Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery Relfects On 'Essex Girl' Past

She's the elegant, well-spoken Lady Mary in the ITV show – but Michelle Dockery insists that she's nothing like her character...

Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery might play the elegant Lady Mary on the ITV show, but the actress insists that she's nothing like her famous character.

In a new interview, Michelle reflects on her upbringing and confesses that she's really just a down-to-earth Essex girl from Romford. Whatever would Lady Violet say?

The actress told Hello magazine: 'I’m not like Lady Mary at all. For one thing, I’m not actually posh. I come from a very humble, working-class background. My dad worked all sorts of jobs when I was growing up and finally ended up as a surveyor; my mum delivers meals to old folk around where we live. We didn’t have much money when I was growing up, but I had a very happy childhood.'

She added: "I had a very strong Essex accent when I was younger, and I don’t think I would have got the role of Lady Mary if I'd walked into the audition going, "Allo, nice ter meet ya!" (Though we would love this).

Downton Abbey series four begins in just a matter of weeks and will focus initially on the tragic death of Lady Mary's husband, Matthew Crawley, and how she copes following his passing.

Michelle Dockery also adds that she believes the show may have influenced the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's decision to name their first born son Prince George.

She says: 'Well, they called their son George just like Lady Mary does, didn't they? So, on the show, we all think that may be the case.'

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