We already brought you part one of our list of 15 things you didn’t know about Downton Abbey, and now we’re back with part two! Check out eight more fascinating facts about the hit television show that you definitely (probably) did not know below. You might be surprised by what you find out!
Number Eight: Andrew Lloyd Webber Almost Bought Highclere Castle. It’s true! Webber tried to purchase Highclere Castle – where the show is filmed – in 2010 for his art collection. However, the castle was not for sale.
Number Seven: The Castle Really Was a Hospital During World War I. Season two of Downton Abbey features the castle becoming a place for soldiers to recover, and in reality, Highclere Castle was one such recovery place during WWI.
Number Six: One Episode Costs Millions to Make. A single episode of Downton Abbey costs $1.5 million to create. This is largely attributed to the producers’ and executives’ insanely close attention paid to detail and historical accuracy. No wonder the show is so popular!
Number Five: The Costumes Are Not Washed. In an effort to be as authentic as possible, some of the costumes worn for the show are never washed. According to Sophie McShera, who plays the character of Daisy, some costumes have special armpit patches sewn in so they can be removed and washed separately.
Number Four: It Is Masterpiece’s Most Successful Show. In Masterpiece’s 40+ years of existence, Downton Abbey has quickly become the most popular show it has ever supported. Creator Julian Fellowes has said that he never expected the show to go viral, and it is currently broadcast in 250 territories around the world.
Number Three: Isis Was Not Killed Off Because of Her Name. Isis was the name of a dog that was killed off in season five. Though many people believe the dog was killed off thanks to her name matching that of the terrorist organization, in reality, this is not the case.
Number Two: It Holds an Emmy Record. So far, Downton Abbey has received an impressive 59 Emmy nominations, and it has won 12 of these nominations. This makes it the most-nominated series in U.S. television and Emmy history.
Number One: The Queen Is a Fan. As if you weren’t already convinced of how wonderful the show is, the Queen herself has admitted that she likes it. We hope you enjoyed our list of 15 things you didn’t know about Downton Abbey!