English actor Damian Lewis has written a heartfelt tribute to his wife, actress Helen McCrory, who died on Friday of cancer at the age of 52.
In an op-ed for The Sunday Times published on Sunday, Lewis referred to his wife of 13 years as "royalty".
"On a weekend when the papers, rightly, will be paying their respects to the Duke of Edinburgh, thousands of others around the world have been remembering m’Duchess, my Little One, royalty in her own right," he wrote, praising her for her "fearlessness, wit, curiosity, talent and beauty".
“When I say ‘royalty’, I am of course referring to the esteem in which Helen is held in our business. Her nickname to many was Dame Helen."
McCrory was best known internationally for her role in hit BBC show Peaky Blinders, the Harry Potter film series, as well as playing Cherie Blair in the film The Queen.
She has also been a prolific stage actress in the UK, starring in a number of high-profile British productions.
McCrory and Lewis met when they both starred in a play called Five Gold Rings at the Almeida Theatre in London, and married in 2007. They have two children together.
It was Lewis who announced McCrory’s death on Twitter on Friday, saying she was "surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family".
“She died as she lived," he wrote in the post. "Fearlessly. God we love her and know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives. She blazed so brightly. Go now, Little One, into the air, and thank you."
Author JK Rowling called McCrory "an extraordinary actress and wonderful woman who's left us far too soon".
The Twitter account of Peaky Blinders also posted a tribute, saying her performance as matriarch Polly Gray was "inspirational, joyous, transgressive, hilarious and incredibly moving".
In The Sunday Times, Lewis also praised McCrory's kindness and generosity.
"I've never known anyone so consciously spread happiness. To say 'please' and 'thank you' and 'you're so kind' as much as she did," he wrote. "Even when dying in her last few days, when talking to our wonderful carers, she repeatedly said, 'thank you so much' in her half delirious state.”
In 2020, Lewis and McCrory raised more than £1 million ($1.3m) to provide NHS workers with meals from high-street restaurants amid the pandemic.
Lewis also wrote of McCrory's bravery in her final days, recounting how she insisted no one be sad after her death.
"Her greatest and most exquisite act of bravery and generosity has been to 'normalise' her death,” he said. “She's shown no fear, no bitterness, no self-pity, only armed us with the courage to go on and insisted that no one be sad, because she is happy.”
"I'm staggered by her," he says. "She's been a meteor in our life."
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Read more:
Why 'Peaky Blinders' has struck a chord around the world
Yes, a 'Peaky Blinders' film is happening: Movie to follow hit show's sixth and final season
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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3/5 stars
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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THE BIO
Age: 33
Favourite quote: “If you’re going through hell, keep going” Winston Churchill
Favourite breed of dog: All of them. I can’t possibly pick a favourite.
Favourite place in the UAE: The Stray Dogs Centre in Umm Al Quwain. It sounds predictable, but it honestly is my favourite place to spend time. Surrounded by hundreds of dogs that love you - what could possibly be better than that?
Favourite colour: All the colours that dogs come in
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Fixtures
Tuesday - 5.15pm: Team Lebanon v Alger Corsaires; 8.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Pharaohs
Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms
Thursday - 4.30pm: Team Lebanon v Pharaohs; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Carthage Eagles
Friday - 4.30pm: Pharaohs v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Team Lebanon
Saturday - 4.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Team Lebanon
