Dame Joan Collins “never thought” she’d get married for a fifth time.
Dame Joan Collins
The 87-year-old actress admitted the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York in 2001 prompted her and Percy Gibson – who is 31 years her junior – to tie the knot because it made them realise “life was short”.
She recalled: “I met Percy in 2000 in San Francisco – I was doing a play with George Hamilton, and Percy was the company manager. Percy and I became very close and we had so much in common that, after about a year, we decided to make it legal.
“I think it was 9/11 that put it into perspective. We decided that life was short and who knew what was going to happen. I never thought I was going to get married again, I’d done it four times already – but we loved each other and that was that.
“And we had a wonderful, wonderful wedding, at Claridge’s.”
The former ‘Dynasty’ star admitted her marriage to Percy has been a “proper” relationship and they are “very happy” together.
Speaking to The Telegraph Magazine she said: “I have been married four times before but this was a proper wedding, and it’s been a proper marriage for 19 years – 19 very happy years. My children adore Percy and they were delighted to hear we were getting married, as were all of our friends.”
And Joan thinks it is “amazing” that they have barely clashed over the last year, when they’ve been isolating together amid the coronavirus pandemic.
She said: “Percy and I have a wonderful relationship and we treat each other with great respect and kindness – I believe that you should treat somebody the way you want to be treated yourself.
“Of course we argue, but amazingly we haven’t argued much during this lockdown, considering we have been together 24/7 for almost a year.
“Of course it’s been difficult – for someone like me who is very social and likes going out, to the theatre and to the cinema and meeting friends, it’s been very hard.
“And it’s also been very hard on my carpet, because I have worn a path on it with all the walking I’ve done.”
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