Anna Smith

Living… in Downton Abbey with her fellow servants. Lord Grantham provides comfortable quarters, but Anna doesn’t get to relax much, saying, “Just for once in my life, I’d like to sleep till I woke naturally.”

Profession… maid. Downton Abbey is a huge manor, so she has a lot of chores to finish in a day. Bates, the new valet, notes that Anna is especially busy, even compared to the rest of the staff: “You see to the girls and you’re supposed to be head housemaid. You should put in for a raise.” 

Interests… gossiping. Anna barely has any free time, but she enjoys chit-chatting with the other maids when she does get a break. Downton is a hotspot for eligible bachelors, so there is always a topic to discuss.

Relationship Status… single, but she is quite intrigued by Mr. Bates. Lord Grantham’s new valet is kind, courteous, and upstanding. The rest of the staff have a hard time seeing past his limp and dismiss him as a burden, but Anna greatly admires his character and tries to make him feel more welcome at Downton.  

Challenge… keeping Mary’s secret. An unfortunate accident occurs when Turkish diplomat Kemal Pamuk comes to Downton and Anna has to help cover it up. The reputation of the eldest Crawley daughter depends on the utmost discretion and Anna isn’t about to let her lady down.

Personality… warm and hard-working. Anna is perhaps the kindest member of the Downton staff. She always looks out for the others, offering advice and words of comfort whenever they are needed. Life at Downton can seem rather bleak at times, but things are always brighter when Anna is around.