As fans rejoice over the return of the award-winning period drama, the fifth season of Downton Abbey has been marred by a pesky water bottle.
A promotional image released by the producers shows the Earl of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) and his daughter Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael) dressed impeccably and standing in front of the mantel piece of their 1920’s estate.
Eagle-eyed fans who scoured the image in all it’s post post-first-world-war elegance and glamour were stumped to find a very modern, plastic water bottle complete with blue cap sitting on the mantle behind Lady Edith.
The offending item must have been missed by the cast and crew of the show, who have in the last four seasons been praised for the authenticity displayed in the series depiction of Britain in the 1920’s.
Of course, plastic water bottles aren’t widely seen around the United Kingdom until 40 years later, sometime in the early 1960’s. Much to the obvious dismay of the shows expert who is employed by ITV in charge of historical accuracy and etiquette.
Fans have made light of the situation with one tweeting ““Obviously the Crawley family invented the water bottle, and that’s how they were able to support the estate.”
Thankfully there haven’t been any other modern gaffes spotted in the accompanying shots. However, there have been some other historical bloopers in previous seasons were episodes featured television aerials, double-yellow lines on roads and a modern-style conservatory.
Season 5 of Downton Abbey sees the inhabitants of the estate divided over the election of the first Labour government in 1924. there will also be a larger presence of the children, including Master George Crawley – now three years old – and Miss Sybie Branson – now four years of age.
The offending image. Can you spot the water bottle?
