Downton Abbey | The Downton Staff Impresses the King and Queen

After tricking the royal servants into returning to London, the Downton Abbey staff show the King and Queen that they're capable of putting on an exquisite dinner.
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[@lochnessmonster5149]

I wish they had allowed Mr Molesley just one scene of dignity.

[@saladspinner3200]

Well they did him right in the sequel.

[@felinequeen9243]

He got his scene of dignity. You need to see the second Downton Abbey movie for it.

[@delphinec9307]

I think that the first part of his speech is full of dignity. He is proud of his house staff and speak loud for them. And even if he is made uneasy after because he wasn't supposed to speak, I think that everybody is aware of the deep truth of his words and the fact that he made things clear. The bow is a bit ridiculous but very touching too.

[@astrangerwhostaysforawhile987]

He's at his peak at the end of the 2nd movie

[@pameladavis895]

The bow or curtsy reminds me of Mr. Collins in "Of Pride and Prejudice." He too curtsied to Lady Catherine de Bourgh! @@delphinec9307 🤣🤣

[@howardhardison4879]

Carson: “I must go where my King needs me” Such a profound moment for him.

[@__seeker__]

4:51 Violet’s face is priceless. The vicarious embarrassment, the cringe, the pity…all expertly shown in just 2 seconds.

[@hansmiller664]

"We are quite used to people behaving strangely when we are near!" Just for that sentence, the writer should be awarded. And funny, this word still goes today!

[@robertmoore6149]

Her Majesty could tell that Moseley was happy and proud to serve. That his intent was to be helpful, not scornful, as cringeworthy as it was. She rewarded that with kindness and grace.

[@felinequeen9243]

That is the paternal grandmother of the late Queen Elizabeth II, the paternal great-great-grandmother of Prince William; she was a kind and dignified lady.

[@baileyguan7457]

@@felinequeen9243Though not so kind to her own children.

[@mareksicinski3726]

It was not “cringeworthy” What the hell is it with people stuck in these shows that they adopt the stupid ideology dpeicted in them Like people can’t watch without agreeing with it

[@mareksicinski3726]

@@felinequeen9243and?

[@robertmoore6149]

@@mareksicinski3726 Please familiarize yourself with contemporary usage of words in the English language. It will help you get along better with the rest of humanity. And Fun Fact: not EVERYTHING is political

[@joelbuchanan471]

He treated her with respect and dignity. She was right to praise him and the staff.

[@1CathyHendrix]

I just love Mr. Molesley. He always brought the humor...esp. in this clip! LOL.

[@markmh835]

I absolutely adore this scene! The actors playing the King and Queen are exceptional. And the Queen's final line is one of the best written lines in the movie. 😊👍❤

[@carolinewhiteside3631]

Queen Mary is played by Geraldine James.

[@shermaniac46]

@@carolinewhiteside3631 I'm rewatching The Jewel in the Crown. Geraldine James plays a central role, as exceptional, compelling, magnificent as this small but delightful role in Downton Abbey.

[@carolinewhiteside3631]

@@shermaniac46 Check out her role as Marilla in Anne with an E & Milner in Utopia (Uk). Two excellent performances.

[@felinequeen9243]

And she delivered it flawlessly.

[@tikakita]

Stop being such a sob sloppy complainer. He was great the way he is! The buffoon in me is as dignified as anyone who's polished. I love him the way he is and he loves himself too.

[@denareese6293]

This guy.....such a great character actor. Love how his storyline has developed, especially with Miss Baxter.

[@zerjiozerjio]

Yes! He doesn’t get enough praise for this expertly acted scene. The sheer terror, regret, and relief in his face. Just great!

[@boredlawyer3382]

Moesley -- the Chief Footman of Comic Relief. 😁😁😁

[@Christian120890]

This is a win for the servants, but any other house they would all be fired. There is a reason why royals bring their own staff. Safety to their health ( allergies and dietary restrictions ) and security ( poisoning food and drink is still a thing). The royal staff have all been background checked, but not the house staff.

[@msinvincible2000]

That's what I thought when I watched the film. However, Downto's staff, made it in a way that cannot be traced to them, otherwise the repercussions would have been dire ( no doubt they would have been thoroughly interrogated by the police and secret services)

[@michaelscampini1573]

I haven't seen the movie and this popped up as a random video in my feed. It makes sense now but I actually thought this was a class thing at first. Like going to a restaurant expecting a celebrity chef and getting the Sous-chef. I studied English history and should have realized the queen would come with her own chef. It's fascinating.

[@felinequeen9243]

On the note of poisoning, the European royalties are very trusting of their staff and their hosts. Every other sovereign of another culture would have a taster who risked his/her life to ensure the safety of the sovereign.

