Dame Judi Dench was moved to tears during a heartfelt television special as she reflected on the life and legacy of her late husband, the actor Michael Williams.
A Poignant Homecoming
The legendary actress, 91, opened the doors to her beautiful country home in Surrey for a one-off Sky Arts special, Tea with Judi Dench. She was joined by her longtime friend and colleague, Sir Kenneth Branagh, 65. From the sanctuary of her garden and 17th-century house, the pair discussed their storied careers and shared personal memories, leading to several emotional moments.
In a particularly poignant segment, the conversation turned to Judi's husband, Michael Williams. The couple married in 1971 and shared nearly three decades together before his death. Michael passed away in 2001 at their home, surrounded by family and friends, after a long battle with lung cancer. His death came just three weeks before what would have been their 30th wedding anniversary. He was 65.
Legacy of Love and Family
Dame Judi and Michael had one daughter, Finty Williams, now 53. Finty has a son, Sam Williams, 28, and Judi is known to be very close to both her daughter and grandson. The family moved to the six-acre estate in Wasp Green, Surrey, in 1995. On the grounds, Judi has created a memorial forest which includes a tree dedicated to Michael.
During the programme, Judi showed Kenneth a painted portrait of her husband. "I want to ask you about this painting, Jude, because it's such a fantastic likeness of the brilliant Mr Michael Williams," Branagh remarked. Dench, visibly touched, replied, "Michael and I were married just short of 30 years when he died in 2001. Look at that, Kenneth. I mean, you knew him. That's so, it's brilliantly painted. I love it, I really love it."
Shared Memories On and Off Stage
The duo then reminisced about working with Michael. Judi spoke about starring alongside him in The Merchant of Venice shortly after they were married, where she played Portia to his Bassanio. Kenneth Branagh reflected on directing Michael in the 1989 film Henry V, in which Branagh played the title role and Williams played a soldier named, coincidentally, Michael Williams.
The episode featured a clip from Henry V, which brought Dame Judi to tears. As her eyes welled up, Branagh comforted her by praising Michael's talent. "Now that's a very talented young actor! He had such a tack and he had such a sort of strong and, as it happened, very masculine presence," he said. "And very, he had that incredible sort of movie star jaw and those piercing eyes. He was a handsome lad, wasn't he?" A tearful Judi simply replied, "He was."
The one-off special, Tea with Judi Dench, aired on Sky Arts, Freeview, and the streaming service NOW on 22 December.
