‘I do think a woman’s place is eventually in the home,’ ’s legendary Dowager Countess once said, ‘but I see no harm in her having some before she gets there.’ And now, audiences will be able to learn all about the raucous love life of Violet Crawley. While filming for the in the beloved series has only just kicked off at Highclere Castle, the Powers That Be are already planning a prequel, according to .
The will follow Maggie Smith’s character in her younger years as she wins the hearts of aristocrats throughout Europe. Her scathing sarcasm and barbed wit made the Dowager Countess of Grantham a firm favourite among fans. Across the television series (and the two smash-hit blockbuster films that followed), they have been given some tantalising teasers about the ‘fun’ that she might have gotten up to before settling down with her late earl husband – and, perhaps, afterwards, too.
.. In season five, we were made privy to the scandalous goings on of Lady Violet’s trip to Russia in 1874.
Amid the Rococo walls of the Winter Palace, she fell in love with one Prince Igor Kuragin. No doubt the two would have made a fierce royal match, were only the Russian prince not married. Lady Violet made plans to escape to Kuragin’s and elope, but her dreams were swiftly (and understandably) quashed by the prince’s wife.
In real life Russia, 1874 was quite a busy year. Who knows what the Dowager Countess would have made of Britain’s Prince Alfred’s wedding to Grand Du.
