Dominic West has revealed his kissing scandal with Lily James was ‘very stressful’ for his wife Catherine as he first shared her reaction to the photos.
In October 2020, co-stars Lily and married Dominic, 54, were snapped enjoying what appeared to be a racy weekend in Rome – which made headlines around the world.
After the photos emerged, the actor made a public show of unity with his wife, with the couple making a statement about their marriage saying they were “very much still together.”
Catherine is also said to have banned Dominic from speaking to the 35-year-old actress at the time, as part of a peace deal between the couple.
And in an interview with The Sunday Times culture magazineDominic said: ‘I hesitate to speak on behalf of my wife because it was clearly devastating, especially for her.’
Dominic West has revealed his kissing scandal with Lily James was ‘very stressful’ for his wife Catherine as he first shared her reaction to the photos
In October 2020, co-stars Lily and married Dominic, 54, were caught enjoying what appeared to be a spicy weekend in Rome – which made headlines around the world
‘But we joke about it sometimes… It was an absurd situation. It was very stressful for my wife and my children, but there were lighter moments. That was actually the best thing that came out of it.”
Dominic also said the media frenzy surrounding the incident helped inform his decision to play Prince Charles in the final two series of Netflix’s The Crown.
During his time as Charles, he played out some of the most talked-about moments of his life, including his relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles.
He said: ‘I had a very keen understanding of what it was like to feel the horror of having your name or your picture in the newspapers.
“There’s that horrible freeze moment where something about you is revealed. I think everyone can understand what that feels like.
‘But I experienced it and it must have given some indication of how I handled it. That gut feeling of horror is not something you get used to.”
Dominic surprised onlookers when he was pictured passionately embracing actress Lily during a romantic holiday in Rome in 2020, shortly after international travel restrictions were lifted.
The couple didn’t seem to mind who saw them as they snuggled up together and shared a ride on a scooter as they spent the day enjoying the sights.
At the time, he was still married to Catherine – and no split had yet been publicly announced – but he was not wearing his wedding ring.
A source told MailOnline that the pair spent two nights in a suite at the top De La Ville hotel with panoramic views of the entire city and just a two-minute walk from the Spanish Steps.
After the photos emerged, Dominic made a public display of unity with his wife Catherine FitzGerald
They were preparing to star in Emily Mortimer’s adaptation of Nancy Mitford’s celebrated novel The Pursuit Of Love for the BBC and filming began in July.
They left the hotel for just a few hours riding an electric scooter around the Spanish Steps and Piazza di Pietra, before joining their friend and mutual manager Angharad Wood at a downtown restaurant.
As paparazzi photographers lay in wait, Lily sat next to Dominic and he couldn’t resist kissing her neck and caressing her.
They were preparing to star in Emily Mortimer’s adaptation of Nancy Mitford’s celebrated novel The Pursuit Of Love for the BBC and filming started in July – three months before their surprise holiday.
But the pair go way back, starring together in Othello at Sheffield’s Crucible in 2011. Lily played Desdemona when she was 22 and Dominic played Iago at 41.
After photos of them finally emerged, the versatile actor gave the waiting reporters a surprisingly wooden performance as they gathered outside the sprawling Cotswolds home he shares with a bewildered-looking FitzGerald and their children.
The shocked mother-of-four clutched a tissue in her hand as she gingerly left the marital home in Chippenham, Wiltshire, with her husband by her side, her ring finger hidden in the pocket of her jeans.
The awkward scene wasn’t helped by the couple’s bizarre decision to put down a piece of paper with the handwritten message: “Our marriage is strong and we are still together.” Thank you.’
FitzGerald later broke her silence to assure MailOnline that her marriage is safe.
She told reporters: “We are doing well, thank you very much, yes we are. Things are going well between us. We don’t need anyone’s advice, thank you.’
