We move into the 1930s for this final outing, with Maggie Smith’s Countess Violet lingering ghost-like over the proceedings as the Crawley family recognise that change is inevitable. The film wears its valedictory nature openly: it is a farewell, both for the characters and for the audience.

At its heart, this is a classic upstairs–downstairs tale. Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) provides the central scandal: newly divorced, she hosts a party that sparks whispers of impropriety, and even engages in what is effectively a one-night stand with a near stranger. The film attempts to view 1930s morality through a modern lens, highlighting double standards. Considering her husband’s well-known indiscretions, it is poignant – if not frustrating – that Mary bears the social ostracism while male characters move more freely.

There are playful historical cameos as well, most notably Noël Coward, and delicate hints that Guy Dexter (Dominic West) may be in a same-sex relationship – suggestions handled with the kind of discretion that marks the period. Meanwhile, Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) is forced to sell his London townhouse and downsize, reflecting a wider sense of decline.

Downstairs, there is humour and pathos in equal measure, with Jim Carter’s Mr. Carson preparing for retirement and crossing paths with the evolving world above stairs. The interplay between these two realms provides much of the charm. Of course, no ‘Downton Abbey’ film is likely to carry the psychological depth of something like ‘The Remains of the Day’, but this is not the aim. Instead, it offers a nostalgia trip wrapped in opulence: lavish interiors, gleaming costumes, and theatrical flourishes.

The arrival of Coward for tea sends the household into a flutter, conveniently distracting some from Mary’s scandal. Here, the film comes closest to interrogating hypocrisy and double standards, though only lightly. As a grand-scale TV spinoff, it doesn’t seek to unsettle; rather, it delights in familiarity.

Julian Fellowes, who won an Oscar for Gosford Park – itself a close cousin to ‘Downton’ – once again brings us a tapestry of aristocratic and servant life. Where Altman’s film was meandering, witty, and laced with irony, ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’ is more straightforward, more sentimental, and content to provide closure.

It is hard to imagine the story continuing beyond this point, though were it ever to do so, it would brush up against the same historical moment as ‘The Remains of the Day’, which could be intriguing. For now, though, this film does exactly what it promises: a grand, glossy farewell to a world that has charmed millions.