Richard E. Grant has marked five years since the death of his wife, Joan Washington, sharing an emotional video on Instagram. Grant reflected on his enduring grief and expressed his deep gratitude for the nearly four decades they spent together.
Joan died in September 2021 at the age of 74 after a battle with lung cancer. Grant has been open about his bereavement, stating that he still feels a profound sense of gratitude for their time together and is surrounded by the life they built in their countryside home.
"Five years ago today, my beloved wife Joan died, at 7:30 in the evening," Grant said in the video. "We were holding each other's hands, when she drew her last breath, and in one sense, five years seems incredibly long, and simultaneous in the blink of an eye."
He acknowledged the profound connection they shared, describing it as a "holy grail gift." Grant also shared his sadness that Joan will not be able to meet their new grandchild, as their daughter Olivia welcomed a son 12 weeks prior. "I would love more than anything for her to hold her grandchild but that's not to be," he stated.
Grant admitted that while he is physically alone in their Gloucestershire cottage, he feels her presence. "I'm surrounded by everything we made together and collected," he said. He also addressed the well-intentioned suggestions he might find new love, noting, "I've not arrived at that station." Instead, he chose to "celebrate her fifth anniversary. Happy anniversary."
The actor recently shared that becoming a grandfather has taught him "not to waste time on stuff." He described the experience as part of the cycle of life, moving from death to birth. The arrival of his grandson has underscored his own mortality, prompting him to focus on the finite time ahead.
Grant and Washington met in 1982 and married in 1986. They endured heartbreak, including the loss of their first child shortly after birth and multiple miscarriages, before their daughter Olivia's arrival. Olivia and her husband, Florian Wirst, have since moved in with Grant.
Grant announced his wife's death five years ago with a video of them dancing, calling her the "Giver of Life to our daughter Olivia." In the years since, he has maintained an "ongoing silent conversation" with his late wife, writing to her every evening. A month before her death, Joan had reportedly compiled a list of reasons why he should not date any of the women they knew, a gesture he saw as a reflection of her love for him.