After a 30-Year-Long Marriage, Judi Dench Managed to Find Love Again at Age 76

The 87-year-old Oscar-winning actress, Dame Judi Dench, has been in the spotlight for 65 years, and as it seems, she doesn’t plan to retire anytime soon. But despite her busy life and fruitful career, Dench always managed to find time for love, both in her youth and at the age of 76.

We at Bright Side know that it’s hard to open the heart for love after a loss, and that’s why we decided to share Dench’s love stories with you.

Judi Dench’s first husband was the love of her life.

Judi Dench and her late husband, Michael Williams, wed in 1971 and stayed together until his death in 2001. Speaking about their relationship, Dench believes that they lucked out, as their union came naturally and they never had to work hard for it.

Even though many years have passed since Dench lost her husband to lung cancer, she still gushes over him: “Oh, how he used to make me laugh. He used to make me absolutely howl. We had a lovely time. It was never a tricky time. I was lucky to meet Mike.”

Dench suspects that she will probably never get over Williams, and when she was asked how long it took her to figure out how to be okay without him, her response was soul-stirring: “I don’t know. Perhaps I’ve never done that, quite.”

9 years after losing her husband, Dench found love again at age 76.

Dench didn’t prepare herself to find love again, nor did she expect to. But her feelings changed when conservationist David Millis invited her to open a squirrel enclosure at the wildlife center in 2010.

Dench and Millis started dating and have been in a relationship for more than a decade now. Even after many years together, she still refers to him as “my champ” because she doesn’t like the word partner or boyfriend.

Speaking about their happy union, Dench believes that humor in a relationship is the most attractive thing of all, and Millis makes her laugh. “I love having a good laugh. I have a jolly nice friend now.”

Dench and Millis enjoy each other’s company, but they’re not planning on getting married.

In an interview, when Dench was asked about the idea of marriage with David, she strongly reacted, “No, no, no, no, no. Let’s all just pull ourselves together and be our age.”

They also came to a decision that they won’t live together and that they are both better off staying in their separate houses. However, they are only 4 miles away and are always together, either at her or Millis’ place.

What do you think of Judi Dench’s decision not to marry her boyfriend of 12 years? Do you think it’s possible to find love again later in life?