Richard E Grant announces death of his wife of 35 years Joan Washington, 71, as he posts heartbreaking video of them dancing together

• The actor, 64, posted a heartbreaking video of he and Joan dancing together
• They had been married for 35 years before she passed away last night
• Richard said ‘To be truly known and seen by you, is your immeasurable gift’

Richard E Grant said his heart was broken as he announced his devoted wife Joan has died aged 71 alongside a moving video of them dancing together.

Joan, a voice coach, passed away last night, the Withnail and I actor revealed in a heartbreaking tribute.

He posted a poignant video of the pair dancing together and laughing before they embraced along to a song. 

Richard wrote: ‘ONLY YOU! Joan – Love of my Life & Giver of Life to our daughter Olivia.

‘Our hearts are broken with the loss of your Life last night. 35 years married & 38 together.

‘To be truly known and seen by you, is your immeasurable gift. Do not forget us, sweet Monkee-mine.’

He posted a poignant video of the pair dancing together and laughing along to a song

Grant married voice coach Joan Washington in 1986 and a daughter with her and a stepson

Richard wrote online ‘To be truly known and seen by you, is your immeasurable gift. Do not forget us, sweet Monkee-mine.’

Grant married voice coach Joan Washington in 1986 and has one daughter with her, Olivia, and a stepson, Tom. 

The actor has previously admitted he had not considered getting married until he had met her.

Speaking in an interview with The Independent, he explained: ‘I’d never really thought about getting married, didn’t think it was necessary. 

‘Joan had been married, and she had staunchly said to me that she didn’t want to get married again, and so we’d never talked about it.’

Last year Richard posted pictures of the pair celebrating their 34st wedding anniversary

The devoted couple were seen at Wimbledon in 2019 enjoying themselves at the tennis

A picture of Olivia with her mother Joan was posted last year and shows their loving bond

It wasn’t until the couple spent six weeks apart when Richard returned to his family home in southern Africa for a Christmas break that he realised marriage was the ultimate commitment.

The star proposed immediately upon his return and Joan happily accepted, with the couple going on to set up home together in Richmond, south-west London.

Richard added: ‘Before I got married, I didn’t hold any store by it. 

‘My parents were divorced when I was 11 and it made such a profound impression on my life that I suppose I thought that by not getting married, you could avoid your life being carved in two. But that changed.’

The couple went on to have one daughter, Olivia, 31, together, while Richard is a step-father to Tom, 44, from Joan’s previous marriage.

Tragically, Joan endured three miscarriages and the couple’s first child, Tiffany, died shortly after birth after being born prematurely. 

The actor has since described daughter Olivia as a ‘miracle baby’.

Posting a sweet Instagram montage of images to mark her birthday in January, he wrote: ‘Happy Birthday Olivia! You were a miracle baby and your Life is the greatest gift we’ve ever received!’ (sic)

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