Downton Abbey had many romances over its six seasons. Many ended in heartbreak – let us never forget that each of the Crawley grandkids has one dead parent – but there were some happily-ever-afters. There was also a lot of scandal. Remember Mary’s first fling dying in her bed? Or Mr. Bates’ estranged wife turning up murdered?
But, despite how they ended or how they began, there were a lot of perfect couples on the show and a lot of couples that made no sense at all. And then there is Cora and Robert who, at times, was a lovely couple, and at other times made you want to tear your hair out. Which is why they’re not on this list.
Make No Sense: Mary and Henry
After Matthew died in the third season, it seemed that Mary might never fall in love again. How could she ever find someone as perfect for her as Matthew was? But she started dating and had all sorts of suitors from Tony Gillingham to Charles Blake to poor Evelyn Napier whom she never looked at twice. But none of them were quite right.
When Henry Talbot entered the scene, he seemed perfect. He was dashing and handsome and witty. But there was no chemistry there. The show tried to convince the audience that they were passionately in love, but the truth was they both had more chemistry with Tom than they ever did with each other. Her friends and family kept telling Mary that they were perfect for each other, but Mary’s instincts may have been right all along.
Perfect: Tom and Sybil
Some of the best characters complement each other and make each other better people. Tom and Sybil were a great example of this. When Tom is first introduced he’s an Irish socialist keen on overturning the status quo. Admirable and necessary ambitions, but he was all sharp edges and brash outbursts. Sybil was sheltered and desired more out of life but didn’t know what. Sybil helped soften his sharpness and encourage his long-term goals, while he encouraged her nursing career and let her know that a life outside of Downton could be fulfilling in different ways.
Sadly, their time was cut short with Sybil’s death during childbirth, but Sybil’s influence stayed with Tom and helped him create his place within the Crawley family.
Make No Sense: Daisy and Alfred and Ivy and Jimmy
This obviously wasn’t just a couple as there are four people involved, but they were each trying to become a couple and none of it worked out. Daisy was in love with Alfred who was in love with Ivy who was in love with Jimmy who was in love with himself. And though there were some successful dates and dances, nothing really stuck. A lot of it was because all four of them acted insufferably towards each other.
And spare a thought for the real victim of their constant couple switching – poor Mrs. Patmore. More than once she had to tell them to stop mooning about each other and get to work. It must’ve been exhausting and she’s a hero for not sacking the lot of them.
Perfect: Mary and Matthew
Mary did not make the best impression on Matthew upon their first meeting. He could tell she was a snob who looked down on a lawyer who was going to inherit her estate and family fortune, not considering that he wanted nothing to do with it. And Matthew made a pretty bad impression on Mary, as she overheard him complaining that it was likely they would try and marry off one of the Crawley girls to him.
But once they got to know each other, they were perfect for one another. Loving Matthew softened Mary considerably and toned down her snobbery. Mary made Matthew believe in himself and taught him that owning an estate like Downton was a duty and an honor, not a burden. It took years for her to truly get over his death, and that’s not a surprise.
Make No Sense: Tom and Sarah Bunting
The first woman Tom was interested in after Sybil died was Sarah Bunting. She had a lot in common with him, with their socialist political views and their stations in life. Both were not servants, as he was Downton’s estate agent and she was a school teacher. And they both believed the world needed to change.
But Sarah was awful. When she was invited to Downton for dinner as the Crawleys wanted to get to know her, she was rude and condescending. And when saying she doesn’t like the type of people the Crawleys are (i.e. Aristocrats), Tom reminds her that he loves them. But it’s not something they can get past, so thankfully she leaves town.
Perfect: Molesley and Baxter
Poor Molesley. Of all of the characters on the show, only he is more sad-sack than poor Edith. Constantly the victim of terrible luck, romance seemed like the furthest thing from him. But when Thomas blackmails an old acquaintance, Mrs. Baxter, into working as Cora’s ladies’ maid and being his spy, what he doesn’t expect is that Molesley will fall in love with her and she will fall in love with him.
They are very sweet and supportive of one another. Neither character has had particularly great luck in the past, but with the love of each other, Baxter comes clean to Cora about her checkered past and gets to keep her job and Molesley goes after a teaching position he was qualified for but at which he didn’t think he’d succeed.
Make No Sense: Daisy and William
The story of Daisy and William is tragic. William loved Daisy, in spite of (or perhaps because of) her many faults. But Daisy didn’t love William back, even though he was a sweet, talented, hard-working, brave young man. When World War I starts, William is called up to fight, and before he goes he asks Daisy to marry him. Daisy doesn’t want to but is persuaded by Mrs. Patmore to accept so that William doesn’t go to war broken-hearted.
William returns mortally injured and his dying wish is to marry Daisy. She wants to refuse, but everyone pressures her to marry him. She does and he dies shortly after. His desire to marry her was so that she would get his widow benefits and also so she would be a support to his father. It created a lovely relationship between Daisy and Mr. Mason, but the whole affair was uncomfortable.
Perfect: Edith and Bertie
From the first moment they met, it was apparent that Edith and Bertie were meant for each other. Edith always felt like a black sheep in her family, and Bertie was the poor relation in his family, made agent on his cousin’s estate. Edith admired how kind-hearted and unpretentious Bertie was and Bertie admired Edith’s modern thinking and work ethic.
Bertie’s cousin died and it turned out he was the next Marquess of Hexham. He wanted Edith to marry him and help him navigate life as a nobleman. She was still deciding when Mary almost tanked the whole thing by revealing Edith had an illegitimate child, but they made up and got married, making them both ecstatic.
Make No Sense: Bates and Anna
When Bates arrives at Downton, he’s the new valet for Lord Grantham for whom he served as batman during the Boer War. He has a limp so Thomas is bitter and Mr. Carson is uncertain about his ability to perform the job. That was the least of their worries. He had a soft-spoken charm that enticed Anna immediately. At the time she was a housemaid, occasionally acting as ladies maid to the Crawley girls. She found Bates to be a sweet man.
Bates had another side and an estranged wife. His wife was awful and tried to blackmail him before she was murdered. Bates and Anna spend most of the next four years being separated by imprisonment. He’s in jail, then she’s in jail, then he’s on the run. It’s boring. And Bates just became more and more dour until it wasn’t clear why she cares for him at all.
Perfect: Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Carson
Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Carson may have had one of the longest slow-burn romances of all time. Working together for many years, Carson as butler and Mrs. Hughes as head housekeeper, they work together harmoniously. Carson runs a tight ship and Mrs. Hughes can occasionally get him to loosen the reins when appropriate. They value each other’s advice and are concerned for the other’s well-being.
Their romance becomes a little more overt during a trip to the beach where they wade into the ocean holding hands. A smitten Mr. Carson finally asks Mrs. Hughes to marry him the next Christmas and she accepts. She’s a little nervous about married life, and keeping house together starts out a little shakily, but they work things out and look to have a lovely retirement happily together.
