Regency 101---What's a Dowager?

Dowager (pronounced dów əjər ) is the widow of a man who held a title. She can continue to use the  title she had during his lifetime as long as his successor is not married because his wife would have that title.

What?

Maybe this will make more sense if I use an example that's probably familiar to many people: Downton Abbey.

I haven't watched many episodes, so I may not have all the