First look at the Downton Abbey Christmas Day finale, new trailer hints both at joy and loss for the house

The last ever episode of the beloved series airs Christmas Day.

(ITV)

The final episode of Downton Abbey will air Christmas Day, with a new trailer offering us a first glimpse at the proceedings.

It's a bittersweet one, as the house prepares for New Year's celebrations and for the year 1926; creators clearly knowing they can play on audiences' long-held affection for the series with a surprisingly emotional rendition of Auld Lang Syne as led by Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan). During which we can reflect both some of the great romances of the series, including the recently married Henry (Matthew Goode) and Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery), and it's great losses; with Henry still mourning the loss of friend Charlie Rogers (Sebastian Dunn), and under-butler Thomas (Rob James-Collier) making preparations for his departure. "I arrived here as a boy, and leave as a man."

The trailer reveals relatively little, with the plot kept tightly under wraps by producers; though a prop left behind at one of the filming locations did accidentally reveal a major turn of events. What can be announced is the much-awaited return of Lady Rose (Lily James), who departed Downton for New York in 2014's Christmas Special after her marriage to Atticus Aldridge (Matt Barber). It's certainly a win for the special, considering James has since departed for Hollywood fame and the lead in this year's live-action Cinderella.

The real question for fans, however, will remain the fate of poor Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael), only briefly glimpsed here coming face-to-face with Bertie Pelham (Harry Hadden-Paton). Series 6 ended unhappily for the aristocrat when her engagement to Bertie was scuppered by her own sister, Mary; who revealed to him that Marigold was her illegitimate daughter.

The Christmas special airs Christmas Day on ITV, at 8.45pm.