Downton Abbey: which stars are together in real life?

Laura Carmichael – aka Lady Edith Crawley – is in a relationship with Michael C. Fox, who was introduced as Andrew Parker in season five. The couple, who met on the set of Downton, went public with their relationship in 2016, and they've since welcomed a son named Luca! 

Speaking to the Sunday Post, Michael said: "We try not to talk about it [Downton Abbey] too much outside of our personal lives. And that was the same on set. It was just professional. We'd go to work and we didn't want it to be a thing in any way when we were working together."

Imelda Staunton and Jim Carter have been married for 41 years. The stars – who appear as Lady Maud Bagshaw and Mr Carson – tied the knot in 1983, after working on a 1982 production of Guys and Dolls. They're also proud parents to actress Bessie Carter, who currently portrays Prudence Featherington in Bridgerton. 

Speaking about the secret to their marriage, Imelda told British Vogue: "Success is a really tricky word. And it should be spelled with a very small S. I think it poisons people. I feel Jim and I have made our lives work as a marriage within this business, and we take our life more seriously than our jobs. 

"Of course, we both take [the job] very seriously," she continued. "But you go, what's the most important thing here? That I play another part? Or that we go on a very nice holiday, or that we have that time in the garden, that we have our life? But we can afford to say that – I don't mean financially, but with the work we've done and are lucky enough to still be doing. I think we know how fortunate we are."

Elizabeth McGovern is known and loved for her portrayal of Cora Crawley. Away from the cameras, the 63-year-old is married to Simon Curtis, the director of Downton Abbey: A New Era. He is also in the process of directing the third film, which has entered production. 

Elizabeth and Simon married in 1992, and together they share daughters, Matilda, 30, and Grace, 26. 

Chatting exclusively to HELLO!, Elizabeth revealed what it was like collaborating with her husband on the Downton Abbey sequel. 

"I felt so proud of him," she said. "I was a little bit worried going into it because it's really difficult going into a thing that's so established with so many actors doing their parts for so long but he rose to the occasion and was really brilliant, and he's done a fantastic film."

She added: "It's a very interesting challenge but I tried as much as I could to think of him as the director and not the guy who's always watching TV in the background."

Phyllis Logan has played Mrs Hughes since the show's inception in 2010. Married to fellow actor, Kevin McNally, the star got to work with her husband after he was cast as Horace Bryant in Downton. 

"No one told me it was going to happen and when Kevin said he'd got a part in Downton, I thought he was winding me up," she told the Express. Adding that they got to film a lot of scenes together, Phyllis revealed that she and Kevin thoroughly enjoyed working together. 

So, how did it all start? The couple began dating in 1994 after crossing paths on the mini-series, Love and Reason, and two years later they welcomed their son, David. After 17 years together, Phyllis and Kevin decided to tie the knot in 2011. 

"My husband, Kevin, is my closest confidant; that's the way it should be with a partner," Phyllis raved to The Guardian. 

"We make sure we speak to each other every day even if one or both of us is away working. It's important to maintain contact – even if it's only to discuss the car tax. I didn't want to date another actor, because I thought they were vain. I always used to say that I would never have one in my house – but you can't legislate for love."