Where there's a Will

Dame Judi Dench uncovers links to the Bard as she explores her ancestry

- CAREN CLARK, IAN MACEWAN.

The works of William Shakespeare have played a huge part in Dame Judi Dench’s career, so the Oscar-winning actor was delighted to uncover some connections to the playwright when she delved into her family tree for this week’s Who Do You Think You Are?

As she investigated her mother’s ancestry, Dench travelled to Denmark and traced her line to the late 17th century and her Danish seven-times great-grandfather Steen Andersen Bille, who was made a nobleman by the King of Denmark as a reward for his loyal service.