Downton Abbey Costumes, Props Auctioned for UK Children's Charity

A major charity auction is underway featuring iconic costumes, props, and set pieces from the beloved series Downton Abbey, with proceeds benefiting the children's charity Together for Short Lives. Highlights include Lady Mary Crawley's apricot chiffon wedding dress worn by Michelle Dockery, a 1925 Grantham family Sunbeam Saloon car, and a dress worn by Dame Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess. The auction, hosted by Bonhams in London with an exhibition open until mid-September, also features items such as the servants' bell wall and a signed script from the first episode. The auction coincides with the upcoming release of the third Downton Abbey film, The Grand Finale, which explores themes of divorce and the evolving Crawley family dynamics. Executive producer Gareth Neame emphasized the auction as a tribute to the show's legacy and a means to support vital charity work. The enduring popularity of Downton Abbey is reflected in the worldwide audience and the excitement surrounding these timeless pieces.