WithDownton Abbey: A New Erahaving recently expanded on theDownton AbbeyTV series, let’s recap on this Primetime Emmy-winning series.Downton Abbeycenters around an infamous British estate that is run by The Crawley family andthe staff memberswho work there. In its six seasons on the air,Downton Abbeyaveraged, perForbes, 13.3 million viewers at its peak in season four. Through beloved characters, likeMaggie Smith’s Dowager Countess, and a picturesque, romanticized British backdrop,Downtown Abbeywas one of the bestBritish TV showsof the 2010s.
Julian Fellowes' historic dramaDownton Abbeyincluded a rollercoaster of emotions throughout its runtime. From love and romance to death and heartbreak, this series — and, later on, the movies — certainly knew how to keep up an emotional connection with its viewers. The show started with the deaths of the heirs to Downton and ran with it, killing off a few fan-favorite characters along the way. These are the most heartbreaking character deaths in theDownton AbbeyTV series.
Updated August 03, 2025: If you loveDownton Abbey, you’ll be happy to know we’ve updated this article with additional content from the show’s amazing cast of characters.
8Kemal Pamuk
Kemal Pamuk had the honor of being the first on-screen death ofDownton Abbey. His storyline was short-lived, but caused a lot of problems. Upon meeting her, Pamuk flirts with Lady Mary. Their flirtation turns into a rendezvous in the middle of the night that ultimately leads to Pamuk dying of natural causes. Although shocked, Lady Mary recruits her maid Anna to help move Pamuk back to his bed before anyone can discover that she has tarnished her reputation. This discretion comes up a few times throughout the series and helped to show a wilder side to Lady Mary. However, moving Pamuk’s dead body across the estate was widely criticized as unrealistic, even though this scandal wasbased on true events.
Related:Downton Abbey: Every Real-Life Tragedy the Franchise Includes in Its Storylines
7Vera Bates
The death of Mr. Bates' ex-wife Vera was used to enhance the plot line between Mr. Bates and his new wife, Anna. Vera was one ofDownton Abbey’s most despicable antagonists and often tried to manipulate her estranged husband for his wealth. Not wanting to see Mr. Bates happy with anyone else, Vera commits suicide by slowly poisoning herself with arsenic, hoping to frame him for her murder. He went to jail for a time, but eventually, Anna was able to get his name cleared. Vera’s death was not in the least heartbreaking. If anything, fans rejoiced at her passing. However, it was heartbreaking to watch Mr. Bates and Anna suffer the consequences of her actions.
6Lavinia Swire
Poor sweet Lavinia Swire’s sole reason for being onDownton Abbeywas to push Lady Mary and Matthew Crawley together. Unfortunately, she had to die to do so. Lavinia and Matthew met during the war and are engaged quickly. After he gets paralyzed from the waist down, Matthew calls off the engagement. Lady Mary becomes linked with Sir Richard Carlisle during the time Matthew returns to Downton. Sir Richard Carlisle reunites Matthew and Lavinia when he realizes Matthew and Lady Mary growing closer. Lavinia overhears Matthew, now healed, professing his love for Lady Mary. Then, she catches the Spanish Flu and passes away after telling Matthew it was better this way – referring to the fact that he and Lady Mary belong together.
5Michael Gregson
Lady Edith is often handed the short stick in life throughoutDownton Abbey— such is her case with Michael Gregson. Gregson started out as Edith’s publisher and editor when he gave her a job writing a magazine column on women’s rights. Their professional friendship turns romantic, despite Gregson still being married to a woman confined to an asylum. The law forbids divorcing someone deemed “insane,” but after discovering that Germany does not follow the same rules, Gregson decides to leave for Germany, never to be heard from again. It’s not until a season later that we get confirmation that he did indeed die in Germany. To further the pain of losing her love, Lady Edith realizes she is pregnant with his daughter.
4William Mason
William Mason is one of the many servants who work at Downton Abbey. He is the second footman and an all-around nice guy. William was in love with Daisy, a kitchen maid, who ultimately did not return his affections. When William goes to the war with Matthew, he is badly injured. Before leaving for the war, William proposed to Daisy, who didn’t have the heart to say no. Now that he is on his deathbed, he and Daisy marry despite her hesitation. William passes away, but Daisy keeps in contact with William’s father, the last one left from the Mason family.
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3Matthew Crawley
Matthew and Mary had been through a lot leading up to the former’s death inDownton Abbeyseason 3. There were misunderstandings, opposing suitors, the Spanish Flu, and even a World War getting between the characters and their destinies. But love conquers all, and in the end, the two were finally able to be together. After meeting his son for the first time, Matthew races away in his car to share the good news. Unfortunately, he failed to see an oncoming vehicle in his excitement. After a few near-death experiences and becoming temporarily paralyzed from World War II, it takes a single-car crash to take the life of Matthew Crawley. His death wasn’t planned, though. The actor who played Matthew, Dan Stevens, decided rather last minute that hedid not wish to returnto the series, leaving the writers grasping at closure for him after he finally married Lady Mary. His death was shocking for those that had been rooting for the couple since the first episode.
There were multiple dogs inDownton Abbey, but none had as big an impact as Lord Grantham’s yellow Labrador Isis. The Lord’s beloved dog died of cancer in season 5. Isis factored into multiple plot lines. One story, in particular, saw her being stolen and locked in a shed by Thomas, who hoped to return her in a scheme to get back into Lord Grantham’s good graces. Her unfortunate death affected everyone in the house, but no one more so than Lord Grantham, as Isis was his most beloved companion. When she died, it was evident that a part of Lord Grantham died with her. While Isis did not have a large part in the show, she is featured in the opening credits in each episode.
1Lady Sybil
Lady Sybil was arguably the sweetest character onDownton Abbey. When she passed away in season 3, everyone was shaken. Lady Sybil fell in love with the chauffeur Tom Branson who worked at Downton. Between her love of civil rights and Tom’s progressive ideals, the two fell for each other hard enough for Sybil to denounce her title and fortune to marry Tom. When they fall pregnant, the pregnancy threatens Sybil’s life. When an issue arises, the local doctor Clarkson and a specialist disagree on how to handle the labor. The specialists win out, and Sybil gives birth to a baby girl. It isn’t until the middle of the night that the preeclampsia sets in, and Sybil tearfully dies in Tom’s arms.
