Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville has found love again. The actor, known for playing the Earl of Grantham, was photographed enjoying the opening day of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships 2026 with his new partner, vegan influencer Heidi Kadlecova. This comes three years after he split from his wife, Lulu Williams, whom he first met as a teenager.
As well as being settled in his personal life, the London-born actor continues to enjoy career success, with roles in the Paddington films and TV hits like Twenty Twenty Six, The Gold, Douglas Is Cancelled, and Downton Abbey. As the first Downton Abbey film airs on ITV1, we look at the star's life off-screen.
Split from Childhood Sweetheart
Hugh was married for more than two decades to Lulu Williams. The pair first met as teenagers and were brought back together decades later by a bit of matchmaking from the actor's mother. “Lulu was running a marquee company... my mother rang her to hire some chairs or something and said, ‘Do you remember Hugh?’ and that was how we reconnected. It did infuriate me that I had to give full credit to my mum for reintroducing us,” Hugh recalled to the Mirror.
Together, Hugh and Lulu built a life in West Sussex, raising their son Felix. But in 2023, the pair went their separate ways after more than two decades of marriage.
New Romance
Following his breakup, Hugh was briefly linked with Canadian actress Claire Rankin, known for roles in Molly’s Game and Ally McBeal, though neither addressed the speculation. It was later revealed that he was in a relationship with Heidi Kadlecova, whom he reportedly met through the cast and crew while working on the movie Go Away! At the time, the Mirror reported that the pair were seen sharing affectionate moments on set, and their relationship quickly blossomed. They made their first public appearance as a couple at the premiere of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale in September 2025.
Just weeks ago, Heidi shared a photo on Instagram of the couple dressed up on the opening day of Wimbledon. She captioned it: "What an incredible opening day @wimbledon! Thank you @rolex for hosting us, for the behind the scenes tour of the grounds and the endless Pimms, Champagne, and strawberries & cream! Brilliant matches!"
Tragic Losses
Hugh lost three family members within a short space of time: his mother, father, and brother. His mother, Patricia, died in 2014 at age 85. Two years later, tragedy struck again when his brother Nigel died unexpectedly in his sleep. His father, John, a former surgeon, passed away in 2020 at age 93 after a long battle with dementia.
The actor shared with Saga Magazine: “The admin of the funeral and everything numbed the grief for a while. I didn’t read any of the letters of commiseration or condolence we received until a year later, when I took them all with me to India. I was doing a film but had one weekend off, so I went on my own to this incredibly peaceful, quiet hotel in the middle of nowhere and read all the letters and absolutely let it all out. All the emotion. That was a very cathartic thing.”
Downton Abbey: A New Era airs on ITV1 on Sunday, July 12 at 6.30pm.
