As she closes her Downton Abbey chapter, which has seen her play Lady Mary Crawley for 15 years, Michelle Dockery is entering a whole new era: parenthood.
Stepping out at the Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale premiere in London, 43-year-old Michelle revealed she is expecting her first child with husband Jasper Waller-Bridge, debuting her baby bump in a dusky blue gown.
© Neil Mockford/WireImage
It’s the first time fans have learnt of Michelle’s baby news, with The Gentlemen actress preferring to keep her private life away from the spotlight. And there was one thing the internet couldn’t quite get over – Michelle’s link to Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
In case the name hadn’t given it away, Michelle’s husband Jasper Waller-Bridge is the brother of Fleabag star Phoebe. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), one fan wrote, ‘Truly a chic family. Imagine having Michelle Dockery as your mum and Phoebe Waller-Bridge as your aunt!’
As the world gets to grips with a Fleabag and Downton Abbey crossover, here’s everything to know about Jasper Waller-Bridge.
Who is Jasper Waller-Bridge?
Jasper Waller-Bridge is best known for being the younger brother of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and the husband of _Downton Abbey’_s Michelle Dockery. It’s thought that he’s currently 37 years old, said to be around six years younger than Michelle.
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He is the son of electronic trading platform Tradepoint founder Michael Waller-Bridge, and Theresa Mary, daughter of Sir John Edward Longueville Clerke, 12th baronet. According to Google, he grew up in Ealing with his older sisters Phoebe and Isobel (who currently works as a composer).
What does Jasper Waller-Bridge do for work?
Given his two sisters are very much in the creative industries, it’s little surprise that Jasper’s also in that world. According to IMDb, Jasper is a film and television producer and music manager, as well as a co-founder of the production company Day One Pictures, which launched in 2020.
Amongst his work is the Disney+ mini series Camden, which aired last year. The show delved into Camden’s rich history of music, speaking to musicians such as Chris Martin, Little Simz, and Yungblud on how the London borough helped change their lives.
When did Michelle Dockery and Jasper Waller-Bridge start dating?
Michelle and Jasper were first linked in 2019, after supposedly being introduced by mutual friends in London. Later that year, they both attended the Rome Film Festival – however, Michelle walked the red carpet alone.
In early 2022, their engagement was officially announced. A notice in The Times 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, younger daughter of Michael and Lorraine Dockery of Gidea Park, Essex.’ Months later, they made their red carpet debut when attending the premiere of Michelle’s Netflix series Anatomy of a Scandal, as well as walking the red carpet at Downton Abbey: A New Era.
When did Michelle and Jasper get married?
The couple tied the knot in September 2023, marrying at St. Nicholas church in Chiswick, West London. Plenty of Michelle’s Downton co-stars made it onto the guest list, including Lily James, Joanne Froggatt, Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Bonneville, and Imelda Staunton. Jasper’s sister Phoebe was of course in attendance, with Laura Carmichael (who starred as Michelle’s sister Edith Crawley in Downton Abbey) taking on the role of bridesmaid.
Has Michelle Dockery been married before?
Michelle has never been formally married before, however she was engaged to Irish PR executive John Dineen, who died at the age in 2016 at the age of 34 after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Revealing she felt they were ‘married at heart’, Michelle emotionally said in a 2017 interview with The Guardian, ‘I never lost hope. I’m not exaggerating when I say that John did not complain once, never, not once, and that gave us strength. It’s what keeps you going, that positivity – to never lose that hope for a miracle. I couldn’t have done it any other way. We were engaged, and married at heart, and so I do consider myself a widow.’
Charlotte Roberts is a news and entertainment writer at Grazia UK. She spends her days covering everything celebrity, culture, and entertainment.
