Richard Curtis’ famous family – and why he rejected wife’s proposal twice

Richard Curtis is one of the most successful romcom writers with hits ranging from the Bridget Jones franchise to Love Actually.

Away from the cameras, Richard’s own path to love has taken inspiration from his iconic characters, with Richard and partner Emma Freud going through two failed proposals before secretly marrying in 2023. During their 34-year relationship, the pair have welcomed four children with one of their daughters becoming a famous feminist author.

Here’s all you need to know about the Notting Hill writer’s private life…

Emma Freud

Richard has been with wife Emma for 34 years after the pair first met during the 1990s when Gillian interviewed the scriptwriter about Comic Relief. The Telegraph reports that Emma was so struck by the interview she later wrote to thank Richard, and she noted that “quite early on that he was the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with”.

Emma is a journalist and broadcaster and she rose to fame in 1986 when she became a presenter on LWT’s The Six O’Clock Show. She has also presented Plunder, Loose Ends and Pillow Talk, the latter of which saw her interview guests while they lay in bed together.

© Dave Benett

Emma, 62, is also the granddaughter of famed psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and the daughter of politician and radio personality Clement Freud and theatre actress June Flewett.

It was Emma who first proposed to Richard, with the star getting down on one knee a year into their relationship, choosing to pop the question on 29 February, a day where women traditionally propose instead of men.

© Desiree Navarro

However, Richard turned this down, with Emma sharing in 2018: “We went to Regent’s Park and I went down on one knee and said, ‘Will you marry me?’ and he said, ‘No.” She added that Richard asked for a further six months to consider the offer, saying at the end of the period: “Look I don’t want to get married, but can we be not married for the rest of our lives?“

Her second proposal came on 29 February 2014 during a transmission of Loose Ends. Although Richard wasn’t there in person, Emma knew he would listen to the segment. Meeting the writer later that day in a pub, Emma said: “And he didn’t say anything apart from, ‘Great show, loved every minute of it; it was fantastic’ – and then nothing else.” Richard later confessed that he had slept through the interview, thereby missing the proposal.

© Dave Benett

Despite Emma’s failed proposals, the couple did eventually make it down the aisle in September 2023, although they kept their wedding out of the public eye. Emma confirmed the news during an interview with Richard E Grant, revealing that the happy couple had married weeks beforehand.

Scarlett Curtis

Richard and Emma share four children: Scarlett, Spike, Charlie and Curtis, and while the last three prefer to keep out of the spotlight, Scarlett has made a name for herself as an activist and author.

The 29-year-old curated the essay collection Feminists Don’t Wear Pink & Other Lies, a collection of 52 essays from women on what feminism means to them. Emma has also curated the collection It’s Not OK to Feel Blue & Other Lies, which contains essays from 74 people on the subject of mental health.

© Jeff Spicer

Alongside her writing, Scarlett is also a period poverty campaigner and is the founder of The Pink Protest. Scarlett has also been involved in campaigns against female genital mutilation.

Scarlett made a cameo in Richard’s iconic Christmas film Love Actually, appearing as a child who played Lobster #2 in her school’s nativity performance.

Spike Curtis

© Tim P. Whitby

Although Richard’s other children usually stay out of the spotlight, his eldest son Spike made headlines in 2022 when the then 18-year-old joined rapper DAVE onstage at Coachella. Spike was seemingly picked at random, but the youngster had previously released his own rap album in 2016 under the pseudonym of Petit Savage.