British actor Patrick Stewart has died at the age of 87, with his death occurring on 28 October. Stewart spoke openly about his estrangement from his children during the final years of his life, expressing deep regret over the damaged relationship with them.
In an interview with the Irish Independent in 2023, Stewart revealed that he had been in almost no contact with his son Daniel and daughter Sophie. Son Daniel and daughter Sophie were born in his marriage to his first wife Sheila Falconer, from whom he divorced in 1990. The actor married two more times afterwards, and from 2013 he was married to singer Sunny Ozell, who cared for him during his illness.
Stewart stated: "I never thought it would come to this. They are both in their fifties, grown-up people, and my relationship with them is practically non-existent". He felt great sadness due to the estrangement from his children and admitted that his dedication to acting had contributed to the distance. "Acting was always my first priority, ahead of family", he said. He added: "I could have been a better parent when they were little. I was obsessed with work and everything else was in the background". Stewart said that memories of his children and a sense of responsibility pained him daily, and he had tried to make up for lost time through his relationship with his grandchildren. He also said: "It seems my children have forgiven me".
Stewart spoke about fatherhood in a different tone in an interview with People in 2022. "Cherish every moment while your children are young. I loved Daniel when he was a boy, and as a baby I adored holding him", he stated. He added that after the birth of his daughter, he took on a large part of the care for her because her mother was performing in musicals. "I took on the role of both mother and father and enjoyed it. It was wonderful", he said.
Stewart's son Daniel is also an actor and has appeared on television and on the stages of Broadway and London's West End. Daniel and his wife, actress Mary Stillwaggon Stewart, have two children. Stewart's daughter Sophie lives a more private life and also has two children.
