It seems like a storyline made for Downton Abbey: amember of the royal family visiting the Crawley family. But, this time it's forreal!
Kate Middleton is set to visit the set of the hit TV show on March 12, making it one of the final engagements before giving birth to her second child.
Her visit to Ealing Studios comes after the Duchessand husband Prince William admitted to being huge fans of the show during their tour of New York in December.The Duke told executive producer GarethNeame that he was "reallylooking forward" to the Christmas special.
And that's notthe only time it's been made known of the royals' affection for the popular British show.William also made sure to tell Allen Leach, who played former chauffeur TomBranson, that he was a fan at an event they both attended.
William andKate aren't the only royals who love the show either. Lesley Nichols, who playsMrs. Patmore, has said that the Duchess of Cornwall is also one of the millionsof fans. "Camilla loves DowntonAbbey," she told The Express. "We have spoken and she genuinely loves the show."
It's not just royals who are itching to get a taste of the Downton life.Hollywood stars like Taylor Swift reportedly wanted a chance on the show, while George Clooney filmed a 10-minute clip for a charity initiative with the castlast year. Salma Hayek, Anjelica Houston and Kristie Alley have all said theywould kill for a role on the show.
Aside frombeing a fan, Kate's visit is to celebrate the incredible success ofthe show, which has won several awards including a Golden Globe and an Emmy forBest Mini-Series.