We stayed at Claridge’s honeymoon suite that night and then went to Mauritius. It was a traditional wedding in every way – there were speeches, there was cake, there was dancing. Both Shirley Bassey and Cilla Black were singing and it was really magical.
The weather? It was raining darling. But Claridge’s is such a wonderful place, it didn’t matter at all. My three children were there [Tara, Alexander and Katyana] and her partner and the whole Percy family from Peru and Scotland. When he first called his mother to tell her about us, he said, “I just want to tell you before you read it in the papers that brought Joan Collins and I together.” She paused and said, “You know, one thing about you, Percy, is that you never bored me.”
Percy and I have a wonderful relationship and we treat each other with great respect and kindness. I believe you should treat someone the way you would like to be treated. Of course we fight, but amazingly, we didn’t fight much during this lockdown, considering we’ve been together around the clock for almost a year. Of course it was difficult – for someone like me, who is very social and likes to go out, go to the theater and the cinema and meet friends, it was very difficult. And it was also very hard on my carpet because I carried a path on it for all the walking I did.
Now we come to our 19th wedding anniversary; We usually have a party but we just have to party with friends on Zoom. But next year I hope we return to Claridge.
I’ve been married four times, but this was a real wedding and it’s been a real marriage for 19 years – 19 very happy years. My children love Percy, and they are delighted to hear that we are getting married, as are all of our friends.
And when people notice the age difference, I just say, “Well, if he dies, he dies.”
Interview by Jessamy Calkin
