English actor Damian Lewis has written a heartfelt tribute to his wife, actress Helen McCrory, who died on Friday of cancer at the age of 52.
In an op-ed for The Sunday Times published on Sunday, Lewis referred to his wife of 13 years as "royalty".
"On a weekend when the papers, rightly, will be paying their respects to the Duke of Edinburgh, thousands of others around the world have been remembering m’Duchess, my Little One, royalty in her own right," he wrote, praising her for her "fearlessness, wit, curiosity, talent and beauty".
“When I say ‘royalty’, I am of course referring to the esteem in which Helen is held in our business. Her nickname to many was Dame Helen."
McCrory was best known internationally for her role in hit BBC show Peaky Blinders, the Harry Potter film series, as well as playing Cherie Blair in the film The Queen.
She has also been a prolific stage actress in the UK, starring in a number of high-profile British productions.
McCrory and Lewis met when they both starred in a play called Five Gold Rings at the Almeida Theatre in London, and married in 2007. They have two children together.
It was Lewis who announced McCrory’s death on Twitter on Friday, saying she was "surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family".
“She died as she lived," he wrote in the post. "Fearlessly. God we love her and know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives. She blazed so brightly. Go now, Little One, into the air, and thank you."
Author JK Rowling called McCrory "an extraordinary actress and wonderful woman who's left us far too soon".
The Twitter account of Peaky Blinders also posted a tribute, saying her performance as matriarch Polly Gray was "inspirational, joyous, transgressive, hilarious and incredibly moving".
In The Sunday Times, Lewis also praised McCrory's kindness and generosity.
"I've never known anyone so consciously spread happiness. To say 'please' and 'thank you' and 'you're so kind' as much as she did," he wrote. "Even when dying in her last few days, when talking to our wonderful carers, she repeatedly said, 'thank you so much' in her half delirious state.”
In 2020, Lewis and McCrory raised more than £1 million ($1.3m) to provide NHS workers with meals from high-street restaurants amid the pandemic.
Lewis also wrote of McCrory's bravery in her final days, recounting how she insisted no one be sad after her death.
"Her greatest and most exquisite act of bravery and generosity has been to 'normalise' her death,” he said. “She's shown no fear, no bitterness, no self-pity, only armed us with the courage to go on and insisted that no one be sad, because she is happy.”
"I'm staggered by her," he says. "She's been a meteor in our life."
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Read more:
Why 'Peaky Blinders' has struck a chord around the world
Yes, a 'Peaky Blinders' film is happening: Movie to follow hit show's sixth and final season
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UPI facts
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
