Bertha's betrayal: How The Gilded Age Season 3 mirrors Downton Abbey's most savage twists

Season 3 of The Gilded Age has given us a juicy twist straight from the Downton Abbey playbook. Bertha Russell’s home has been hit by betrayal, not from a social rival, but from someone working right under her roof.

Fans of Julian Fellowes’ earlier hit will instantly feel déjà vu, because this storyline is a classic example of his favorite trope: the seemingly loyal lady’s maid who secretly stirs up trouble.

In Episode 7 of The Gilded Age, we finally learn who has been leaking Bertha’s private family matters to the press. The culprit? Her new lady’s maid, Miss Andre, played by Rachel Pickup. Surprisingly, Miss Andre didn’t hate Bertha or want revenge.

Instead, her betrayal was all about money. Each time she passed on a bit of juicy gossip to the papers, she earned $40, a huge sum in the 1880s. For her, the temptation was just too strong.

This betrayal comes at a critical time for Bertha. She’s been working hard to arrange a grand marriage for her daughter, Gladys, to Hector, the Duke of Buckingham.

Their romance in The Gilded Age, along with other Russell family moves, has been a constant topic in gossip columns. For someone obsessed with managing her public image, having leaks from inside her home is a major disaster.

Julian Fellowes clearly loves the drama that comes when a trusted servant turns on her mistress. It’s a plotline that works every time. Intimate access, personal secrets, and the sting of betrayal are a definite recipe for compelling television!

Downton Abbey’s history of treacherous maids in The Gilded Age

In Downton Abbey, Cora Crawley’s maid Miss O’Brien becomes one of TV’s most notorious troublemakers. In a shocking moment, she deliberately leaves a bar of soap where Cora would slip, causing her to miscarry.

After O’Brien leaves, Edna tries to trap Tom Branson into marriage by faking a pregnancy. Thankfully, Mrs. Hughes exposes her plan before it succeeds in The Gilded Age.

Introduced under suspicious circumstances, Baxter shocks everyone by becoming loyal to Cora after revealing her criminal past.

Both women have faced betrayal from the people closest to them in their homes. The difference is, Cora eventually finds a loyal maid in Baxter; Bertha hasn’t been that lucky yet.

Miss Andre isn’t Bertha’s first problem. In Season 1, her maid Enid Turner openly tried to seduce Bertha’s husband, George Russell. Although Enid failed, she married a wealthy man and came back as a rival in New York’s high society.

A lady’s maid has unique access to her employer’s private life, conversations, letters, and daily routines. That makes trust essential, and betrayal especially painful.

In the real 1880s, gossip columns were powerful, and servants could make or break reputations. Selling secrets could ruin marriages and business deals, just like in The Gilded Age.

Fellowes blends historical fact with addictive drama, creating storylines that feel both authentic and wildly entertaining. He knows that a servant’s betrayal is a timeless hook.

HBO has confirmed Season 4 of The Gilded Age, so Bertha will likely be hiring again. Will she finally find a loyal maid like Cora’s Baxter, or will she be burned a third time?

Bertha’s track record suggests she needs to be far more careful with her hiring. Another betrayal could not only damage her reputation but also weaken her in New York’s social battles.

Whether it’s Downton Abbey’s England or The Gilded Age’s New York, a lady’s maid can be either a trusted ally or a dangerous enemy. For Bertha Russell, two betrayals in three seasons prove just how risky it is to trust the wrong person. And with her social ambitions still burning, the question is, will her next choice be her greatest strength or her biggest mistake?

Trending

For more updates, keep reading Soap Central!

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback