Downton Abbey: A New Era’s bittersweet ending saw Dowager Countess Violet Crawley passing away surrounded by her family, so the table was already set for the rest of the cast to mourn her presence. Sadly, what started as a story commemorating the death of a pop culture icon has now become a vehicle for actual grief to be expressed.

The fact that Dame Maggie herself has now passed away since that time, I do think, has given a real added poignancy to a story that we would have planned anyway,” said exec producer Gareth

Beloved actress Maggie Smith passed away this year in late September, and despite her legacy of two Academy Award wins, and a long list of memorable roles, her absence will still be sorely felt in the upcoming film Downton Abbey 3 .