POSITIVE THINKING

As friends and family watch 'the royal sculptor' immortalise her in clay, Dame Judi Dench tells us how she remains upbeat despite losing her sight

- SALLY MORGAN MAIN

She is widely regarded as the queen of British actresses — and has indeed won an Academy Award for playing a queen - and last week, Dame Judi Dench followed in the footsteps of royalty by having her image immortalised in a sculpture to mark her 90th birthday.

HELLO! was there too, joining Judi’s daughter Finty Williams, actor Simon Callow and composer Sir Karl Jenkins as 200 friends and family watched the sitting at Claridge’s hotel in London.

Her likeness was captured by Lady Petchey, Frances Segelman, known as the “royal sculptor” after immortalising subjects such as the King and Queen, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Princess Royal and the Duchess of Edinburgh.

In this exclusive interview, Dame Judi tells HELLO! about her experience. “It was wonderful. Frances was so sweet and so fast. I felt six feet tall — and no one looking at the bust would know that I'm not six feet tall,” she laughs.

Posing for Frances, who describes Dame Judi’s features as “elfin-like”, the actress’s signature high cheekbones and ever-youthful appearance belie her actual age ~ she turns 91 in December.

“Did Frances say ‘elfin-like’?” she asks, evidently flattered. “I’m going to hang on to that.

“I don’t feel as young, though, now that I can’t see,” continues the star, who is losing her sight. “I couldn't see the clay or anybody.”

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