I’ve accidentally been doing a Downton Abbey rewatch in recent months and remembering which storylines I enjoyed. I guess I’m preparing myself for the final film: Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale. This seems to be the real goodbye to the franchise which started fourteen years ago. The big scandal of this latest movie is that Black Widow Mary didn’t kill off another lover: she let her second husband leave by divorce. She is now a divorced woman, looking after a grand estate in what is surely the 1930s by now??
Anyway, there was a big premiere in London last night! I was so happy to see Michelle Dockery revealing a big baby bump. Michelle lost one of her great loves, her fiance John Dineen, to cancer in 2015. Years later, she married Jasper Waller-Bridge in 2023. She’s now expecting their first child at the age of 43! Good for her. Her premiere look was Prada, btw. The dress is fine, but her hair is kind of terrible!
I’m including more premiere photos – Allen Leech (Tom Branson, always one of my favorites), Joanne Froggert (in Cong Tri), and Laura Carmichael in Harris Reid. Laura’s dress is not great, but she looks good overall. Also, Joely Richardson looked magnificent in a regal red gown. She’s playing some new character in the movie.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Allen Leech seen at the World Premiere of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale on Wednesday 3 September 2025 at ODEON LUXE Leicester Square, London. .,Image: 1033912575, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World Rights – Julie Edwards/Avalon.Red, Model Release: no, Credit line: Julie Edwards/Avalon
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- Michelle Dockery attends “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” World Premiere at the at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London, England. UK. Wednesday 3rd September 2025.,Image: 1034023291, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NORESTRICTIONS, Model Release: no, Pictured: Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale – World Premiere, Credit line: James Warren/Bang Showbiz/Avalon
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- Michelle Dockery attends “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” World Premiere at the at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London, England. UK. Wednesday 3rd September 2025.,Image: 1034023311, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NORESTRICTIONS, Model Release: no, Pictured: Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale – World Premiere, Credit line: James Warren/Bang Showbiz/Avalon
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- Jasper Waller-Bridge and Michelle Dockery attends “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” World Premiere at the at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London, England. UK. Wednesday 3rd September 2025.,Image: 1034023373, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NORESTRICTIONS, Model Release: no, Pictured: Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale – World Premiere, Credit line: James Warren/Bang Showbiz/Avalon
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- Joely Richardson attends “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” World Premiere at the at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London, England. UK. Wednesday 3rd September 2025.,Image: 1034023776, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NORESTRICTIONS, Model Release: no, Pictured: Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale – World Premiere, Credit line: James Warren/Bang Showbiz/Avalon
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- Joanne Froggatt attends “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” World Premiere at the at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London, England. UK. Wednesday 3rd September 2025.,Image: 1034025475, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NORESTRICTIONS, Model Release: no, Pictured: Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale – World Premiere, Credit line: James Warren/Bang Showbiz/Avalon
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- Laura Carmichael attends “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” World Premiere at the at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London, England. UK. Wednesday 3rd September 2025.,Image: 1034026548, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NORESTRICTIONS, Model Release: no, Pictured: Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale – World Premiere, Credit line: James Warren/Bang Showbiz/Avalon
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- Laura Carmichael attends “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” World Premiere at the at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London, England. UK. Wednesday 3rd September 2025.,Image: 1034026581, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NORESTRICTIONS, Model Release: no, Pictured: Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale – World Premiere, Credit line: James Warren/Bang Showbiz/Avalon
I saw a clip of Hugh Bonneville making comments about Gaza at the premiere. Well done Hugh!
Good on him!!
Michelle Dockery has always had a high forehead, but she was spared in DTA by a side swept bob, hats a plenty, tiaras and clever hair styling. https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/20618110769028812/ Now that perimenopause is knocking on her door, her forehead has become more pronounced
She would be better served with an under ear layered bob, and side parting. Long, thinning hair scraped off her face is not doing her any favours
More alarming is the almost unrecognisable Joanne Foggart and her new face (black cut out dress)
And gorgeous Louise Carmichael, I’m sure Wardrobe would have lent you something for the premiere so you didn’t have to take down your Nan’s lace curtains (however will she spy on the neighbours now) and wrap the lace curtains round you like a half baked saree
Without that lace curtain hammock in front, Laura’s dress would be good. Michelle looks so happy.
I have a high forehead (my son refers to it as a fivehead) and I don’t give a shit. you don’t like it, you can look away. also deep in perimenopause which hasn’t made any difference.
Michelle can wear a big or small forehead all she wants. I’m 48 and not coloring my grey, should I color my hair just because someone might think I am my age or older than I really am? Who cares!!!
CONGRATS TO MICHELE! Health to baby & mom
Um … Duouchessofcambridge, may I be the first to commend you on not colouring your hair. Good for you.
I didn’t write a single word about Michelle colouring her hair, but hey … it’s really fantastic for you that you feel so very strongly and passionately about it. Well done, you!
Jane, I don’t know who you are, but I promise to look away at any “fiveheads. Appreciate the (five)heads up.
I don’t colour my hair either, I love my grey streaks.
Yeah Joanne is another person, huh? I’m hoping it’s just severe makeup, which we’re not used to seeing her in.
Perimenopause? She’s literally pregnant
Lianne & Jaded, I feel quite certain that you do know that perimenopause and falling pregnant have nothing to do with each other. You absolutely, unequivocally can be perimenopausal and still easily fall pregnant. I’m afraid, I genuinely don’t understand your sentence Lianne.
Jaded, after 35, a significant number of women do start to notice thinning hair. I work with women whose hair is their crowning glory and have them sobbing at their thinning hair
And I think it’s absolutely wonderful that she is pregnant, especially given her sad history.
What a joyous, blessed and happy occasion. I wish mum and baby a happy, healthy and safe pregnancy.
Kaiser made a comment about her hair, so I gave my educated and informed opinion on it as someone who has worked, in a professional capacity, with her, on 2 separate productions.
Perimenopause has nothing to do with a high forehead unless losing hair causes it. Her body is literally swimming in pregnancy hormones — hCG, estrogen, progesterone, relaxin, and oxytocin — I doubt very much if she’s experiencing any symptoms of perimenopause at the same time.
I actually like all of these looks — everyone looks great here.
They have all aged in reverse. My god, they are spectacular.
I actually love Laura’s dress. The combination of structure and soft lacy fabric is interesting. I love Michelle’s too but agree it’s not the best hairstyle for her. Joanne’s dress is a lot. I think I can never forgive her for the uneven overly plucked eyebrows she had all through Downton. At least it looks like she fixed those.
Richardson looks regal and stunning. Leech is looking trim and good. I have no time for Hugh Bonneville after the way he treated his wife. He seems kind of smug to me.
Joely Richardson looks fantastic. She looks more and more like Vanessa as she ages. Just beautiful. And I love the color of Michele’s dress. That icy blue is perfect for Lady Mary.