<p>I can't wait for this. I hope its as successful as Downtown Abbey. I would like to see the exploration of those young American brides that came to England for titles while those men that needed money for their dying family's. And seeing a young Violet would be the greatest bonus. Though I am sadden by how she and Isobel wouldn't have been the greatest of friends back then but maybe seeing Violet's lover affair with Kurigan would be good and maybe maybe they could explore the Aldrige family escape from Russian during the pogroms (probably the last). Also, I would love to see younger Carson, Mesdames Hughes and Patmore as well as seeing the young friendship of Bates and Lord Grantham. Also we would get to see Lord Grantham Sr., Patrick Crawley, a young Rosamund and Marmaduke Painswick, so how their father reacted to Robert and Rosamund marrying outside of the aristocracy and into money. Lastly, the possibly of seeing the birth of Mary and growing up. So I would be all for their prequal series. </p>

<p>Well, for one, Isobel wouldn't be in it; Robert only barely knew that Reginald was a doctor -- they only wrote, never met, if the beginning of Series 1 is any indication, so she wouldn't appear. And if Robert and Rosamund are teenage/20s age for the marriage of Cora, then Violet had the affair twenty years or so before the prequel would occur. </p>

<p>The rumours mostly seem to involve the current cast, so I'd say this is unlikely. Where is the point of Violet if you can't have Maggie Smith to play her? And how much fun would Mrs Patmore and Mrs Hughes be as teenagers- surely the whole point is the wonderful women they have grown into with maturity? </p>

Too bad there really haven't been any credible reports of a prequel since 2012.