‘Downton Abbey’: Queen Elizabeth Fact-Checks The Show And They Mostly Get It Right

Downton Abbey has some very royal fans. People Magazine reports that Queen Elizabeth II loves the show and loves pointing out when the get the little details wrong, which is not very often. She should know — she once stayed at Highclere Castle, the location where Downton Abbey is filmed.

“They do tend to get it right,” says Brian Hoey, author of At Home with the Queen. “However, the Queen did notice on one episode that there was a young so-called British officer wearing medals which had not been awarded when he was supposed to be alive. He was fighting in the First World War and the medals on his chest did not come in until the Second World War.”

The royal matriarch isn’t the only Downton Abbey fan in the family.

Interestingly enough, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall is also a big fan of the show. Kate Middleton is also a fan and reportedly makes Prince William watch it with her. She also visited the set earlier this year and met some of the cast, including actors Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, and Elizabeth McGovern. She also watched a scene between Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) and Anna Bates (Joanne Froggatt).

The Telegraph reports that Lesley Nicol, who plays Mrs. Patmore, also presented the Duchess of Cambridge with a cake, but she had to share a little backstage secret with Kate Middleton.

“I had to tell her that I didn’t make it,” Nicol said. “Believe it or not, I can’t actually cook a thing!”

Nicol went on to say that she gave Duchess Kate a tour of the set.

“I showed her around the kitchen and all secrets behind it, such as how only one of the cupboard doors open – the rest of them are glued shut. I don’t know who made that decision or why, but they did,” she said.

Downton Abbey isn’t the only TV show that Queen Elizabeth enjoys. She reportedly also enjoys Dad’s Army, Last of the Summer Wine, and, interestingly enough, The X Factor. Maybe she’ll binge watch one of these shows when she passes Queen Victoria’s 63-year, 216-day reign, making her the longest reigning monarch in British history.

Unfortunately for fans of the show, like Queen Elizabeth and Kate Middleton, Downton Abbey Season 6 will be the last season.

“Millions of people around the world have followed the journey of the Crawley family and those who serve them for the last five years. Inevitably, there comes a time when all shows should end, and Downton is no exception,” said executive producer Gareth Neame in a published statement.

“We wanted to close the doors of Downton Abbey when it felt right and natural for the storylines to come together, and when the show was still being enjoyed so much by its fans. We can promise a final season full of all the usual drama and intrigue, but with the added excitement of discovering how and where they all end up.”

Downton Abbey has aired on ITV in the UK since 2010 and on PBS in the U.S. since 2011.

[Photo by Carnival Film & Television Ltd]