[@jdstep97]

@@michaelscampini1573I agree it is fascinating. I LOVE Victorian and Edwardian history, and most of British royal history for the first half of the 20th century. Alas, the golden age or royalty seems to have ended.

[@clairenoon4070]

Lol! The idea that British royalty was fearful of being poisoned at this time is hilarious! And they ate all over the place - often at large official events away from home (including overseas) where people who weren't their staff did the cooking.

[@hoshiuno7530]

No wonder the Queen's actress is so familiar, she is Marilla Cuthbert in Anne with an E

[@shivanigurjar13]

Wow thanks! I had been wondering since so long

[@tongong]

woah thanks for this!!!!

[@amethystanne4586]

Thank you! That is a good thing to know!

[@carolinewhiteside3631]

Yes, Geraldine James

[@DayneandtheStars]

Oh my god!!!!!

[@ChristinWilsey]

Oh poor Mr Molesly, that bit cracks me up every time!

[@carolinewhiteside3631]

The way Molesly curtesies. It's so funny. The Queen is very gracious with him.

[@mareksicinski3726]

Genuflects not curtsies

[@user-ne3yw2cu6c]

Poor Molesley... I cried for him.

[@simonlunt353]

Mr Carson l have always looked up to he ran Downton Abbey like a military operation and so well and with all of his staff behind him they did a top job 😊👏👏🇬🇧

[@davidhocde007]

At 2:00... That feeling when getting in some dodgy place somewhere in London... When you know it's gonna be hot... Thankfully, in my days, that did not end up in custody for That. From Nantes in 🇨🇵, 30ish years after my "London by nights".

[@NJKmpg]

Mrs. Hughes is such a wonderful character.

[@betty5064]

I went to a five star hotel for lunch, in Venice. It's a long story. The service was just like that except we had a footman each to hold the chair and serve, It was all done on silent signals like here, Lovely.

[@comradeleppi2000]

When he did that curtesy i couldn't stop laughing 😂

[@user-dg9sm6qt7j]

McGonagall in The muggle world😂

[@maikeliRAIWALUI]

I'm guessing the king and queen here are King George V & Queen mary the grandparents of queen elizabeth ii and great grandparents to king charles iii

[@michaelmontagu3979]

They are indeed

[@valkyriesardo278]

Moseley spoke on impulse which is always hazardous in any circumstance. I think it a good rule not to speak without first considering your audience and your intent. Do they need the information? Will it benefit them? It was gracious of the queen to let him off the hook.

[@weepingangel6805]

Shut up

[@cherylannemason]

Queen Mary was indeed known as quite a stickler for protocol--and I would guess also very aware that people might indeed "behave strangely" in the presence of royalty--I can imagne her reactng with just such a well-turned response.

[@kilted911]

The Dowager's face! Good heavens! LOL!!!!!

[@ednakelley814]

The line "Does not excuse his behavior" That has to be the height of arrogance.

[@clairenoon4070]

Lol - why?! Even today, staff serving at a formal dinner wouldn't/shouldn't take it upon themselves to address the whole table of diners!

[@varrshinimadhusudhanan1618]

Mosley is hilarious

[@melaniekendall4903]

It's Molesley 😂

[@cascooter]

Mrs Webb is the stuff of nightmares.

[@goblinslayer7096]

That clock is so loud.

[@bigbob1699]

I was hoping that they would pack a lunch for them for their trip.

[@tuanputrajurangpati3240]

That moment when you realise you interrupted the king and queen of the nation, didn''t he felt his life is end with that look of there majestic 😂😂.

[@RosieGaelic]

Lady Edith always wore her tiaras right across forhead! That is not how they are supposed to be worn! 👸👸👸

[@vulcan2882]

That was more of a head dress and not a tiara.

[@foolslayer9416]

4:03 You could hear a church mouse fart...

[@mics605]

I always wonder the difference between people who serve and who are served…. One’s life is more important than the others? In Britain, this still exists. I don’t know why.

[@ABC_DEF]

People work as waiters in every country in the world, even yours.

[@clairenoon4070]

Oh, the utter hypocrisy of people like you! Have you never eaten in a hotel, restaurant, cafe, fast-food place? You'll be amazed to know there were (usually low-paid) people there to serve you, prepare your food and clean up after you. Have you ever stayed at a hotel or B&B? You'll presumably be amazed to know that there were people who cleaned your toilet, changed and washed your bedding and towels, dusted and vacuumed etc. Have you ever worked in any workplace? You'll be amazed to know that when you're not there people come and clean the kitchens and toilets you use, etc. Have you ever shopped in a shop, mall etc? You'll be amazed to know that outside trading hours people come and clean and restock them so that you can use them. Have you ever been served by anyone, anywhere, in any capacity?

