Philip Villiers, Duke of Crowborough

Duke of Crowborough
Biographical information
Marital status	Single
Physical information
Gender	Male
Hair colour	Brown
Family information
Family	Mother
Behind the scenes
Portrayed by	Charlie Cox

"You know, my mother's always telling me, never put anything in writing. And now, thanks to you, I never will again."

—The Duke of Crowborough to Thomas.

The Duke of Crowborough is a family friend of the Granthams.

Lady Mary Crawley was supposed to marry her cousin, Patrick Crawley, but she privately held him "in check" for a bigger fish. With his death, she believes her own prospects have changed for the better so Mary angles to wed the young and handsome Duke of Crowborough.

The Duke arrives at Downton Abbey, ostensibly to present his condolences, but after dinner he requests an interview with Robert, presumably to ask for Mary’s hand in marriage. But when he learns that Robert is not intending to challenge the entail making his unknown cousin Matthew his heir, the Duke withdraws his offer, without ever in fact making it. The Duke tells Thomas that he must marry an heiress, even it means him going to New York to find one.

It was Thomas who brought the Duke to Downton, with a telegram luring him with the prospect of the Grantham money. After the Duke visited the Granthams in London, he and Thomas shared a summer dalliance and Thomas intends to use this to further his own career, blackmailing the Duke with his own love letters if he has to. However, the Duke was one step ahead of Thomas, using Mary as a cover to rummage through Thomas's room. Thomas could only watch as the incriminating letters went up in the flames after the Duke threw them into his room's fireplace.

Appearances

• Episode 1.01

Behind the scenes

• The Duke of Crowborough's name is never mentioned in the series, so far.
• Crowborough is a real market town in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. The actor who played the Duke, Charlie Cox, grew up in Wealden.