Duchess Kate Middleton Heads To Downton Abbey Set, Has Close Call With ‘Dead Body’


Thursday is going to be a huge day for the cast and crew of popular BBC series Downton Abbey, as the Duchess of Cambridge is expected to stop by the set. Duchess Kate Middleton is said to be a big fan of Downton. When she arrives at London’s Ealing Studios, Kate will be greeted by Lord and Lady Granthan, played by Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern.

Also on the set for the big day are cast members Dame Maggie Smith, Phyllis Logan, Robert James-Collier, Lesley Nicol and Sophie McShera. Show creator and writer Julian Fellowes will also be on hand to meet the Kate.

Duchess Kate will get a chance to watch a scene being filmed in the “servants quarters”, and also be taken on a tour of the make-up, costume and set-building departments. The Mirror reports that in addition to the servant’s quarters, scenes in the kitchen, certain upstairs bedrooms, and the working areas of Downton Abbey are filmed at Ealing Studios. Escorted by executive producer Liz Trubridge, Middleton will get a personal, behind-the-scenes look at the work it takes to bring the popular show to life.

Some are surprised that Kate didn’t opt to visit the other well-known filming location: Highclere Castle in Hampshire, which serves as the set for exterior shots at Downton Abbey. If you’re Kate Middleton, future queen of England, odds are if you’ve seen one castle, you’ve seen them all!

According to an official statement from Kensington Palace, the royal visit by Kate Middleton is meant to “celebrate the success of the award-winning production”. Since its debut, Downton Abbey has been a success, amassing global recognition for the acting, stunning sets, and vintage fashions. The show also provided a look at a time in the country’s history when the class structure was more strongly felt than perhaps it is today.

Before the planned big day on set, Duchess Kate Middleton had a shocking encounter of sorts when she visited the Turner Contemporary gallery. While touring the exhibits, she came across what at first glance appeared to be a dead body. “Oh my goodness, what’s that?!” she is said to have gasped before quickly catching on that no one was harmed in the making of the unusual exhibit.

The “dead” body that startled Middleton was thankfully a fake. The Self Portrait Of A Drowned Man exhibit by artist Jeremy Millar was made using silicone.

As for the time Duchess Kate Middleton is set to spend with the Downton Abbey cast and crew, some are wondering if a potential walk-on role could be in the stars for the pregnant royal.

With Downton Abbey speculated to be filming the series’ final season. Why not go out with a bang? Featuring a real life royal on a show about old-school aristocracy would certainly help the show end on a high note. And it’s doubtful Duchess Kate Middleton would mind. How many fans get to say they were featured on a favorite show?

[Image Credit: WPA Pool/Pool/Getty Images]

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