TOWN & COUNTRY – When I sat down to talk to Lily James, I found that it was impossible to be cynical about the value of enchantment,’ says Andrew O’Hagan, who interviews our cover star for Town & Country’s inaugural issue. The Surrey-born actress, best known for her role as Lady Rose, the loveable, naughty niece to Lord and Lady Grantham in Downton Abbey, battled the elements for our covershoot at Boughton Monchelsea Place, an Elizabethan manor house in Kent, dressed in Ralph Lauren.

James confesses that her own relationship with Lady Rose MacClare has been a love-hate one: ‘She seemed shallow. But she changes. Even though her values were about privilege and having a good time, she learned to care about bigger things.’

James is soon to star in another transformative role, as the title part in Disney’s Cinderella, directed by Kenneth Branagh. ‘It’s wonderful to have these chances,’ she says. ‘I would like to be a decent example to other girls and that probably means believing in their belief in me. I want to respect the dream we’re all having.’

She is an actress on the brink of superstardom, but with true British modesty maintains: ‘I never want to be one of those actors who sits around pretending it isn’t totally exciting.’ We agree Lily, it’s all very exciting.

Read the full interview with Lily James in the June 2014 issue of Town & Country, out now.

Added first outtake from Town & Country UK magazine in our gallery. We can only hope to see more of it soon!

DAILY MAIL – Lily James, who plays fun-loving Lady Rose in Downton Abbey, is leaving the phenomenally popular show after she completes filming series five — but she won’t be killed off.

The actress is the title star of Disney’s live-action, big-screen Cinderella, which also stars Game Of Thrones actor Richard Madden (Robb Stark, the King Of The North) as Prince Charming, Cate Blanchett as Cinderella’s stepmother, and Helena Bonham Carter as the fairy godmother. Disney will release the picture next year, around Easter, and they have requested that Lily make herself available to help market the movie around the world.

She would be beginning her duties as a Disney Princess around the same time as Downton Abbey starts filming its sixth season. The Downton overlords don’t want Lady Rose written out of the show, though, so they will have her ‘bubbling’ away, but out of sight, and have urged her to come back and appear in the special Christmas episodes.
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Lily was busy yesterday night, while attending another event in London. I have added high quality pictures of miss James at the Battersea Power Station Annual Party.

Lily attends the launch of Town & Country magazine at Fera at Claridge’s Hotel on April 30, 2014 in London, England.

Behind the scenes video of Lily for Town & Country UK’s June cover shoot!

Lily graces the cover of the first UK Town & Country magazine and she looks gorgeous in this white dress from Ralph Lauren. I’ll try to add scans as soon as possible. On newsstands from May 1st, enjoy!

Lily looked stunning at the Changing Faces Gala Dinner held at Bloomsbury Ballroom on March 27, 2014 in London, England.