Joely Richardson has paid a tender tribute to her late sister Natasha Richardson on what would have been her 59th birthday, reminiscing about the actress's marriage to Liam Neeson. Natasha died in 2009 at the age of 45 following a skiing accident, more than 30 years after she wed Neeson in the summer of 1994.
In an Instagram post on 11 May, Joely shared photographs of Natasha and Neeson, including a shot from their wedding day and a candid airport picture. She wrote that the day her sister married Neeson was 'one of the happiest of her life', describing the tenderness of Natasha's upward gaze and adding that the couple danced until dawn.
Joely, 61, also reflected on the warmth and humour of the couple, saying the final photograph she shared was 'full of mischief, and utterly her'. She accompanied the post with a rendition of Sibelius' Symphony No. 5, a piece she and Natasha both loved.
Fans responded with their own memories, with one recalling working with Liam Neeson in Dublin around the time the couple had their first son, Micheál. Another expressed gratitude for the 'beautiful' post, while a third said Natasha was 'truly still with you and all who loved her'.
The tribute follows a post from November in which Joely shared childhood photographs of the two sisters, describing Natasha as her protector. She wrote that they could 'fight like the billy-o' but that Natasha was always there for her, adding: 'Oh I miss you as I creak towards older age.'
