Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes has said that he largely based the royal visit in the film on King George and Queen Mary's July 8-12, 1912 visit to Wentworth Woodhouse, the largest private residence in the United Kingdom and one of the largest estates in Europe. The royals depicted in the Downton Abbey movie, King George V and Queen Mary, would also spend time at countryside estates, often so that the King could go hunting.
However, in the early 1900s, King Edward VII would attend weekend house parties and stay overnight in his hosts' homes, often bringing his mistress. Over time, such visits became less frequent due to their costliness. For example, in the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I would embark on tours around the countryside known as the royal progress. Throughout history, there are records of British monarchs visiting the country estates of aristocratic families. Would King George V and Queen Mary really stay overnight at estates like Downton Abbey?
