50 Downton Abbey Quotes to Live By
Over the course of six seasons and two feature films, the star-studded period drama Downton Abbey has served up timeless lessons about life, love and loss.
Carson on change
“The nature of life is not permanence, but flux.”
— Carson, Downton Abbey, Season 5
The Dowager Countess on love
“I’m not a romantic, but even I concede that the heart does not exist solely for the purpose to pump blood.”
— Violet, Dowager Countess, Downton Abbey, Season 2
Anna on opportunity
“Good men… They’re not like buses. There won’t be another one round in 10 minutes.”
— Anna, Downton Abbey, Season 2
Isobel on closure
“Seems a pity not to take a chance to end a quarrel. Isn’t it better than to let it fester?”
— Isobel Crawley, Downton Abbey, Season 3
These inspiring quotes about forgiveness will make you want to put down your grudges.
Mrs. Patmore on making plans
“Nothing in life is sure.”
— Mrs. Patmore, Downton Abbey, Season 1
Carson on the future
“We must always travel in hope.”
— Carson, Downton Abbey, Season 5
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Lady Grantham on resilience
“You are being tested. And you know what they say my darling, being tested only makes you stronger.”
— Cora, Lady Grantham, Downton Abbey, Season 3
Mrs. Patmore on taking action
“Sympathy butters no parsnips.”
— Mrs. Patmore, Downton Abbey, Season 5
Find out what Lesley Nicol (Mrs. Patmore) had to say about the first Downton Abbey movie in an exclusive interview with Reader’s Digest Canada.
Lord Grantham on etiquette
“There is nothing more ill-bred than trying to steal the affections of one’s dog.”
— Robert, Lord Grantham, Downton Abbey, Season 5
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The Dowager Countess on a woman’s prerogative
“I’m a woman, Mary. I can be as contrary as I choose.”
— Violet, Dowager Countess, Downton Abbey, Season 2
Sybil on making a difference
“It’s the gloomy things that need our help. If everything in the garden is sunny, why meddle?”
— Lady Sybil Crawley, Downton Abbey, Season 1
Lord Grantham on marriage
“There is no such thing as a marriage between two intelligent people that does not sometimes have to negotiate thin ice. I know. You must wait until things become clear. And they will. The damage cannot be irreparable when a man and a woman love each other as much as you do.”
— Robert, Lord Grantham, Downton Abbey, Season 4
The Dowager Countess on stoicism
“You know me… Never complain, never explain.”
— Violet, Dowager Countess, Downton Abbey, Season 5
Mrs. Hughes on potential
“My advice, Daisy, is to go as far in life as God and luck allow.”
— Mrs. Hughes, Downton Abbey, Season 5
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Shrimpie on love
“Love is like riding or speaking French: if you don’t learn it young, it’s hard to get the trick of it later.”
— Hugh ‘Shrimpie’ MacClare, Marquess of Flintshire, Downton Abbey, Season 3
The Dowager Countess on principles
“Principles are like prayers; noble, of course, but awkward at a party.”
— Violet, Dowager Countess, Downton Abbey, Season 5
These funny phrases can help you out of an awkward situation.
Lady Grantham on survival
“I think accepting change is quite as important as defending the past.”
— Cora, Lady Grantham, Downton Abbey, Season 3
Mrs. Patmore on health care
“If you must pay money, better to a doctor than an undertaker.”
— Mrs. Patmore, Downton Abbey, Season 3
These doctor jokes will have you in stitches.
The Dowager Countess on optimism
“Hope is a tease, designed to prevent us accepting reality.”
— Violet, Dowager Countess, Downton Abbey, Season 5
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Dr. Clarkson on facing the music
“Harsh reality is always better than false hope.”
— Dr. Clarkson, Downton Abbey, Season 5
Branson on love
“Real love means giving someone the power to hurt you.”
— Branson, Downton Abbey, Season 6
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Mrs. Patmore on the importance of moving on
“You can’t spend too long on a one-sided love.”
— Mrs. Patmore, Downton Abbey, Season 3
The Dowager Countess on good intentions
“Meaning well is not enough.”
— Violet, Dowager Countess, Downton Abbey, Season 1
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Mrs. Hughes on loss
“We must all have our hearts broken once or twice before we’re done.”
— Mrs. Hughes, Downton Abbey, Season 4
Carson on finding purpose
“The business of life is the acquisition of memories. In the end that’s all there is.”
