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When I heard that the actor Maggie Smith had died, on September 27th, an image from a television programme popped into my head. There was the Dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey”, leaning on a cane as she flayed some upstart with a few words. Her poshness and refusal to move with the times was her appeal. Like many British people, I am obsessed with social class and with the elite; I also feel pleased that dowager countesses are no more. So I was delighted to read a book about how the British elite has changed.

“Born to Rule”, by the sociologists Aaron Reeves and Sam Friedman, is superb. In clear English (other academics, please take note) it describes how the horse- and hunting-obsessed elite of the late 19th century gave way to the hard-working elite of today. Britain’s elite is becoming more like China’s, maintaining its position through education rather than country piles. But I couldn’t help wondering: has it become less fun?

Joel Budd, Social-affairs editor

Editor’s picks

How today’s wealthy present themselves differently

A new book offers an engrossing but flawed takedown of Britain’s most privileged

China’s wealthy elite rigs its university arms race

Children from poor and rural areas have little hope of keeping up with their rich counterparts

“Downton Abbey” but with NDAs: how to be a butler to the super-rich

Inside the elite college that’s reinventing Jeeves for the 21st century

Meet India’s mega-wealthy 

The ranks of the ultra-rich are swelling

China doesn’t want people flaunting their wealth 

Especially not on the internet

The super-rich are trying new approaches to philanthropy 

They are hoping to get money to the needy faster, says Avantika Chilkoti

The world’s richest countries in 2024 

Our annual ranking compares economies in three different ways