It’s been six years since the death of her fiance. Now Downton Abbey star, Michelle Dockery appears to have healed her broken heart – and revealed her engagement to Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s brother.
The 40-year-old actress, who played Lady Mary Crawley in the ITV drama, and Jasper Waller-Bridge made their happy news public yesterday with an announcement in The Times.
It read: ‘The engagement is announced between Jasper, son of Michael Waller-Bridge of King’s Lynn, Norfolk, and Teresa Waller-Bridge of Battersea, London, and Michelle Dockery, younger daughter of Michael and Lorraine Dockery of Gidea Park, Essex.’
Last night Waller-Bridge’s father told the Daily Mail: ‘We could not be more delighted!
‘We have had a very happy time getting to know Michelle over the last few years and she’s an absolutely delightful person. We couldn’t be happier for them both.
‘Michelle will be a wonderful addition to the family and we are certain that she and Jasper are going to have a very joyful marriage and life together.’
Wrapped up warm: Michelle Dockery spotted wearing a diamond ring on her wedding finger after announcing her engagement to Jasper Waller Bridge
Miss Dockery was seen enjoying an afternoon stroll with her friends in south London yesterday afternoon following the announcement, while sporting her engagement ring (pictured)
Miss Dockery was seen enjoying an afternoon stroll with her friends in south London yesterday afternoon following the announcement.
She wrapped up warm in a cream-coloured teddy bear-style jacket, blue jeans and black boots.
But it was the new sparkling diamond ring on the actress’s finger that garnered the most attention.
Miss Dockery is thought to have been introduced to Waller-Bridge, 34, in Los Angeles in 2019 through his sister Phoebe, 36, who created and starred in Fleabag and wrote Killing Eve.
The pair appeared together at the Rome Film Festival in October that year and the romance became public knowledge the following month.
They set up home in a substantial £1.9million terrace in north London during the pandemic and were seen participating in the Clap for Carers from their doorstep.
Miss Dockery was previously engaged to public relations executive John Dineen but he died from a rare form of cancer in December 2015, aged 34.
His funeral was the day after her 34th birthday and a day before what would have been his 35th.
‘I don’t have the vocabulary to describe what it felt like. And what it still feels like,’ she said two years after his death.
‘I’ve never been more committed to anything in my life than to him.
‘So at the time everything just shut down. Work, everything. Work didn’t matter. You suddenly become an [oncological] expert. This stuff becomes your world, and that of course was my priority.’
Michelle Dockery with Jasper Waller Bridge, who is the brother of Phoebe, out together buying cakes in Stoke Newington
Miss Dockery and her tragic former fiance John Dineen, who died from a rare form of cancer in December 2015 (Pictured together at the Winter Whites Gala in aid of Centrepoint at Kensington Palace on November 26, 2013)
She previously said: ‘I refer to myself as a widow, yes. We were engaged, and married at heart, and so I do consider myself a widow. That’s the first time I’ve said that, and it’s a bit of a relief to say so.’
Film and TV producer Waller-Bridge is the youngest of three children. His other sister Isobel, 37, is a composer of film, TV and classical music.
He used to work for a talent agency and was manager of former One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson.
But he recently left his showbusiness agency job to go into movie-making with a friend who used to manage the late singer Amy Winehouse.
Waller-Bridge and Miss Dockery were seen walking their dog in west London this week. The actress wore a long black coat and joggers, completing the look with a red beanie and a pair of sunglasses.
Waller-Bridge wore a blue padded jacket and jeans as they strolled through the park with their pet.
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