Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey

In 1895 an American heiress married into British aristocracy and took up residence in a stunning castle in the English countryside, which was later used as a convalescence home for returning soldiers. Lady Cora? Nope, but her character was inspired by an actual person - Lady Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon. The current Countess (and current resident of Highclere Castle, where Downton Abbey is filmed) has collected old letters and diaries to tell her story. It provides a fascinating backdrop to the PBS series and is available when you support WXXI with a pledge of just $5 a month.