--- description: The Duchess of Cambridge, née Kate Middleton, is a fan of the show title: Princess Kate visits Downton Abbey set image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltae25dce9ec3d8f0f/6987834706f2c1237d33464b/kate-middleton-downton-abbey.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Princess Kate Tours Downton Abbey Set by [Simon Perry / People](/author/people/) ## Simon Perry / People Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 12, 2015 1:16 PM CUT  Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge is shown consumes during an official visit to the set of Downton Abbey at Ealing Studios on March 12, 2015 in London, England. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge is shown consumes during an official visit to the set of Downton Abbey at Ealing Studios on March 12, 2015 in London, England.Chris Jackson—Getty Images by [Simon Perry / People](/author/people/) ## Simon Perry / People Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 12, 2015 1:16 PM CUT Alert the downstairs staff: [Princess Kate](http://www.people.com/people/kate%5Fmiddleton "undefined") visited the set of [_Downton Abbey_](http://www.people.com/people/news/category/0,,MediaProductsTax:TVDowntonAbbey,00.html "undefined") on Thursday. Kate, in a cream coat by British maternity line [JoJo Maman Bebe](http://www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/ "undefined"), was welcomed to the historic Ealing Studios in West London by the show’s creator, Lord [Julian Fellowes](http://www.people.com/people/news/category/0,,personsTax:JulianFellowes,00.html "undefined"). She was presented with a posy by 4-year-old Zac Barker, who, along with twin brother Oliver, plays Lady Mary’s son George. In the hair and makeup department, Kate, 33, also met housekeeper Mrs. Hughes, played by Phyllis Logan, as she was made up by artist Nic Collins. Also there? Robert James Collier, who plays the mean-spirited under-butler Thomas. He joked: “You’ve come just at the right time, Phyllis is about to have her Botox put in.” After her tour of the trailers, she headed to the Servants’ Hall and Kitchen, where she met many of the show’s actors including [Hugh Bonneville](http://www.people.com/people/news/category/0,,personsTax:HughBonneville,00.html "undefined"), [Michelle Dockery](http://www.people.com/people/news/category/0,,personsTax:MichelleDockery,00.html "undefined") and [Elizabeth McGovern](http://www.people.com/people/news/category/0,,personsTax:ElizabethMcGovern,00.html "undefined"). Unfortunately, Dame [Maggie Smith](http://www.people.com/people/news/category/0,,personsTax:MaggieSmith,00.html "undefined") was missing from the joyous occasion as she was ill and couldn’t attend. Kate’s visit followed her [day out at the seaside](http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20395222%5F20907201,00.html "undefined") Tuesday, when she went to an art gallery. Friday will see her joining [husband William](http://www.people.com/people/prince%5Fwilliam "undefined"), 32, and the rest of the senior members of the Royal Family paying tribute to those who served in Afghanistan, while next week the couple are heading to see the Irish Guards on St. Patrick’s Day before visiting the Brookhill Children’s Centre in Woolwich to learn more about the Home-Start charity and its support for children and families. [_This article originally appeared on People.com_](http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20395222%5F20907409,00.html "undefined") _Read next:_ [_Princess Kate: I Feel the Baby Kicking, Moving ‘All the Time’_](http://time.com/3673853/princess-kate-prince-william-baby-royals/?iid=time%5Freadnext "undefined") [_Listen to the most important stories of the day._](http://time.com/newsletter/the-brief/?sl%5Fautoplay=true&xid=spl-fullbrief-article "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3742010/kate-middleton-downton-abbey-set/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3742010/kate-middleton-downton-abbey-set/"},"headline":"Princess Kate Tours Downton Abbey Set","datePublished":"2015-03-12T13:16:24.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T05:06:48.519Z","description":"The Duchess of Cambridge, née Kate Middleton, is a fan of the show","url":"https://time.com/3742010/kate-middleton-downton-abbey-set/","keywords":["Television"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltae25dce9ec3d8f0f/6987834706f2c1237d33464b/kate-middleton-downton-abbey.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Simon Perry / People"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltae25dce9ec3d8f0f/6987834706f2c1237d33464b/kate-middleton-downton-abbey.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge is shown consumes during an official visit to the set of Downton Abbey at Ealing Studios on March 12, 2015 in London, England.","caption":"Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge is shown consumes during an official visit to the set of Downton Abbey at Ealing Studios on March 12, 2015 in London, England.","creditText":"Chris Jackson—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3742010/kate-middleton-downton-abbey-set/","name":"Princess Kate Tours Downton Abbey Set"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"The Real Downton Abbey: Highclere Castle","description":"The Countess Carnarvon gives a tour of the fabulous Highclere Castle, her family home and the set of the Masterpiece Classic series Downton Abbey","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/urM3euyX/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2012-01-05T20:00:49.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/urM3euyX.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3742010/kate-middleton-downton-abbey-set/","duration":"PT4M1S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3742010/kate-middleton-downton-abbey-set/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```