Filming a movie can be full of surprises, and for Joanne Froggatt, the final Downton Abbey film had one big twist: she was pregnant.
The 45-year-old actress, known for her role as maid Anna Bates, revealed that writer Julian Fellowes quickly rewrote parts of the film to fit her pregnancy into the storyline.
In character, Anna now expects her second child, giving fans a happy ending that mirrors Froggatt’s real-life joy.
“It’s all me,” Froggatt told Radio Times. “Anna is expecting her second child.
Julian kindly wrote it into our storyline because I’m quite obvious at this stage, so it just made sense.
It was lovely for Anna and Bates to have that happening in their future.
The Bateses get their happy ending, which is what everyone is championing.”
A New Chapter for Anna and Her Family
For Froggatt, motherhood is still fresh—she gave birth to her first child, a daughter, last September with her personal trainer partner, Mark Turner.
Meanwhile, Anna’s on-screen story now includes welcoming a son after giving birth on New Year’s Eve, 1925, in the beloved period drama.
“It was wonderful to come back for one more movie,” Froggatt said.
“Gareth Neame [the producer] always had the idea of a trilogy of films to continue the Downton legacy.
We’ve all moved on since the show ended, but it was such a great experience that we kept coming back.
We’ve had so many goodbyes—the series, then the first film, then the second—but this really is the final farewell.
Everything has to come to an end at some point.”
The first two Downton Abbey movies, both penned by Fellowes, collectively earned more than £220 million at the global box office.
The third and final installment, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, premieres this Wednesday in London’s Leicester Square. Co-stars Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, and Harry Hadden-Paton also appeared on special Radio Times covers.
Joanne Froggatt’s Personal Journey After Divorce
Off-screen, Froggatt has navigated big life changes too. Following the end of her nearly eight-year marriage to James Cannon in February 2020, she said her life felt “in flux.”
Recently, she welcomed a six-month-old daughter with Mark Turner, and found a unique way to heal and recharge: a £1,500 transcendental meditation retreat in Byron Bay, Australia.
Froggatt explained on the Travel Secrets podcast with Tanya Rose that the retreat, inspired by Nicole Kidman’s show Nine Perfect Strangers, was transformative.
“I booked this retreat as an introduction to Ayurvedic meditation—some people call it transcendental meditation.
Oh my goodness, it blew my mind. It was incredible.”
Experiencing Byron Bay and Solo Travel
Set in stunning tropical bushland, Soma Byron Bay features ten bedrooms, an outdoor cinema, a swimming pool, a fire pit, and even a geodesic dome.
Froggatt said she booked the retreat during a work trip in 2022, having been captivated by the location from the show.
“You rock up, there’s a group of people you don’t know, and there’s Ayurvedic food prepared for you.
It’s either couples or singles, and you just spend two and a half intense but calm days together,” she recalled.
“The setting was beautiful, the experience was transformative, and bonding with strangers made it even more magical.
We shared stories, had quiet moments, saw a koala—it was just such a special escape.”
Meditation, Reflection, and the Magic of Travel
While Froggatt admitted she didn’t keep up the meditation long-term, she found the experience invaluable.
“Learning the technique was powerful. But what really made it magical was the people, the stories we shared, and being fully present in that incredible environment.
That’s the essence of travel—those human connections, no matter where you are.”
For fans of Downton Abbey, the film will mark the end of an era.
For Froggatt, both on-screen and off, it’s a chapter of growth, motherhood, and personal discovery.