Legendary actor and LGBTQ+ ally Sir Patrick Stewart has passed away aged 86. The news was confirmed in a statement shared on social media, which said he died at his home in LA “in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny, following a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia.”

“He has been held in the warm embrace of family and friends, surrounded by live music, prayer, tears, laughter, and the kind of profound emotion that only he could inspire after a lifetime of devotion to us all,” the statement reads.

“We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace.”

Born in Yorkshire on July 13, 1940, Sir Patrick Stewart became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966. From then, he went on to enjoy a highly acclaimed career across six decades, spanning Broadway, the silver screen and television, with two of his most popular roles being in Star Trek and X-Men.

He has won various accolades, including two Laurence Olivier Awards and a Grammy, as well as nominations for the Tonys, Golden Globes, Emmys and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. In 2010, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to drama.

As the statement on his death notes, “His sonorous voice and singular talent will forever be synonymous with indelible performances in every genre. He explored the human condition in all its poetic complexity and brought hope not only to the far reaches of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but into science fiction’s most iconic final frontier aboard the Starship Enterprise.”

It continued, “His professional accomplishments were humbly matched by his philanthropy and activism on behalf of human rights, survivors of domestic violence, global refugees, veterans’ mental health services, and animal welfare, particularly his cherished foster pitties.

“He was a Knight, Chancellor, motor sport enthusiast, and lifelong Huddersfield Football fan. He will be remembered for the dignity, compassion and humanity he brought to every role – in his art and life.”

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for memorial contributions to be made to Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Fund and Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Caregiver Resources.

 

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Sir Patrick Stewart was a staunch LGBTQ+ ally and a close friend of Stonewall UK Co-Founder and fellow actor Sir Ian McKellen, who officiated his wedding. The pair first met “as ambitious young actors” in the Royal Shakespeare Company, but didn’t form a strong bond until a few years later.

Speaking about Stewart’s passing, McKellen shared, “Before everything else, Patrick was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire, the proud county in the north of England which he loved to the end. You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt.

“Yorkshiremen have no truck with half-truths or avoidance of big issues. He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love.”

He added that Stewart’s proudest achievement was his appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire.

 

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Loved by LGBTQ+ fans around the world, Stewart was a proud supporter of the community. Between celebrating same-sex marriage and appearing in drag at an LA film screening, he previously stated, “I have long championed the rights of the LGBT community, because equality should not only be, as the people of Ireland powerfully showed the world (through the Marriage Referendum), universally embraced, but treasured.”

Rest in power, Sir Patrick Stewart.