Who Do You Think You Are?

If you read our interview with her last week, you may think there can’t be much more to find out about Judi Dench’s family tree exploration. However, she uncovers a lot more detail about her ancestors – even recent ones such as her father Reginald. He was decorated for gallantry during the First World War but what’s extraordinary is that, in a way, his knee injury saved his life several times during the fighting. 
Her reactions to the revelations, while obviously genuine, can be delightfully theatrical. Discovering that there’s a Danish connection way back on her mother’s side, she pauses to digest the news and then says indignantly, “Well, they [her family] kept that very quiet!” However, the astounding links to Shakespeare – and there are several – bring tears to her eyes.
She listens intently to the archivists’ descriptions and is clearly moved by what she hears, but that slightly wicked sense of humour is always bubbling away under the surface.