Lady Rosamund Painswick (née Crawley) is the widow of a very wealthy banker Marmaduke Painswick and the daughter of the late 6th Earl of Grantham and Violet; her closest ally within the family is her only sibling Robert. She is the sister-in-law of Cora, aunt of Lady Mary, Lady Edith and the late Lady Sybil, aunt-in-law of the late Matthew Crawley and Tom Branson and great-aunt of Miss Sybil Branson and Master George Crawley . She lives in London by herself in a house on Eaton Square. She likes to meddle in family affairs and is very close to Robert and Downton Abbey[1].
Character in the Series
Series 1
Rosamund is first mentioned when she writes a letter to Matthew Crawley, welcoming him into the family. She writes to her family often from her home in Eaton Square. Robert receives a letter from her telling him that people have been gossiping about her niece, Lady Mary. Cora laughs and says that Rosamund was probably asking for "a leg of lamb and all the vegetables we can muster." Robert responds, saying she misses the taste of her old home. Cora speculatunt, with the possibility of there being a male heir with a stronger claim to the title of Earl of Grantham. This plants uncertainty into Mary's mind, which makes Matthew lose interest in her, much to the chagrin of Violet, Robert, and Cora. She is present at the garden party where Robert receives the telegram declaring England is at war with Germany.
Series 2
Rosamund appears again in 1917, when Sir Richard Carlisle visits Downton Abbey. She comes with him on the journey, and states that "he never took his nose out of his own newspapers, but I'm sure I'll like him." She witnesses an argument between Sir Richard and Lavinia Swire, Matthew's new fiance. Violet convinces her that Mary is still in love with Matthew, and mother and daughter conspire to split Matthew and Lavinia.
Lavinia has tea with the two women, who do their best to intimidate her. She notices this, and confides in Mary about a time when Sir Richard blackmailed her into starting the Marconi scandal. Mary has the opportunity to destroy Lavinia with this information, but chose not to, which annoyed Rosamund.
2011 Christmas Special
Rosamund stays at Downton in the winter of 1919 for Christmas and the New Year. She brings with her a new lady’s maid, Marigold Shore and Lord Hepworth, a gentleman interested in marrying her, however only for her fortune, as he is in debt and has had to sell several of the family estates. Regardless of what her mother, The Dowager Countess (who is well acquainted with the family, having been "pursued" by Lord Hepworth’s father in the late 1860s) or her brother, Robert think of the 'unsuitable marriage' she insists she is “tired of being alone” and seriously considers marrying Lord Hepworth, the process being helped along by Shore, who is eager to see her mistress marry Hepworth.
Housemaid Anna notices the closeness of Shore and Lord Hepworth on several occasions which leads her to discover their affair, on the night of the servants’ ball. Anna informs Mary, who in turn leads her Aunt Rosamund to the site of the affair, where Rosamund learns Shore was only interested in her marrying Hepworth so she and her lover could be near. Shore and Hepworth are told to leave the house first thing in the morning, with Shore stating “don’t worry we will.”
Rosamund is shaken and angered by the discovery, remarking “I so hate it when Mama is proved right”, referring to her Mother’s warnings that Lord Hepworth was an unsuitable spouse.
Series 3
Lady Edith Crawley, Matthew Crawley, and Lady Rose MacClare go to London together for various reasons, and stay in Rosamund's house in Eaton Square. Rosamund invites them all to dinner that night, but Rose is late so they start without her. Then her buter, Mead, brings in the driver who took Rose out. He informs them she and a friend spent two hours together out of his sight in Warwick Square, to which Rosamund remarks "how very expensive."
Rosamund, Edith, and Matthew find Rose with Terence Margadale in the Blue Dragon. Rosamund immediately asks him how his wife is. The following morning Rosamund scolds Rose for her behavior, reminding her of her stature. Rosamund feels guilty not telling Rose's mother, but Matthew promises to personally inform her if Rose steps out of line again. Rosamund agrees to this. She is later present at the cricket match talking to Edith, and she is outraged when she discovers that Violet tricked her into revealing Rose's affair with Margadale.
Notes
- Though Richard Carlisle refers to Rosamund as "Lady Painswick" this is incorrect; she is not "Lady Painswick" as she is the daughter of an earl; as she herself says in Episode 2.02, she is known as "Lady Rosamund".
- There is evidence to suggest that Rosamund had at least two children and a son-in-law with Marmaduke - namely Cyril, Lavinia and Lavinia's husband, a landed colonel in the grenadiers - as they are mentioned in the Series One Press Pack released with the start of the series[2]. However, they are never mentioned elsewhere so most other evidence suggests that her marriage to Marmaduke was, ultimately, childless.
- Actress Samantha Bond has confirmed that she is not leaving the Series and will continue to appear as Rosamund in future Series; she is not appearing in Series 3 due to her return to the West End Stage in Joe Orton's play What The Butler Saw. She also states that the door is open for Rosamund's return. [3]
Appearances
References
- ↑ Cora laughs and says that Rosamund was probably asking for "a leg of lamb and all the vegetables we can muster." Robert responds, saying she misses the taste of her old home.
- ↑ Downton Abbey Press Pack - Series One
- ↑ http://www.metro.co.uk/tv/898096-downton-abbey-star-samantha-bond-insists-she-isn-t-quitting