The lives of the Crawley family and the servants who work for them has been changed forever, since the Great War was declared at the end of the last series.
Promoted to Lord Lieutenant of Yorkshire, Lord Robert Crawley has new responsibilities and so does Downton. Although the veritable Mr Carson (Jim Carter) will no doubt be doing his utmost to ensure that standards have not slipped, even in the face of war and as Downton is transformed from a place of opulence to a hospital for the wounded.
Many of the first series favourites will be joined by a host of new faces. How will these new characters and the constant threat of the war upset the delicate balance of life at Downton?