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Michelle Dockery, ‘Downton Abbey’ star, loses fiancé to cancer

Click to play video: '‘Downton’ Star Michelle Dockery’s Fiance Dies'
‘Downton’ Star Michelle Dockery’s Fiance Dies
WATCH ABOVE: Michelle Dockery has abandoned her US promotional tour for "Downton Abbey", following the death of her fiance due to cancer – Dec 15, 2015

British actress Michelle Dockery, star of the exceedingly popular U.K. drama Downton Abbey, is mourning her fiancé, 34-year-old John Dineen, who died Sunday from cancer.

On Tuesday night — the actress’ 34th birthday — Dockery led hundreds of mourners into an Irish country church for Dineen’s funeral.

WATCH: Behind the scenes of Downton Abbey

Dockery, who plays the snooty Lady Mary Crawley on Downton, was in the United States for a promotional tour when she got the news that her fiancé’s condition had gotten worse, and he was gravely ill. She immediately cancelled the remaining dates on the tour and flew back to Ireland to be by Dineen’s side in hospice care.

John Dineen and Michelle Dockery watch the 2013 US Open in New York City. Matthew Stockman/Staff/Getty Images
The actress has said very little about her relationship with Dineen, but said in 2014: “I have a wonderful man in my life, from Ireland. We were introduced by Allen Leech [her co-star on Downton]. That’s all you need to know.”
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Dineen was later diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and, after advanced treatment in Germany was unsuccessful, he went home to spend time with his family.

He will be buried after a private funeral service at the same church on Wednesday, reports People magazine.

WATCH on ET Canada: Michelle Dockery cuts promotional tour short to bid farewell to fiancé

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