Downton Abbey actress Laura Carmichael has publicly confirmed her marriage to co-star Michael C. Fox for the first time, ending months of speculation. The couple, who met on the set of the hit ITV period drama in 2014, tied the knot in a private ceremony earlier this year.
On-Set Romance Blossoms into Real-Life Love
Carmichael, famed for playing Lady Edith Crawley, revealed the happy news during an interview with Kirsty Wark on BBC Radio 4. When asked if she had found love on set, she responded, "I did yes. Michael Fox who plays Andy Parker, yeah he's my fella!" The pair first crossed paths during filming of the show's fifth series, with Fox joining the cast as footman Andy Parker, who later becomes the estate's butler.
The actress addressed the amusing dynamic of their on-screen relationship, where she played aristocracy and he a servant. "Yeah which is very funny how hard that is for people to get their heads around," she said, noting they shared many scenes together, albeit with Fox often "in the background holding a tray."
A Hilarious Glimpse Behind the Scenes
Carmichael shared a telling anecdote that highlighted the contrast between their fictional and real-world roles. She recalled a moment during filming at Highclere Castle where Fox, holding a heavy tray of champagne glasses, asked her to hold it briefly so he could tie his shoelace.
"And I must have been holding this tray a second before five different crew members came running up to me going, 'Let me take that, you don't need to hold that, Laura it's fine'," she laughed. "And we were like, he's been holding it all day."
A Private Life Away from the Spotlight
The couple, who welcomed a son together in 2021, have fiercely guarded their privacy. News of their child's arrival only emerged a year after the birth. A source told The Sun at the time, "Laura and Michael absolutely love being parents and were grateful to have some time away from the limelight to enjoy the moment."
Fox had previously hinted at the marriage during NBC's Downton Abbey Celebrates The Grand Finale special in September, stating, "I owe a lot to this show. I think so much of my life has been shaped around this show." When co-star Lesley Nicol probed further, he confirmed, "I know. It's incredible."
The marriage was subtly confirmed publicly when Carmichael was photographed at the Downton Abbey finale premiere in London, proudly displaying a ring on her left hand. The actress has credited her fellow Downton cast members with teaching her the value of a private life, telling Town & Country magazine in 2019, "I feel like I've learnt that from a lot of Downton actors. Everyone prioritises their family and their friends and their home life."
After 15 years and three films, the series that brought them together has concluded, but for Carmichael and Fox, it marked the beginning of a lifelong partnership.
