A regular presence in British cinema, a fine performer on stage and a recognizable face beyond the borders of the United Kingdom thanks to television series like
The Wire
, Dominic West stars this season in an uncomfortable soap opera at the cost of his personal life.
In recent weeks, the English actor has been "hunted" by a tabloid in Rome hugging his colleague Lily James, appeared shortly after before the press hugging his wife and mother of three of his children and finally confirmed the flight from this to Ireland to put land in between.
The news that he is the front-runner to play Prince Charles in the final installment of
The Crown
series
has been sidelined by echoes of the
affair
.
“Our marriage is strong, and we are still together.
Thank you, ”West and Catherine Fitzgerald proclaimed in unison shortly after the
Daily Mail
published some compromising photos of the 51-year-old actor enjoying the Roman sun in the company of Lily James, 19 years younger and the protagonist of an upward career since his participation in
Downton Abbey
.
The posing for the cameras in front of their Wiltshire (West London) home included a wife's kiss to her husband, in a scene very much in the style of those that have been sought by so many Anglo-Saxon politicians caught with their lovers and then redeemed in public by his women (a juicy material from which the successful American series
The Good Wife
about "good wives"
was fed
).
But in this case, that affectionate gesture did not mean that the matter was settled, as has just been learned.
After a few days in which the tabloid press was speculating about a "midlife crisis" and passing on the part of West, the tabloids revealed this Tuesday that Catherine Fitzgerald has decided to move to her family's residence in Ireland.
None other than a castle in County Limerick, in which the 49-year-old Anglo-Irishwoman grew up as the eldest daughter of the rancid aristocrat Desmond Fitzgerald.
West himself confirmed that departure, claiming that it was "a business trip" for his wife, who is a garden designer.
The two met precisely in Ireland during their student years at Trinity College in Dublin.
The handsome Dominic West, from the wealthy English class and educated at the elite Eaton College.
Catherine Fitzgerald, beautiful, tall and blonde, born in the English town of Sheffield, of Irish parents and a family with a lineage that goes back to feudal times.
The romance did not come to fruition and he turned to his acting career, which has earned him prestige in the theater and international fame in the television world, including the Bafta award and two Golden Globe nominations. He had a daughter with one of his conquests of youth, the aristocrat Polly Astor.
Catherine, for her part, married the Earl of Durham, from whom she separated in 2002 to restart her relationship with West.
They celebrated their marriage eight years later, when their three children had already been born.
The family castle of Glin where they celebrated their wedding has become the refuge of the spiteful wife these days.
Catherine will lack mobility during the fourteen days of quarantine imposed by the Irish authorities on newcomers from the United Kingdom and will have to remain confined with her mother, Olda, in this fabulous building where rooms are rented at a rate of 6,000 pounds per night (something more than 6,600 euros).
On the death of Patriarch Fitzgerald, nine years ago, the widow and her three daughters initially decided to auction the castle, but in the end the idea of Catherine and her husband Dominic prevailed to acquire it themselves, renovate the facilities and convert its eighteen rooms. in luxury rooms.
During Christmas two years ago, music star Taylor Swift rented the castle premises with her British boyfriend, Jose Alwyn, to the excitement of the locals who saw them stop by the local pub and have a few pints.
The common business and the marriage itself are now on the air, although not even the intrusive tabloids are able to decide whether it is a punctual separation or a full-blown breakup.
The only thing that has transpired from their environment is that after her abrupt departure, the couple does not plan to see each other soon.
West will remain on British soil to fulfill his professional commitments (he is filming a series for the BBC).
And Fitzgerald will comply with the mandatory confinement in Ireland.
Meanwhile, Lily James continues to juggle to elude the press. Such is his overwhelmed by media pressure that he has canceled his engagement schedule, including an appearance on
The Graham Norton Show
, the BBC's flagship talk show. Days ago he also planted, with just 45 minutes notice, the journalists called by Netflix to promote the premiere this week of a modern adaptation of the novel
Rebecca
, of which he is the protagonist. This Wednesday she finally appeared on the Jimmy Fallon program, and although the alleged love affair was not dealt with, the actress could be seen more nervous than usual while answering about future projects, among which is the third installment of
Mamma Mia
. The usually sweet and kind Lily doesn't play well as the third character in the fall's most talked-about soap opera.
