Angharad Rees facts for kids

Angharad Mary Rees (born 16 July 1944, died 21 July 2012) was a talented British actress. She was especially famous for her TV roles in the 1970s. Many people remember her best as Demelza in the BBC TV show Poldark. She was also honored with the CBE.

Early Life and Education

Angharad Rees was born in Edgware, England. Her father, William Linford Rees, was a psychiatrist. When she was two, her family moved to Cardiff, Wales. She had two brothers and one sister.

Angharad went to Commonweal Lodge School. She also studied in Paris at the Sorbonne. Later, she attended the Rose Bruford Drama College in Kent. She even studied at the University of Madrid in Spain. Before becoming an actress, she taught English in Spain. Then, she started acting in local plays in England. For many years, her birth year was thought to be 1949, but she was actually born in 1944.

Acting Career Highlights

Angharad Rees started her acting career on television in 1968. Her first role was a parlour maid in a play called Man and Superman. She appeared with famous actors like Maggie Smith. Soon after, she acted in many other TV shows. These included The Avengers and Doctor in the House.

Some of her most important early roles were in TV dramas. She played Winston Churchill's daughter in The Gathering Storm (1974). She also played Lucy in the TV play Joe's Ark (1974). In 1978, she was Celia in As You Like It with Helen Mirren. A director once said her acting in Joe's Ark was one of the best he had ever seen.

Angharad also starred in several movies. She was in the horror film Hands of the Ripper (1971). The next year, she appeared in Under Milk Wood (1972). This movie had many big stars like Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Other films she was in include Jane Eyre (1970) and The Love Ban (1973). Later, she was in the TV miniseries Master of the Game (1984). She also appeared in The Wolves of Kromer (1998), a fantasy film.

From 1975 to 1977, Angharad played her most famous role: Demelza in Poldark. This historical TV show was set in Cornwall. She was in almost every episode. In 1983, she starred in another show set in Cornwall, The Forgotten Story.

She also performed in many plays in London's West End. These included The Picture of Dorian Gray (1975) and The Millionairess (1978–79). She played Ophelia in a Shakespeare play for the Welsh Theatre Company. She also toured in the play An Ideal Husband.

Later in her career, she appeared in the TV comedy Close to Home (1989–90). She also acted in the sports drama Trainer (1992).

Honours and Recognition

Angharad Rees was made a Fellow of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. This is a special honor for people who have achieved a lot in music or drama. A pub in Pontypridd, Wales, was even named after her!

Jewellery Design Career

After a personal loss in 1999, Angharad decided to focus on her passion for jewellery design instead of acting. She started her own company called Angharad. It was based in Knightsbridge, London. Some of the beautiful jewellery she designed was even featured in the movie Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007).

Personal Life

In 1973, Angharad Rees married actor Christopher Cazenove. They had two sons, Linford James (born 1974) and Rhys William (born 1976). Sadly, Linford passed away in 1999. Angharad and Christopher divorced in 1994, but they remained good friends. Christopher Cazenove passed away in 2010.

In 2005, Angharad married The Hon. David McAlpine. He was part of the McAlpine construction family. They were married at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London. She remained married to David McAlpine until her death.

Death

Angharad Rees passed away on 21 July 2012, at the age of 68. She died from pancreatic cancer.

A special memorial service was held for her in London. Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes spoke at the service. He said that Angharad was excellent at friendship. He also mentioned that she wanted to be remembered as a serious actress. She had chosen to change her career path to focus on her family.

Filmography

• Jane Eyre (1970) - Louise
• To Catch a Spy (1971) - Victoria
• Hands of the Ripper (1971) - Anna
• Under Milk Wood (1972) - Gossamer Beynon
• The Love Ban (1973) - Jackie
• Moments (1974) - Chrissy
• La petite fille en velours bleu (1978) - Macha
• The Wolves of Kromer (1998) - Mary