Meet the American Mom Living a 'Downton Abbey' Life

— -- Lady Dawn Russell is the wife of British aristocrat Lord James Russell who lives a fairy tale life, part of which she spends with the couple's two sons at Woburn Abbey in Woburn, Bedfordshire, England.

Once upon a time, Russell’s fairy tale story really began as a girl growing up in New York City.

“I’m just Dawn,” Russell, 41, told “Good Morning America” co-anchor Lara Spencer of her life before royalty.

Russell’s love story began when, at the age of 25, she was diagnosed with stage 3 lymphatic cancer. On a quick break between hospital stays in New York, she met her future husband.

“I was looking for nothing but health,” Russell said of that time in her life. “I went to this family friend's house and Jamie answered the door.”

Five years later, the couple was married. Today, their London-based life together includes their own safari park at the Russell family home in Woburn.

“My husband has a very good shot so we do a lot of shooting,” said Russell, the mom of 5-year-old and 2-year-old sons.

Russell admits though that the transition of joining one of England’s oldest noble families has not always been easy.

“It was tough at the beginning,” Russell said. “To leave countries, to leave the safety net of my West Village [neighborhood] with my friends and family, that kind of rattled my soul.”

Russell also had to adjust physically to her new home.

“These houses are seriously cold,” Russell said. “One night I actually put the rug over my bed. It is so cold.”

Russell’s turn to royalty also did not mean she was just staying at home all day.

“Definitely not a lady of leisure,” said Russell, who created 8G, a dietary supplement featuring eight greens for the body.

"My dream was, I know what greens do," Russell said. "I want to give to the mother what she doesn't even know she needs."