Dominic West beamed as he got dressed up with his look-alike daughters Martha and Dora as he celebrated his 55th birthday last week.
The Crown actor, who shares his daughters with wife Catherine FitzGerald, seemed happier than ever after revealing how photos of him hugging co-star Lily James during a private outing in Rome in 2020 were ‘very stressful’ for his family.
Martha, 26, shared a photo of the family celebrations on her Instagram Stories as she and Dora, 18, wrapped their arms around their grinning dad.
She sang Happy Birthday as they presented him with a cake and captioned the video “cake and candles.”
Dominic and Catherine married in 2010 and are also parents to eight-year-old Christabel and sons Senan, 16, and Francis, 13.
Dominic West beamed as he celebrated his 55th birthday with his look-alike daughters Martha (L) and Dora (R) last week
The married Crown actor appeared happier than ever after revealing how photos of him embracing co-star Lily James during a private outing in Rome in 2020 (pictured) were ‘very stressful’ for his family
Dominic and wife Catherine Fitzgerald married in 2010 (photo in 2019)
After the photos emerged, Dominic made a public show of unity with his wife, with the couple issuing a statement about their marriage saying they were “very much still together.”
Catherine is also said to have banned Dominic from speaking to 35-year-old Lily at the time, as part of a peace deal between the couple.
Speak with The Sunday Times culture magazineDominic said: ‘I hesitate to speak on behalf of my wife because it was clearly devastating, especially for her.’
‘But we joke about it sometimes… It was an absurd situation. It was very stressful for my wife and my children, but there were lighter moments. That was actually the best thing that came out of it.”
Dominic surprised onlookers when he was pictured passionately embracing actress Lily during a romantic break in the midst of the pandemic, shortly after international travel restrictions were lifted.
The couple didn’t seem to mind who saw them as they snuggled up together and shared a ride on a scooter as they spent the day enjoying the sights.
At the time, he was still married to Catherine – and no split had yet been publicly announced – but he was not wearing his wedding ring.
A source told MailOnline that the pair spent two nights in a suite at the top De La Ville hotel with panoramic views of the entire city and just a two-minute walk from the Spanish Steps.
After the photos emerged, Dominic made a public show of unity with his wife, with the couple issuing a statement about their marriage saying they were ‘still very much together’ (photo 2015).
Dominic said: ‘I hesitate to speak on behalf of my wife because it was obviously terrible, especially for [My Wife]’ (photo 2015)
They left the hotel for just a few hours riding an electric scooter around the Spanish Steps and Piazza di Pietra, before joining their friend and mutual manager Angharad Wood at a downtown restaurant.
As paparazzi photographers lay in wait, Lily sat next to Dominic and he couldn’t resist kissing her neck and caressing her.
They were preparing to star in Emily Mortimer’s adaptation of Nancy Mitford’s celebrated novel The Pursuit Of Love for the BBC and filming started in July – three months before their surprise holiday.
But the pair go way back, starring together in Othello at Sheffield’s Crucible in 2011. Lily played Desdemona when she was 22 and Dominic played Iago at 41.
After photos of them finally emerged, the versatile actor gave the waiting reporters a surprisingly wooden performance as they gathered outside the sprawling Cotswolds home he shares with a bewildered-looking FitzGerald and their children.
The shocked mother-of-four clutched a tissue in her hand as she gingerly left the marital home in Chippenham, Wiltshire, with her husband by her side, her ring finger hidden in the pocket of her jeans.
The awkward scene wasn’t helped by the couple’s bizarre decision to put down a piece of paper with the handwritten message: “Our marriage is strong and we are still together.” Thank you.’
Dominic and Lily were preparing to star in Emily Mortimer’s adaptation of Nancy Mitford’s celebrated novel The Pursuit Of Love for the BBC and filming began in July.
FitzGerald later broke her silence to assure MailOnline that her marriage is safe.
She told reporters: “We are doing well, thank you very much, yes we are. Things are going well between us. We don’t need anyone’s advice, thank you.’
In 2022, Lily appeared to break her silence during her cozy outing with Dominic during an interview with Rolling Stone.
Speaking to the publication to promote her role in Hulu’s Pam & Tommy, the actress admitted that she sympathized with Pamela Anderson after finding herself in a similar “tough situation.”
Although Lily didn’t directly reference her outing with Dominic, she admitted that it was “a lot” to be under the same scrutiny as Pamela.
The star noted Pamela’s ‘brush with the gossip rags’ before sharing her own experiences.
She said: ‘Women who are in the public eye at some point experience a kind of difficult situation in their relationship between privacy and your life in the tabloids.
‘It was a lot. It’s a story as old as time.’
Lily had previously refused to discuss the media storm surrounding herself and Dominic after the pair were seen exploring Rome in October 2020.
When asked during an interview with The Guardian if she was at the center of such a storm, she said: “Oh, I don’t really want to talk about that. There’s a lot to say, but not now, I’m afraid.’