Michael Gambon’s tangled love life: How star juggled life with two families as he split time with his wife of 61 years with set designer who was 25 years his junior and gave him two young sons

Married for over 60 years, Michael Gambon and his wife Anne have certainly demonstrated endurance.

The Harry Potter star’s death was announced today by Lady Gambon and the couple’s only son Fergus, who said they were “devastated”.

They remained a small but close-knit unit despite the fact that he had a second family with set designer Philippa Hart, who is 25 years his junior and bore him two other sons.

For more than a decade, Sir Michael divided his time between the £5million home he shared with Lady Gambon in Gravesend and another west London property inhabited by Mrs Hart and their now teenage sons , Tom and Will.

Sir Michael had a second family with stage designer Philippa Hart, who is 25 years his junior and bore him two more sons. Above: The couple out for dinner at Annabel’s in London in 2015

According to actress Hetty Baynes, who co-starred with Sir Michael in the 2015 TV adaptation of Potter author JK Rowling’s novel The Casual Vacancy, the actor has “never been happier than when his boys were on set.”

Speaking to the Daily Mail in 20165, she said: “They were so nice and you can see he absolutely adores them. But I’m sure they mishandled him.

“Having a child later in life can be an exhausting thing, but it brings so much joy.

“When I was married to Ken (Russell, the famous director), he was 65 when our son Rex was born, so it was a similar elderly parent scenario to Michael.

“But Philippa is incredible. She does a lot of work and is absolutely charming.

Sir Michael and Ms Hart had been a couple since 2000, when they worked together on the film Longitude.

In this production, Sir Michael played the role of 18th-century clockmaker John Harrison.

Less than a year after they met, Sir Michael introduced his girlfriend to Charles Dance and Maggie Smith, who both starred with him in the 2001 film Gosford Park.

Sir Michael and Ms Hart had been a couple since 2000, when they worked together on the film Longitude. His and Mrs Hart’s first son was born in 2007, while the second arrived in 2009. Above: The couple with their son Tom at Tom Stoppard’s 80th birthday in 2017.

Lady Anne stayed with her husband despite his relationship with Philippa Hart

Sir Michael Gambon and Philippa Hart in 2015. The couple had two sons together

Michael Gambon and his partner Philippa Hart, with whom he had two young sons

Fergus Gambon is a ceramics expert who has appeared on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow and works for auction house Bonhams.

Lady Gambon was reportedly initially devastated by the news of her husband’s other relationship and left the home they shared.

But she later agreed to the arrangement and returned to live in their Gravesend home.

Sir Michael was racing between this campaign and London in his selection of sports cars, which included a Ferrari and an Audi R8.

Sir Michael also kept his own separate home in London to give him respite when he was working.

His and Ms Hart’s first son were born in 2007, while the second arrived in 2009.

Fergus Gambon is a ceramics expert who has appeared on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow and works for auction house Bonhams.

Fergus is said to have a particularly close relationship with his mother, a retired mathematician.

She also creates her own pottery and is passionate about bookbinding. She married Sir Michael in 1962.

A statement issued today on behalf of Lady Gambon and Fergus said: “We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon.

The actor with Dame Maggie Smith and Lady Antonia Fraser, attending the press evening of ‘Krapp’s Last Tape’ at the Duchess Theater on September 22, 2010 in London

“A beloved husband and father, Michael died peacefully in hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus at his bedside, following pneumonia. Michel was 82 years old.

“We ask that you respect our privacy during this painful time and thank you for your messages of support and love.”

The star, son of an engineer and a seamstress, grew up in Dublin and left school at 15 without a qualification.

By the age of 21, he was a qualified engineer, but only worked in that profession for a year before choosing to become an actor.

Despite his succession of film, television and stage credits, he still had a passion for practical work, as evidenced by the large workshop he ran in his Kent home.

He also owned a large collection of antique firearms and clocks and was a qualified pilot.