Lady Edith Crawley
作為伯爵的二女兒,Edith從小憎恨Mary,因為她沒有姐姐長得標緻、得寵,但是她的野心一點也不比姐姐小。她不在乎限定繼承能否被推翻,因為 不論如何也輪不到她來繼承。如果Mary再也不能在她面前趾高氣昂,她會樂得笑不動。她們之間的競爭由於Edith對Patrick的愛慕而變得更加白熱 化,但沒人真正在乎她的感覺。很快她對新的繼承人產生了興趣,希望借此報復Mary。
Edith resents Mary. She is less good looking and less sought after, but no less ambitious. Their rivalry is fuelled by the fact that she genuinely loved the dead heir, Patrick, but no one took her feelings seriously. Soon she will be curious about the new heir, and will eventually attempt to use him to be revenged on Mary.
Lady Mary Crawley
Mary是伯爵的大女兒,聰明、美麗,但為人冷漠,喜形不於色。她把堂哥Patrick當備胎,如果釣不到更好的金龜婿,就跟他結婚,至少自己還是 唐頓莊園的女主人。隨著Patrick的死訊傳來,她以為自己能順理成章當上女繼承人。誰知事與願違,父親仍不願推翻限定繼承,為自己爭取權利。面對唐頓 莊園新來的繼承人,她只能展開新的謀劃。
Clever and good-looking, Mary assumed that with the death of her cousins she would inherit the estate. The realisation of a new heir infuriates her, particularly when she learns that her father refuses to fight for her rights.
Matthew Crawley
Matthew是伯爵的遠房堂侄,一名在曼徹斯特執業的律師, 專攻公司法。他得知自己要繼承爵位以及唐頓的家產,受邀搬到了莊園內,但他要求必須繼續工作。對於這個外來入侵者Cora感到憤怒,然而她又決定將三個女 兒中的一個嫁給Matthew,於是乎對他的態度又非常糾結。Mary視Matthew為備胎,Edith視其為報復工具,Sybil則視其為舊體制的一 部分。
Matthew is a third cousin, once removed, of Lord Grantham. Matthew is qualified as a solicitor and practices in Manchester. Now, he finds himself heir to an earldom and a large estate and he is invited to move there and to become part of the local community.
Grantham伯爵夫人Cora
Cora是美國辛辛那提紡織品百萬富翁之女。她與母親來到了英格蘭,在1888年自己20歲的時候與Grantham子爵Robert訂婚。在公公 的堅持下,她接受了那個婚姻條款,以為她一定會誕下男嗣。而如今,她只能指望大女兒Mary和爵位繼承人締結秦晉之好,方能保住家業。她覺得丈夫 Robert應該推翻限定繼承,為女兒們爭取更大的利益。
Cora is the beautiful daughter of a dry goods multi-millionaire. She arrived in England, at the age of 20, and was engaged to Robert by the end of her first season. At the insistence of her father-in-law she accepted a clause tying her money to the estate, assuming she would have a boy who would become heir. Now, she feels that her money is going to a complete stranger.
Grantham伯爵Robert
Robert一直過著簡單的生活。他1889年迎娶了來自美國的女繼承人Cora,雖然娶她很大程度是想用她的錢幫助唐頓莊園渡過財政危機,但隨著 時間的推移,兩人的感情也日益加深。他們的婚姻合約上寫明,女方的財富一旦投資在家產上從此便密不可分。Robert和他的妻子都沒有預料到這個條款今後 會引發問題,因為他們都自信的以為必有子嗣,而如今他們卻只有三個女兒,Mary、Edith和Sybil。本劇開始時,Robert的堂兄James Crawley及他的兒子Patrick是法定的繼承人,但是不久後傳來他們在鐵達尼號上的死訊。
The Earl of Grantham has lived an uncomplicated life until now. He married his wife, Cora, an American heiress, in 1889, largely for her money and although there is no denying her cash put the estate back on its feet, over time they have grown to love one another deeply. Although without an heir to the estate he worries about his daughters uncertain future.
Thomas
Thomas是第一男僕,自視甚高,覺得其他僕人都是土得掉渣的鄉巴佬。他是個謊話精,一個生性陰暗,喜歡偷偷摸摸的人,一直在等候出頭的機會。但 這意味著他需要離開唐頓莊園,他希望成為貼身侍從,但Mr. Bates的位置穩如泰山。所以他巴結所有有錢的訪客,看能否謀得一個職位。他在莊園內的夥伴是O’Brien,兩人都是自私自利的人。戰爭結束,回到莊園又有新的計畫。
The first footman. Thomas thinks he is a fine fellow and that most of his fellow workers are country bumpkins who know nothing. He is a liar and a petty thief and he is always on the look out for the main chance. He is also gay and knows at least one of the family’s visitors better than might be expected. His natural ally in the house is O’Brien. Now the war is over, he come back to Downton with another plan on his mind.
