How to watch Downton Abbey
Watch Downton Abbey and pay tribute to the late, great Dame Maggie Smith as you stream every episode of the sumptuous period drama. Streaming around the globe, including for free in some territories, and the movies too, keep reading, as we explain how to watch Downton Abbey online from anywhere.
| Release date: All six seasons of Downton Abbey are streaming now |
| FREE stream: CBC Gem (CA) |
| Global stream: Prime Video |
| Downton Abbey: The Movie streams: Netflix (UK & US) | Paramount Plus (AU) |
| Downton Abbey: A New Era streams: Netflix (CA) | Paramount Plus (AU) |
| Use NordVPN to watch any stream |
The sprawling saga of the Crawley family, Downton Abbey became a global phenomenon, running for six seasons and spawning two theatrical films, with a third due in 2025. Stunningly crafted, the period drama draws viewers in to the personal lives of an aristocratic family and their household staff.
Opening with a lineage dilemma caused by the sinking of the Titanic, the show covers the First World War, women’s suffrage, the Spanish Influenza pandemic and class revolution – all of which contribute toward an ever-changing world that threatens to make people like the Crawleys obsolete.
At the heart of Downton Abbey are an eclectic cast of characters, led by Hugh Bonneville as Robert, the Earl of Grantham. The stand out for many though is his mother, Violet, brilliantly portrayed by Maggie Smith.
Whether you want to watch the Downton Abbey saga for the first time and take it for another spin top to bottom, keep reading for our guide on how to watch Downton Abbey online, for free, and from anywhere in the world just below.
How to watch Downton Abbey for FREE
How to watch Downton Abbey from anywhere
For those away from home looking to watch Downton Abbey, you’ll be unable to watch the show like you normally would due to annoying regional restrictions. Luckily, there’s an easy solution.
Downloading a VPN allows you to stream online, no matter where you are. It's a simple bit of software that changes your IP address, meaning that you can access on-demand content or live TV just as if you were at home.
Use a VPN to watch Downton Abbey from anywhere:
How to watch Downton Abbey around the world
How to watch Downton Abbey in the UK
Brits can watch Downton Abbey on Prime Video, Netflix and on the ITVX Premium service (£5.99 per month).
Downton Abbey: The Movie can also be streamed on Prime Video and Netflix, while Downton Abbey: A New Era is currently unavailable to stream for those in Blighty.
Brits currently travelling in overseas can use a VPN to watch Downton Abbey from abroad.
How to watch Downton Abbey in the US
US viewers looking to stream Downton Abbey can do so using Prime Video, BritBox or Peacock.
Downton Abbey: The Movie can be streamed on Netflix, while Downton Abbey: A New Era is available on Starz.
Canadians travelling south of the border can use a VPN to watch Downton Abbey on their usual service from abroad.
How to watch watch Downton Abbey in Australia
Aussies have a choice between Prime Video or Binge for Downton Abbey streams.
Both Downton Abbey: The Movie and Downton Abbey: A New Era can be streamed on Paramount Plus or Foxtel Now. The first cinematic outing is also available on Prime Video.
Brits currently travelling in Australia can use a VPN to watch Downton Abbey just as if they were back in Blighty.
How to watch Downton Abbey in Canada
As mentioned, the Downton Abbey series is available for free on CBC Gem in Canada, as well as Netflix, Prime Video and BritBox. There's also a French language stream via Ici Télé.
Downton Abbey: The Movie is currently unavailable to stream for Canadians, but Downton Abbey: A New Era is available on Netflix.
Canadians abroad can use a VPN to watch Downton Abbey on CBC Gem from overseas.
All you need to know about Downton Abbey
Can I watch Downton Abbey on Netflix?
Yes. All season of Downton Abbey are available to stream on Netflix in a number of locations. These include the UK and Canada but not USA, Australia, India, South Africa, Singapore or New Zealand, for example.
Downton Abbey: The Movie and Downton Abbey: A New Era are also on Netflix but, again, not everywhere. For example, the former is on Netflix in the UK and the latter is on Netflix in Canada.
Make sure to use a VPN to watch your usual streaming service from abroad. We recommend NordVPN.
