Downton Abbey: 10 Couples That Would Have Made A Lot Of Sense (But Never Got Together)

PBS’ hit series Downton Abbey tackles a lot of issues, from historical events to class relationships to the speed of social progress. Arguably though, the series is far more concerned with one thing: romance. So much of the series is a big game of “will they won’t they?.”

Obviously, there was the central struggle for Lady Mary to find a proper suitor, but this was an issue for a lot of characters. Throughout the series, whether they were an aristocrat or a servant, there were many near-romantic connections that could have lead to full marriage.

10 Lady Mary & Charles Blake

To get some of the obvious ones out of the way, we need to talk about Lady Mary. So much of her character progression is about her struggle to find a suitable husband to assist in running the estate. One relationship that could have turned into something more was that between herself and Charles Blake.

Blake worked for the government, assessing the full cost of running giant historical estates such as Downton Abbey. Although the two came from fairly different worlds, there was a definite connection there, and their contrasting views would have made a great team when it came to running the house.

9 Tom Branson & Miss Bunting

Tom is one of the more tragic characters of the show. He comes from a country whose identity is threatened by imperialists, and he falls in love with the daughter of that same system. His entire identity and purpose are always put into question.

One person who challenged him and could have really suited him was Miss Bunting, the village school teacher. Her similar “radical” viewpoints matched his, and the two really could have left Downton behind for a life that was more true to the two of them.

8 Lady Edith & Patrick Crawley

At the beginning of the series, the heir to Downton, Patrick, was said to have perished in the sinking of the Titanic. This set off a chain of events which brought Matthew Crawley into the picture and changed the entire course of this family.

So to have him supposedly reappear as a disfigured veteran during WWI was a bit of a shock. If he really was Patrick, he and Edith could have made a perfect match. Edith seems to attract tragedy, so marrying the once heir to her father fits the bill nicely.

7 Harold Levinson & Madeleine Allsopp

One of the biggest guest stars to appear in the series was Paul Giamatti as Harold Levinson, brother to Lady Cora. Harold visits London during a Christmas episode and is courted into a proposed union with Madeleine Allsopp.

Their early meetings don’t go so well, as Levinson is a bit of a maverick in this world of aristocrats. His blunt personality isn’t enough to successfully garner a marriage, but the two certainly had a chemistry that could have grown into something more.

6 Mrs. Patmore & Mr. Mason

Mrs. Patmore remains one of the most beloved characters of the whole series. Her blunt attitude and wit served her well as one of the foundational members of the cast. Sadly, romance was never fully in the cards for the character.

While she almost was engaged, she turned that offer down and never again was heavily pursued. That being said, there was some semi-romantic chemistry between herself and Mr. Mason, father-in-law to Daisy. The pair would have fit together quite nicely.

5 Lady Mary & Lord Gillingham

The final suitor that would have fit well with Mary got just about as far as both her husbands. Lord Gillingham was Mary’s potential husband for a long time, courting her over the course of a few seasons.

The pair went as far as renting a hotel room, spending a rather intimate weekend together. Sadly, Mary couldn’t overcome her grief in regards to Matthew to fully commit to Gillingham. The pair obviously cared about one another deeply and could have been something more had the tragedy not overshadowed the relationship.

4 Miss Baxter & Mr. Molesley

Out many of these near relationships, few seemed as in the cards as Miss Baxter and Mr. Molesley. This duo became close friends during the latter half of the series. For a long time, Baxter was overshadowed by her criminal past, with Barrow holding it over her head as a sort of ransom for information.

Molesley’s blind optimism and hope in people brought her out of this dark place, allowing her to own up to her past and move on. Since then, the pair have shared a couple of sparks during their friendship, but have yet to move forward fully.

3 Lady Edith & Michael Gregson

Apart from Mary and Matthew, this might be the most tragic relationship of the series. Edith and Michael Gregson were a perfect match, finally saving Edith from a lifetime of sadness and loneliness. Sadly, this relationship was to be rife with tragedy.

Michael leaves to Germany to severe ties with his institutionalized wife so he can marry Edith. Sadly, he disappears and his fate is unknown till seasons later, where it’s revealed he was murdered by early Nazis.

2 Thomas Barrow & Richard Ellis

Thomas Barrow has had a life of tragedy and hopelessness for so long. As a closeted gay man during the turn of the century, his prospects were rather low.

But, finally, through the film, Thomas has a moment of hope that could one day turn into love. Richard Ellis saves Thomas from jail after he is found at a gay social club. The two share a kiss in their final moments before parting. Hopefully this could continue into something more than just a fling.

1 Lady Violet & Prince Kuragin

This was a surprise for many fans of the series. The Dowager Countess was a character that could be called anything but a romantic. Her attitude towards impropriety was one of zero tolerance. So to find out she had a small affair with a Russian Prince when she was younger was mind-blowing.

After the revolution, Prince Kuragin escapes to England, where he is reunited with Violet. Sadly, the pair still don’t work out, with Violet arranging a reunion between Kuragin and his Princess. Alas, Violet and Kuragin relationship will never be after the events of the film.

About The Author

Matt Berger
(214 Articles Published)

Matt Berger is a writer, comedian, actor, Paddington enthusiast, and Corgi dad. He currently writes for Screen Rant, has written for Bloody Disgusting, hosts the Film School Sucked podcast, and co-hosts the Macabre podcast. Matt is an alumni of Portland State University with a degree in English and Film Studies.

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