‘Downton Abbey’ sets to pay tribute to late Maggie Smith

Maggie Smith is a key part of Downton Abbey, and now, after her death, the period drama is set to pay tribute to her.

In a chat with TVLine, Gareth Neame, executive producer of the franchise, said, “The fact that Dame Maggie herself has now passed away since that time, I do think, has given a real added poignancy to a story that we would have planned anyway.”

“The loss of the Dowager, it now feels far more significant that you see actors playing characters mourning the family matriarch. But I also see actors mourning the matriarch of the show, and it feels more genuine and more meaningful,” he shared as the third film already was set to include the tribute to Maggie’s iconic character Violet Crawley which died in the second film.

“Her loss is the end of an era, noting that “we will never see the like of Dame Maggie Smith ever again.” 

Gareth concluded that the entire Downton Abbey cast and crew’s “huge respect for her … will come across in the next movie.”

Maggie died on Sept 27, 2024, at the age of 89.