listed as the special. They will have them all available for download on the 29th.

 

[Addie]

ahhhh...
When I first started watching it I thought Robert and his immediate family's last names was Grantham, while the cousins' (Matthew and Isobel) names were Crawley. Then I caught that his last name was Crawley, too, and couldn't figure where Grantham came from.

Remember when Princess Margaret wanted to marry Anthony Armstong-Jones? Well, her sister, the Queen, didn't want her sister's children to be born commoners. So she bestowed the title of "Earl of Snowdon" upon her husband-to-be just prior to the marriage. So now the family name is Armstrong-Jones, House of Snowdon. The family lineage is passed down through the male heirs. Unless there are no male heirs, until recently with the birth of Prince William's child, should it be a girl.

"Earl of Snowdon" is one of those titles that petered out due to no male heirs to carry it on. So the Queen resurrected it for Anthony. Just like the "Duchess of Cambridge" for Prince William's wife. To have a child of William's be entitled to the throne without a Title from both parents would have made the child half-commoner. And you certainly don't want just any commoner taking control of the throne.

Princess Anne, chose to not have a title bestowed upon her husband. Thus her children, granchildren to the Queen, have no title either, nor can they claim one without the Queen's permission or her bestowing one upon them. Thus they are considered commoners. And waaaay down the line of inheritence to the throne. And of all the immediate family members that make appearances on behalf of "The Firm", Princess Anne makes the most.

So there is your mini history lesson on The Royal Family of England.

 

[Gravy Queen]

No Zara and Peter Phillips are not way down the line because they have no title they are still the children of Princess Anne and are in their rightful places in the top 15 in the succession line .

 

[pacanis]

Remember when Princess Margaret wanted to marry Anthony Armstong-Jones?...

Who?

 

[Gravy Queen]

Crawley is the family name and Downton is the village .

 

[pacanis]

Crawley is the family name and Downton is the village .

And Grantham? Is that the castle name then?
Or is that simply a title like what Addie was saying about Snowdon?

 

[Kayelle]

Speaking of Princess Margaret, I recently saw the movie "The Queen's Sister" on TV. I was young enough at the time to not have any interest, but she was a real doozie if even half of the film is true.
The Queen's Sister - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Addie]

No Zara and Peter Phillips are not way down the line because they have no title they are still the children of Princess Anne and are in their rightful places in the top 15 in the succession line .

But their chances of succession are almost slim to even less.

When I was watching Zara complete in the Summer Olympics I couldn't help but wonder if Zara mucks out her horses' stalls like her mother has all these years? Anne once stated that they were her horses, her responsibilities. I hope she passed that on to her children.

 

[Gravy Queen]

Yes , the chances are slim as are others as well .

 

[buckytom]

so now i'm a johnny foreigner, am i?

grrr.


lol.

 

[Addie]

Yes , the chances are slim as are others as well .

Jusr as you get it in your mind, the line of succession, someone in the royal family gets married and has children. Then the line is messed up again.

Many years ago when Queen Elizabeth gave birth to Prince Edward, there was a small news blurb that when Prince Philip married Queen Elizabeth, he signed an agreement that he would father five children. When Princess Diana and Prince Charles divorced I remembered that and wondered if there was such an agreement between them also.

 

[Gravy Queen]

Yes as soon as Prince Williams child is born he or she will be bumped up the line so it does always change as you say .

 

[Gravy Queen]

I'm guessing that Grantham is a title as Addie has said but I can't find anything to confirm that . Downton Abbey is the castle (in real life it is Highclere Castle ) .

 

[pacanis]

That was my conclusion, also. I can't find a thing Googling Grantham, thought it seems a popular question.

 

[Kayelle]

What a heartbreaking episode last night, sigh. I wonder if I was Nora how I could ever forgive Robert. I wonder if she ever will.

 

[CWS4322]

It wasn't what I expected at one point. I figured a harrowing ride to the hospital was in store and months of touch and go. I would have preferred that...