Richard E Grant has shared a heart-wrenching tribute to his late wife Joan Washington on her birthday (Picture: Richard E Grant/Instaram; Getty)
Actor Richard E Grant has remembered his late wife Joan Washington on her birthday.
The actor, 65, was married to voice coach Washington for 34 years when she died in September last year at the age of 71.
Having been diagnosed with lung cancer just eight months earlier, the devoted couple spent their last few months making memories together, with some of these revealed in Grant’s new memoir.
Grant often shares memories of his wife with friends and followers on social media, having recently marked the couple’s wedding anniversary where he said to have been loved by her was Washington’s ‘ongoing gift to me.’
Now the actor is celebrating his late wife’s birthday with another gorgeous tribute to the esteemed voice coach, praising her ‘bravery’ and ‘fortitude’.
Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, the Withnail And I star posted a photo of Washington smiling rather shyly at the camera, dressed up in a sleek black winter coat, and revealed it was taken on ‘her last ever birthday.’
The couple were married for 34 years when Washington died from lung cancer just a few short months after being diagnosed (Picture: Getty Images)
He wrote: ‘Taken on her last ever birthday, 21st December – my beloved late wife Joan.
‘Her bravery, fortitude, resistance and acceptance of her diagnosis, are an inexhaustible inspiration.’
He concluded: ‘I miss her more than is measurable.’
Grant was inundated with messages of support from followers as he shared his grief, with one person writing that Washington is ‘alive with every story you tell.’
‘Your generosity in sharing her, and your grief, with us is important,’ he went on. ‘Many will find strength from your honesty and travails.’
Another shared: ‘I think it’s the people who are in our lives the longest, that we miss so dreadfully. It takes time to get used to them not being around.’
In November, Grant marked his and Washington’s 36th wedding anniversary – the second since she died from lung cancer.
Grant recently marked the second wedding anniversary since his wife’s death (Picture: Getty Images)
He wrote: ‘We were married on the 1st of November 1986. Today is our posthumous 36th anniversary.’
To have been truly seen and loved by this extraordinary Human Being, is her ongoing gift to me.’
The actor shared a total of eight photographs of he and Washington over the years, from holidays abroad to church events and everyday selfies at home, both sporting massive smiles in each one.
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During their marriage, Grant and Washington welcomed daughter Olivia, now 32, while Washignton also had a son, Tom, from a previous relationship.
The industry expert trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama and had nearly 40 years’ experience in the film industry as a voice and dialect coach, working with stars including Anne Hathaway, Vanessa Redgrave and Emma Stone.
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Richard E Grant shares gorgeous tribute to late wife Joan Washington on her birthday: ‘I miss her more than is measurable’
