Judi Dench recalls her husband Michael Williams’ final day when he was honored with a huge honor. The actress candidly opened up about her career, life, and personal moments in her memoir Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?. Among the experiences shared by Dench are also her memories of her late husband and actor Williams. 

One such is his final day when the actor was honored for his dedication to the Catholic religion.

Judi Dench, in her memoir, which is in a question-and-answer format between her and Brendan O’Hea, recalled the last day her husband was alive and was honored with papal knighthood by the Vatican. Since Williams could not travel to receive the honor, the actress planned the ceremony at their house. She recalled that many people were in attendance.

“I wish he’d been able to receive his knighthood in the way that it was meant to happen – at Westminster Cathedral – but he wasn’t well enough to travel,” she recalled.

Their daughter Finty shared that since everyone could not fit into the same room, they used a baby monitor for everyone to hear the service downstairs in the sitting room. The late actor was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away on January 11, 2001, at 65.

Williams and Dench met during a tour at the Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1960s and later tied the knot at St Mary’s Church in Hampstead in 1971. In the memoir, she also spoke about whether her husband felt overshadowed by her career and recalled that even if Williams felt something, he never said it. She further added that the actor was occupied by working on his own goals.

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Speaking of her husband, the actress also recalled a heartwarming gesture by Robin Williams.

Judi Dench recalled meeting Robin Williams when staying at Billy Connolly’s home in Scotland. During her conversation with PEOPLE, the actress recalled that when her husband, who was struggling with lung cancer and was exhausted from walking back up after a bonfire party in the woods. And Robin Williams, who saw them and offered to help. But when Michael politely refused, he had a kind response.

“And Robin said, ‘Well, I think I’ll ride shotgun anyway’, which was such a lovely thing to say,” she told PEOPLE.

Robin Williams passed away at 63 in 2014. But even decades later, Dench has not forgotten the actor’s gesture. Through her interviews and memoir, Dench has continued to share such heartwarming stories of her life and career. 

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