— Carson, Downton Abbey, Season 6
Lord Grantham on possibility
“Every mountain is unclimbable until someone climbs it; so every ship is unsinkable until it sinks.”
— Robert Crawley, Lord Grantham, Downton Abbey, Season 1
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The Dowager Countess on sin
“If we only had moral thoughts, what would the poor churchmen find to do?”
—Violet, Dowager Countess, Season 5
Mrs. Patmore on loss
“Nothing makes you hungrier or more tired than grief.”
— Mrs. Patmore, Downton Abbey, Season 1
Make sure you never say this at a funeral.
Drewe on employment
“Work is like old age, m’lady—the worst thing in the world, except for the alternative.”
— Drewe, Downton Abbey, Season 4
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The Dowager Countess on introspection
“No life appears rewarding if you think too much about it.”
— Violet, Dowager Countess, Downton Abbey, Season 4
The Dowager Countess on displays of emotion
“A lack of compassion can be as vulgar as an excess of tears.”
—Violet, Dowager Countess, Downton Abbey, Season 5
Carson on caution
“You’re nervous because you’re intelligent; only stupid people are foolhardy.”
— Carson, Downton Abbey, Season 4
Here’s expert advice on how to stop living in regret.
Mrs. Patmore on young love
“Nothing is as changeable as a young man’s heart. Take hope and warning from that.”
— Mrs. Patmore, Downton Abbey, Season 4
The Dowager Countess on independence
“Beware of being ‘too good at it.’ That’s the danger of living alone, it can be very hard to give up.”
— Violet, Dowager Countess, Downton Abbey, Season 6
Daisy on mindfulness
“I’ve decided to live in the present and not spend my life regretting the past or dreading the future.”
— Daisy, Downton Abbey, Season 5
The Dowager Countess on potential
“We only know what we are capable of when we test our limits.”
—Violet, Dowager Countess, Downton Abbey, Season 6
The Dowager Countess on the importance of motives
“My dear, love is a far more dangerous motive than dislike.”
— Violet, Dowager Countess, Downton Abbey, Season 5
Martha on freedom
“Yes we do understand the importance of tradition and history. We just don’t give it power over us.”
— Martha Levinson, Downton Abbey, Season 3
Matthew on priorities
“War has a way of distinguishing between the things that matter and the things that don’t.”
— Matthew Crawley, Downton Abbey, Season 2
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The Dowager Countess on overcoming obstacles
“All life is a series of problems, that we must try and solve.”
—Violet, Dowager Countess, Downton Abbey, Season 1
Anna on marriage
“I’d rather have the right man, than the right wedding.”
— Anna, Downton Abbey, Season 2
Carson on growth
“What would be the point of living if we didn’t let life change us?”
— Carson, Downton Abbey, Season 1
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Bates on the dangers of living in the past
“I miss a lot of things; but you have to keep moving, don’t you?”
— Bates, Downton Abbey, Season 1
The Dowager Countess on tragedy
“When tragedies strike, we try to find someone to blame. And in the absence of a suitable candidate, we usually blame ourselves. You are not to blame. No one is to blame.”
—Violet, Dowager Countess, Downton Abbey, Season 3
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Edith on finding meaning
“I know, we all need a purpose.”
— Lady Edith, Downton Abbey, Season 4
Mrs. Hughes on loss
“A broken heart can be as painful as a broken limb.”
— Mrs. Hughes, Downton Abbey, Season 2
The Dowager Countess on socializing
“There’s nothing simpler than avoiding people you don’t like. Avoiding one’s friends, that’s the real test.”
— Violet, Dowager Countess, Downton Abbey, Season 5
Want to host a party worthy of the Crawleys? Don’t miss these entertaining tips from the cast and crew of Downton Abbey.
Carson on putting on a show
“In my opinion, to misquote Doctor Johnson, if you’re tired of style, you are tired of life.”
— Carson, Downton Abbey, Season 3
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Isobel on grief
“Aren’t we the lucky ones to have loved.”
— Isobel Crawley, Downton Abbey, Season 4
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The Dowager Countess on honesty
“There can be too much truth in any relationship.”
— Violet, Dowager Countess, Downton Abbey, Season 4
If you enjoyed these classic Downton Abbey quotes, be sure to check out eight life lessons we learned from Downton Abbey.