[@ednakelley814]

What is the point of the royal staff being so arrogant and rude?

[@nohandle62]

Haven't you heard? They're better than everyone but the royals themselves.

[@cg8397]

Servants got their status from the status of their employers.

[@martinkrukenberg4590]

why is mr molesley embarrassed ? what did he do wrong?

[@YorkshireNutte]

He's a servant. He spoke without being directly addressed, in a casual manner to a table which hosted the King and Queen. Such a thing back then would've gotten you dismissed. Servants never spoke to their superiors unless they were addressed first. I thought it was very out of character for Molesley. He'd been the butler to Mrs Crawley for years, and would have known to not speak so openly.

[@giovanniserafino1731]

@@YorkshireNutte Within the historical and cultural context of the time your words make perfect sense. It is good to see things have been and continue to change and monarchs can be spoken to as normal human beings without the impression that one is speaking to a god!

[@xingtong7029]

And he is too nervous to act properly at the moment he knew the King and Queen would come to visit because his deep loyalty and addiction to the Monarchy. Anything he acted is something out of his excitment to see the Royal and be part of the acceptance.@@YorkshireNutte

[@primeminister1040]

Wow such a dumb pretentious culture if you ask me​@@YorkshireNutte

[@rosemaryamundson4542]

That Mrs Webb looks a lot like the Russian Princes wife . Are they the same actress ?

[@karanmonza7534]

🏰💒💒❄❄❄

[@crismaxx5522]

🏃🤰

[@shahjehan]

Isn’t their son the future king who abdicates and becomes a Nazi sympathizer?

[@madabbafan]

Edward VIII and that cold hearred witch he married, yes. But we got a better King in George VI.

[@swaingles]

Is Mr Molesley to me the cringiest moment for anyone else's than me?

[@cdb88]

Oh what is the big deal. They are just people.

[@1hayes1]

English dining was exquisite, the food not so.

[@clairenoon4070]

Did you eat it?

[@1hayes1]

@@clairenoon4070 Only a few times. The fish and chips were good, the cafe fare was not.

[@clairenoon4070]

@@1hayes1 Lol! Fish and chips and cafes! This is your idea of 'English dining'? Are you from one of those places that struggles to even use cutlery? Give it a rest.

[@1hayes1]

​@@clairenoon4070 I disparaged English food, not the dining. Please try to keep track. Or are you from one of those (outdated, imperialist, racist) places that cannot imagine eating food with means other than a set of three silver-plated metal tools?

[@clairenoon4070]

@@1hayes1 Indeed, but my comment had moved onto you and your habits! Outdated to eat food with cutlery? That'll be pretty much the whole of Europe, then, plus large swathes of the rest of the world. Why would cutlery need to be silver-plated? Imperialist? The vast majority of people in this country were either children or weren't even born when Britain had an empire. I turned 18 in the 1980s. My family on my father's side were Irish. Struggling to see how 'imperialist' could possibly apply? Racist? That'll be the country that thousands of non-white people hand over their life savings to people-smugglers and risk their lives trying to get to in small boats across the Channel almost every single day. Despite already being in France and free to claim asylum there. Then there are the hundreds of thousands who arrive here via 'regular' processes - for example on student visas hoping to subsequently extend into residency, or because of existing family in the UK. Amazing, really, just how many people, from all over the world, would prefer to live here if they could. And for good reason. On full-time-equivalent salaries always below the UK national average, and with no other household income, I've been able to work part-time since my 40s and will never work full-time again. I have a glorious, civilised life. What really amuses me is that you were watching Downton Abbey in the first place!

[@angeldsouza777]

The funniest thing is the cringing round the table at Mr Molesley's behaviour - when their *entire culture* of bowing, scraping & ridiculous hierarchy IS IN ITSELF a joke 🙄😏

[@DominicNJ73]

Whoa...so edgy. OMG man, you're elite...ELITE!!

[@princeindrajitlawlaha7027]

! 💝 💯 👏 🎉 🙏 🚀 👍 🤖 🎅 ✝ 🌝 !

[@stevebartley8902]

What a load of cap tipping nonsense.

[@weepingangel6805]

It's actually mental how people used to live like this that they would WASTE their one and only life by going into service and waiting hand and foot. And they found honour in that. Well actually I guess nothing has changed these days people do the same thing but with a 9-5 corporate job.

[@rkh7360]

Looking down on someone for finding joy in their work..how wonderful of you.

[@PeterDivine]

Nice to see the reddit r/antiwork crowd in the comments.

[@KillerGothChick]

What a bitter person you are and narcissistic

[@ludicrus32]

Just because you think yourself better than a job does not mean a life was wasted doing that job. For most of these people, working in service was their only opportunity at something better than digging ditches or working as farm hands, and it was a skilled job that helped many of them go on to something better.