Can I watch Downton Abbey with my Amazon Prime subscription?
Yes. Downton Abbey is available to stream on Prime Video as part of the included TV shows. That means if you already have Amazon Prime for your shopping, then you can watch all seasons of the Downton Abbey TV show as well.
Downton Abbey is on Prime Video in USA, Australia, India and many other locations
Who is in the cast of Downton Abbey?
- Hugh Bonneville as Robert Crawley
- Jessica Brown Findlay as Sybil Crawley
- Laura Carmichael as Edith Pelham
- Jim Carter as Charles Carson
- Brendan Coyle as John Bates
- Michelle Dockery as Mary Crawley
- Siobhan Finneran as Sarah O'Brien
- Joanne Froggatt as Anna Bates
- Rob James-Collier as Thomas Barrow
- Phyllis Logan as Elsie Hughes
- Elizabeth McGovern as Cora Crawley
- Sophie McShera as Daisy Mason
- Lesley Nicol as Beryl Patmore
- Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley
- Dan Stevens as Matthew Crawley
- Penelope Wilton as Isobel Crawley
- Amy Nuttall as Ethel Parks
- Kevin Doyle as Joseph Molesley
- Allen Leech as Tom Branson
- Matt Milne as Alfred Nugent
- Lily James as Lady Rose MacClare
- David Robb as Dr Richard Clarkson
- Ed Speleers as Jimmy Kent
- Raquel Cassidy as Phyllis Baxter
- Michael Fox as Andy Parker
- Matthew Goode as Henry Talbot
- Harry Hadden-Paton as Bertie Pelham
What can new viewers expect from Downton Abbey?
CBC Gem's official synopsis for the show reads: "Downton Abbey, written and created by Oscar-winning writer Julian Fellowes, stars Academy Award-winner Maggie Smith as a Dowager Countess of an Edwardian English country house in 1912. The series portrays the lives of the Crawley family and the servants who work for them, in a time before the last vestige of a century’s old tradition were stripped away by World War and the modern age."
Who was Dame Maggie Smith?
Dame Maggie Smith was an Oscar-winning actress best known for her roles as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter series and as Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey. The acerbic wit of her most famous characters reflected her off-screen persona, with Hugh Bonneville, who plays the Earl of Grantham in Downton, saying: “Anyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent. She was a true legend of her generation and thankfully will live on in so many magnificent screen performances," while Michelle Dockery, who plays Dame Maggie's on-screen granddaughter Lady Mary Crawley, added "There was no-one quite like Maggie. I feel tremendously lucky to have known such a maverick. She will be deeply missed and my thoughts are with her family."
Will there be a third Downton Abbey movie?
The as yet untitled third Downton Abbey movie wrapped shooting this year with a release date set of September 12, 2025.
The film was be directed by New Era director Simon Curtis and written by series creator Julian Fellows. While the plot is still under wraps, all of the regular cast are expected to return.
Where was Downton Abbey filmed?
Downton Abbey was mostly filmed at Highclere Castle in Hampshire, with the stately home used as the Yorkshire residence of the Crawley family. Other locations include Byfleet manor in Surrey (Dower House) and Churchgate House in Bampton (Crawley House). Bampton is also used as Downton village, with the library used as the location for the hospital and St Mary's church standing in for St. Michael's.
Downton Abbey season guide
Downton Abbey had a total of 52 episodes across 6 seasons, including 5 feature-length Christmas specials. Depending on your streaming service, the Christmas specials may be listed separately from the season they follow. It's also worth noting, that due to being cut down for international syndication, some streaming services may have shorter versions of the episodes than those initially broadcast.
- Season 1 (2010): 7 episodes
- Season 2 & "Christmas at Downton Abbey" (2011): 9 episodes
- Season 3 & "A Journey to the Highlands" (2012): 9 episodes
- Season 4 & "The London Season" (2013): 9 episodes
- Season 5 & "A Moorland Holiday" (2014): 9 episodes
- Season 6 & "The Finale" (2015): 9 episodes
- Downton Abbey: The Movie (2019)
- Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022)
- Untitled third Downton Abbey movie (2025)
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