Anna
Anna是女僕的領班,低級女僕中職位最高的。她來自佃戶家庭,覺得自己可能已經錯失了結婚的機會。她也是三位小姐的貼身女僕。她聰明機智富有同情心,一直受到大家的賞識。
The head housemaid. Anna comes from a background of tenant farming and service. She feels she may have missed her chance at marriage. She is clever and resourceful with a thoroughly sympathetic character, appreciated by Mary and Edith.
O’Brien
O’Brien是伯爵夫人的貼身女僕,負責照料女主人。她是一位戒備心很重的、有仇必報的、喜歡惡意中傷別人的老處女。她犧牲了組織家庭的念頭,就為了一步步往上爬,最終爬到現在的位置。她似乎對主子們非常諂媚,但最終謀求的是自己的利益。
The lady’s maid. O’Brien’s responsibilities are to Lady Grantham. O’Brien is a watchful, vengeful, malign spinster. She has sacrificed all thoughts of family and hearth to advance in her profession. She may seem to flatter Lady Grantham but ultimately she will always follow her own interest.
John Bates
伯爵的貼身侍從,只聽從主人的指揮。侍奉他穿衣,陪伴他每次出行。John Bates是一名退伍士兵,在第二次布林戰爭期間曾是Robert的勤務兵。他在戰爭中受過傷,走路有些跛,他防備心理很強,對於Robert非常忠誠。 現在因為涉嫌殺害妻子而入獄。Anna一直等待他的歸來。
The valet. John Bates dresses his master and accompanies him on every journey. An exsoldier, John Bates was Robert’s batman during the Boer War. After a war injury left him with a limp he is fiercely loyal to Robert for giving him another chance. Now he is in jail for the murder of his wife. Anna keeps waiting for his comeback.
Mrs. Hughes
Mrs. Hughes是女管家,負責莊園的裡裡外外,管理所有女僕。她是個不帶感情,但是品行端正、很正派的人。她尊重,並且在某種程度上保護著Carson,但她是個非常嚴厲的管家。
The housekeeper, Mrs Hughes is responsible for the house and its appearance. She is unsentimental but moral and decent. She is a kind woman but she feels her strength is derived from the fear she inspires.
Lady Sybil Crawley
三女兒Sybil是家中的異類,她投身於為女權運動中,因不平等的待遇而憤怒。她的行為也惹怒了父母雙親,她沒有陷入家族成員為繼承權的爭奪中,因為她根本不在乎這些。
Sybil is the family rebel. She is fiercely political, devoted to the cause of votes for women, and generally angered by injustice everywhere. She is detached from most of the family quarrels about inheritance, as she doesn’t care about it.
Grantham老伯爵遺孀Violet
Violet是現任Grantham伯爵Robert的母親,她對兒子很自豪、很忠誠,但卻難以忍受她的美國兒媳,視其為外來入侵者,一個為了家族 利益不得已而做出的妥協。而Cora則覺得Violet嫁來時沒為家族帶來任何財產,雙方都認為自己比對方高人一等。在公開場合,Violet支持她已故 丈夫的安排,但事實上,隨著Patrick的亡故,她更希望由孫女Mary而不是什麼陌生人繼承財產。這就為兩位伯爵夫人統一戰線,策動Robert推翻 限定繼承鋪平了道路。當遠房繼承人和他中產階級的母親來到莊園後,她發現處境變得更加難以忍受了,儘管她也像Cora一樣覺得將Mary嫁給 Matthew不失為一種解決方案。
Robert’s mother is immensely proud and loyal to her son and insufferable to her daughter-in-law. She was born the daughter of a baronet but had virtually no money. When the cross-breed heir arrives, with his middle class mother, she finds the situation intolerable, even if she, like Cora, sees one solution in Matthew marrying Mary.
Mr. Carson
Mr. Carson是男管家,負責管理食物、酒窖和餐廳,所有的男僕都要向他彙報。男管家通常都是單身漢,沒有家庭的牽絆,Carson很小的時候就在唐頓莊園 工作。他或多或少成為老伯爵遺孀的代言人,沒有那麼忠於現任伯爵夫人。他本能的支持Mary小姐,反對外來入侵的新繼承人。
The butler. Carson is in charge of the dining room and has worked at Downton since he was a boy. He constantly sides with Lady Mary, whom he genuinely loves as a surrogate daughter, against her interloping cousin.