Carson gets help with his French in Downton Abbey: A New Era clip

Carson (Jim Carter) may be the stolid and reliable butler of Downton Abbey, but there is apparently one area where he does not excel — and that's speaking French.

In this exclusive clip from Downton Abbey: A New Era, our favorite stuffy servant attempts to buy a new hat while vacationing in the south of France as they visit a villa unexpectedly left to Violet (Maggie Smith). He struggles with the language, until Maud Bagshaw (Imelda Staunton) comes to his aid and helps him pick the perfect chapeau. And the shopkeeper mistakes them for a married couple...we have a feeling Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan) would have something to say about that.

Focus Features Focus Features' 'Downton Abbey: A New Era' hits theaters on May 20

This clip also gives us our first glimpse of Staunton's return to the world of Downton. She made her debut in the 2019 film , which continued the hit television series. Maud is the Queen's lady-in-waiting and cousin to the Crawleys, who carried a secret throughout the first film — that she is the real mother to her lady's maid, Lucy (Tuppence Middleton).

Details of the new movie remain scarce, so it's unclear just why Maud would also be joining the family in the South of France. Is the Queen there? Does it have something to do with Tom (Allen Leech) and Lucy's budding romance? Or did she just happen to turn up to help Carson with his linguistic challenges?

Everything will be revealed when Downton Abbey: A New Era hits theaters May 20, offering fans a cozy return to this nostalgic, glamorous world.

"A New Era is strictly high-toned formula," said EW critic Leah Greenblatt, "from its God's-eye opening over spire-tipped turrets and green-velvet lawns to its soft-focus finish, but it still feels like home.

For now, watch the clip above for more.

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