What Michelle Dockery really thought of Kate Middleton's set visit to Downton Abbey

Michelle Dockery has previously spoken about the ‘nerve-wracking’ moment she came face-to-face with royalty. The Duchess of Cambridge, 37, paid a visit to the Downton Abbey set back in March 2015, when she was eight months pregnant with Princess Charlotte. Speaking to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, Michelle, also 37, who plays Lady Mary in the series, said: “Joanne Froggatt and I, who plays Anna [Bates], were rehearsing a scene and at that moment, she [Kate] came on set and she was our audience.

“I sort of felt like it’s probably what it felt like for a court jester back in the day, performing for the royals, so we were quite nervous. She was so charming, gracious and beautiful, she was mesmerising, and it was such a special day for everyone.”

Kate speaks to Michelle Dockery and Joanne Froggatt on set

During her visit, Kate was spotted excitedly peeking into one of the makeup trailers and the costume department. It was one of her final engagements before she gave birth to Charlotte on 2 May and she looked chic in a cream maternity coat by Jojo Maman Bebe. Her husband William revealed back in 2015 that the Downton Abbey is one of their "favourite programmes". The royal made the revelation during a BAFTA tribute video to the period drama when its sixth and final series ran in 2015.

READ: The Downton Abbey children are all grown up! See the photo

Kate saw the makeup trailer at Downton Abbey

The cast have been reunited for the feature-length film, which revolves around a visit by King George V and Queen Mary to Downton Abbey in 1917, causing a stir among the Crawley family and their servants.

MORE: Inside the Downton Abbey stars' real-life homes

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