The Untold Truth Of Sean Connery's Wife
Fans worldwide when beloved, velvet-voiced Sean Connery died on October 31, 2020. Even so, the actor's life in his final months was tremendously difficult for him as he struggled with dementia. Connery's wife of 45 years, Micheline Roquebrune, opened up to the Daily Mail following her husband's death. Dementia had taken the actor's ability to honestly express himself, she told the paper. "It was no life for him," Roquebrune told the outlet. "At least he died in his sleep and it was just so peaceful."
According to The Sun, Connery and Roquebrune met in 1970 at a golf tournament and had a fairly long courtship as the result of geographic difficulties; Connery remained largely in Britain, while Roquebrune continued raising children in Morocco. Once they finally did marry, though, they stayed together for 45 years, until Connery's death.
Although Roquebrune is now Connery's widow, she's also a lot more than that. The Moroccan-French painter has led a varied and award-winning career, living all over the world — and even lending a hand to some of Connery's films.
Micheline Roquebrune has worked in art, theater, and film
After Micheline Roquebrune and Sean Connery married in 1975, she continued working as a painter. Connery described her style, via The Sun, as making use of "simplified forms, unexpected croppings and changes of scale." In her 2011 profile, it was revealed that she paints every day.
Roquebrune also lent a hand to Connery's 1983 film "Never Say Never Again," Connery's final appearance as the character that made him famous. Roquebrune actually came up with the title of the film, poking fun at Connery's previous insistence that he would "never again" play the role. Though that was Roquebrune's only real film endeavor, she also experienced success in the theatre world. She and Connery won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1998 for producing "Art."
The couple reportedly enjoyed golfing together long into their old age, continuing the activity that brought them together all those years ago. They lived together in the Bahamas since at least 2011, where they remained until Connery's death.
She's been married multiple times and has three kids
Micheline Roquebrune, despite being married to a celebrity actor like Sean Connery, is a largely private person. Closer Weekly mentions that it's unknown who Roquebrune was married to before marrying Connery, though it is known that she was married twice before. She also has three children from her first two marriages: Oliver, Micha, and Stephane.
The couple did not share any children together, though they did raise their four children from previous marriages together, including Connery's son Jason, according to The U.S. Sun. Jason Connery told BBC News following his father's death that the actor had been surrounded by the family that could be there with him at his home in Nassau in The Bahamas.
Connery too was married before to actress Diane Cilento from 1962 to 1973, per the Daily Mail. The publication also noted that his first marriage was tenuous because of abuse allegations from Cilento.
She didn't know who he was when they met
In 1970 at a Moroccan golf tournament, Micheline Roquebrune spotted Sean Connery for the first time — except she didn't know who he was. All she knew was that he was handsome. "I saw this man from the back, and of course, he had a fine physique. But that first day I didn't know who he was or anything about him," she told The Sun in 2011. "Then I dreamed I saw this man. I was in his arms. And I thought 'At last, peace.' The next day I went back to the tournament and that was that!"
Though the two lovers had language barriers in their early days, they certainly didn't have trouble communicating their fondness for each other. Roquebrune told The Sun they hit it off right away and spent a lot of time together. Their connection with one another continued to the very end. Roquebrune reflected on their life together with fondness to the Daily Mail, telling the outlet, "He was gorgeous and we had a wonderful life together."
She was the love of Sean's life
At the start of their romance, Sean Connery and Micheline Roquebrune didn't see much of each other because Roquebrune was living in North Africa with her kids, according to The Sun. Still, the two made it work. Connery even told the publication how deep his love for his wife truly was. "Micheline is an amazing woman," the late actor told the outlet. "She is the love of my life."
The feeling was certainly mutual from Roquebrune's recounting their love affair together to France's Gala magazine (via Meaww). Roquebrune described a hot and heavy start to their relationship after meeting in 1970 — and it's definitely dreamy, to say the least. "He grabs hold of me and kisses me passionately. I'm transported," she told Gala. "The four days that follow, we continue to play golf like strangers then we meet to make love like crazy people. The reality is even better than the fantasy. No man has ever had this effect on me." The lovebirds tied the knot in 1975.
Their relationship survived Sean's cheating
Unfortunately, marriage isn't always rosy. For Sean Connery, the rumor mill has been busy throughout his life. Cheating allegations followed the actor. Still, his marriage to Micheline Roquebrune survived in spite of it all. Singer Lynsey De Paul and Connery allegedly had an affair that began in 1989, which the singer confirmed to the Evening Standard. De Paul told the outlet that she was at a party when Connery asked her for her number in front of his wife.
"I didn't want to have an affair with him and I tried to keep our relationship platonic but he pursued me relentlessly," De Paul told the outlet. "He wasn't my type at all because I'm not usually attracted to the macho type." She went on to tell the publication that the affair lasted several months and ended with Connery ghosting her.
Actress Lana Wood also reportedly had an affair with Connery while the two were working on "Diamonds Are Forever" in 1971 — when Connery was dating Micheline Roquebrune. Wood told Fox News in November 2021 that her on-set friendship with co-star Connery turned into a love affair that ended when she realized she was in love with her then-boyfriend Leslie Bricusse. "I thought Sean was absolutely wonderful, but I couldn't see him anymore. I had to tell him," Wood explained. "So when I told him, he said, 'I understand completely.' And that was it ... I finished the take and then went back to hair and makeup."
Their marriage also survived Sean's violent tendencies
Sean Connery's wandering eye wasn't the only issue in his marriage to Micheline Roquebrune — or in his relationships with women in general. Following the actor's death, interview snippets started reappearing online about Connery's beyond problematic take on domestic violence. Connery told Playboy in 1965 (via People) that it's okay to hit a woman — with some parameters. "I don't think there is anything particularly wrong about hitting a woman, although I don't recommend doing it in the same way that you'd hit a man," he said. "... if all other alternatives fail and there has been plenty of warning. If a woman is a bitch, or hysterical, or bloody-minded continually, then I'd do it."
Vanity Fair noted that Connery doubled down on that take in a 1991 interview with Barbara Walters. He told the magazine in 1993, "Barbara Walters was trying to get me to say it was O.K. to hit women. But I was really saying that to slap a woman was not the crudest thing you can do to her." Connery's first wife, Diane Cilento, claimed in her autobiography that Connery hit her during their marriage, according to The Scotsman. "There was physical contact, but it is important to see it in context," Cilento told the publication. "You have got to remember he was probably twice my weight."
It has never been reported that there was violence in Connery's marriage to Roquebrune.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.