Michael Williams, stage veteran and husband of Dame Judi Dench, died on Thursday 11th January 2001 after a long battle with Cancer. 
He was 65.

Michael and Judi had one of the most enduring of marriages in the theatre spanning, 30 years.  They met in the early 1960's  while working for the Royal Shakespeare Company and were married in 1971, nearly a decade later.  On stage Michael and Judi appeared together  in such successful plays as "Pack Of Lies" (1983) and "Mr and Mrs Nobody" (1986). The long-running television series in the 1980's, "A Fine Romance", brought both Judi and Michael to the public's attention playing the middle-aged lovers.

Despite the strong association with Judi, Michael was a talented and respected actor in his own right.  He made his stage debut at the Nottingham Playhouse in 1959 after having spent many years in amateur theatre.  He was made an asscociate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company where he stayed for 14 years.  He has appeared in many films including "Henry V" with Kenneth Brannagh.  More recently, he starred as John Aubrey in the one-man show "Brief Lives" , one of his rare solo performances and in the 2000 production at the National Theatre of Ostrovsky's "The Forest" for which earned an Olivier Nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Michael was always the first to praise Judi's talent and every Friday throughout their life he used to send her a red rose, wherever she was in the world.  In addition to acting, religion was very important to Michael.  He was recently made a Knight of St Gregory, one of the highest honours awarded by the Catholic Church.  He was celebrating his knighthood the day before he died and said that the evening "It was one of the best days I have ever had".

Michael died peacfully on 11th January 2001 "surrounded by his family and friends" .

"Good Night sweet prince;
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."