[@tlightning8383]

These were actually very highly regarded sought after jobs. They gave workers a place to live and free food and many of them did become very close to the families.

[@johnnydavis1835]

So servants can't talk to the King or Queen They must be God lol

[@ashmitkumar3429]

They can't talk to them unless the king or queen directly addresses them. Same goes for almost any servant and their master.

[@peacepachuau1052]

No-one may speak with His/Her Majesty unless spoken to. This is a legitimate code of conduct. Followed to this day. This is to prevent and conserve the Monarch's time. To prevent unnecessary conversation.

[@hblask4192]

Not just the royal family, in those diners they had to stay quite unless it's really necessary, like for serving since they are not supposed to listen to the conversation. A servant had to be discret and respect their privacy, plus he didn't bow like a gentlement, but like a lady XD

[@l.a.3479]

@@hblask4192 *quiet*

[@bunnyslippers191]

@@hblask4192 The conversation started with each woman at the table speaking to the person to her left for X number of minutes, then X number of minutes to the right, then reverse-led by the hostess changing in which direction she was speaking-and the subjects were things like the weather, the shooting, Lady so and so's flowers, their horses, riding, their dogs, hunting with their dogs, possibly the theater-but only innocuous plays-books-but only high minded and quite "moral" books, travel, and other pleasant and non controversial subjects.Praising the food and the wine were popular subjects as well. No drama, no secrets, no scandals, and no addressing the table at large except for the hostess "asking" if the ladies were ready to retire to whichever room was to be used for the after dinner conversation and *no* cross table talk. The same rules hold for formal dining even now. It was, and still is, possible to converse politely and without a word being said by anyone that could possibly be considered controversial or that might bring even a tiny breath of scandal about anyone present, even if the servants were disloyal enough to spread it abroad from the house. Formal dining conversation was, and still is, an art form. Anyone who could possibly be considered for an invitation to dine at a great house with nobility, and possibly royalty, had been taught this art from childhood. Any secrets anyone wanted to speak were reserved for places without servants within earshot and where complete privacy was assured. Informal dining with one's family had fewer people at the table, looser rules and talk around the table would be more general, including across the table and everyone participating and hearing every word, but still no scandal and no secrets in front of the servants.

[@duckduckgoismuchbetter]

The scene of humiliation with Mr Moseley was, I think, the worst scene in this movie. And completely unwarranted. The actor may have enjoyed it, as well as some who enjoy ritual humiliation scenes, but I can assure you the majority of the Downton fans did not.

[@manna_bell]

He deserves an academy award at pulling it off so well. Most fans I know love this scene .

[@duckduckgoismuchbetter]

@@manna_bell Only if you love cringey so-called "humor". But it's an awful scene if you don't. Real humor does not have to rely on cringiness.

[@Lana.S.Boyd49]

​@@duckduckgoismuchbetterYou're a barrel of laughs aren't you?

[@duckduckgoismuchbetter]

@@Lana.S.Boyd49 Cringey so-called "humor" is not quality humor. And anybody who thinks otherwise, needs their attitude adjusted!

[@michaelwojcieszek6902]

I hate this servile BS - we shouldnt be cheering working classes infighting with eachother FOR THE HONOUR of serving the upper classes - gross

[@GitanAnimex]

When will some people understand this is set in another time? And people at that time thought like that??

[@bunnyslippers191]

This particular movie was set in a time almost exactly 100 years ago. There have been significant changes since then. This is a glimpse into another time, not the present.

[@cee-emm]

This is a period drama lol, you know from a time in which you could just take pride in your work instead of seething with jealous outrage about people who have more than you

[@purpurina5663]

Serving the King and Queen meant you reached the highest point of a footman "career", meaning that person has mastered a skill. It's as if you were an academic and were made a Rhode Scholar. Things are relative, and you can take pride in the humblest of jobs.

[@amethystanne4586]

It was a very different time then. For the most part, only those from wealthy families had the time and means to get a higher education. There was a definite division of the social classes. Have you seen the Rex Harrison movie, “My Fair Lady”? The time period portrayed is what the Dowager Countess would have felt very comfortable in. The fashion is different than that of Downton Abbey, but the division between social classes was very very similar. Having a job in a wealthy household provided wages to those from not-well-off families. The more a person learned and the more training he/she received = avenues of advancement = better wages. My lifelong career (outside of my home) has been in food service. From another person’s point of view, it’s not the most prestigious or most high paying. But I have enjoyed it! I graduated college with a B.A. in Home Economics, with a minor in Educational Theory. During student teaching, I decided my temperament was not suited to that profession. In fact, I get greater personal satisfaction from an average day as a school Lunch Lady than I ever did during the whole 5-6 weeks as a teacher.