Inside Stephen Fry’s marriage to toyboy husband Elliott Spencer as he’s knighted

and Elliott Spencer’s love story began with an instant connection when they met back in 2012.

Reflecting on their first encounter, Fry shared on in 2015: “We met at a friend’s house and I knew pretty much straight away that this was someone I wanted to spend, what I considered, the rest of my life with.”

Despite his certainty, Fry humorously admitted he wasn’t sure if Spencer felt the same way, joking about their significant age gap: “Whether he thought the same because he’s got rather a lot more [life to go than me],” he quipped.

The couple tied the knot on January 17, 2015, three years after they first met and just two weeks after their engagement. Their wedding was an intimate affair, held at a small registry office in Norfolk, close to where Fry grew up.

Sharing the special moment on X – formerly known as Twitter, Fry wrote: “Gosh. @ElliottGSpencer and I go into a room as two people, sign a book and leave as one. Amazing,” accompanied by a heartwarming photo of the newlyweds signing their marriage license.

So, who is Stephen Fry’s husband? Here’s a closer look at Elliott Spencer and his remarkable relationship with the beloved actor.

Age Gap

Elliott Spencer, born in 1987, is significantly younger than his spouse Stephen, who celebrated his 67th birthday in August 2024. The couple, known for their humour and openness, frequently addresses their nearly 30-year age difference in public.

The Jeopardy host playfully remarks on their age gap in interviews, saying on The Jonathan Ross Show: “There is an age difference and I keep forgetting which way round it is but I think he’s younger than me … but I don’t mind.”

At the 2015 BAFTAs, hosted by Fry himself, Spencer expressed a nonchalant attitude towards public opinions about their relationship, emphasizing his deep affection for Stephen.

He firmly stated: “I don’t care what people think, Stephen is the love of my life, the light of my life.”

Proposal

popped the question to Spencer during a romantic dinner date at a London restaurant. Speaking on The Jonathan Ross Show, the Alice in Wonderland actor admitted that he was confident Spencer would say yes but feared his carefully planned proposal might go awry.

“I kind of knew that he’d say yes, we had kind of danced around the subject [of marriage] and I bought a ring and waited for him to pop off to the loo and put the ring on the prongs of a fork so that he would see it as he started to eat. I thought it would be charming,” Fry explained.

However, the moment didn’t go as smoothly as he’d hoped. “Of course, he came back and he started chatting and he started playing with the fork and I thought, ‘For God’s sake look at the fork’ — you don’t really ever look at forks do you — and I thought, ‘He’s going to pick it up and the ring is going to fly off into that lady’s soup…’”

Fortunately, Spencer noticed the ring in time, and the proposal turned into the heartfelt moment Fry had envisioned. Reflecting on it, Fry described it as a “very teary and splendid moment.”

Starting a Family

In an interview with , the broadcasting icon opened up about his wish to start a family with his husband and reflected on one of his biggest regrets: not having children of his own.

The Black Adder star shared his feelings about the gap this has left in his life. “I have many godchildren now, nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews, but I’ll never experience a child growing up. It’s a slight sadness,” Fry admitted. “I mean, that’s probably the biggest hole in my life experience.”

Fry also revealed that he and Spencer had considered having a child together but hadn’t pursued it seriously. “Elliott and I, we talked about it a bit, but we never talked about it to the extent of ‘Right, so, we’re going to a clinic tomorrow to talk this through to some expert,’” he said.

“We never quite got that far. It was always ‘Yeah, it would be nice, wouldn’t it?’”

Partner’s Job

Elliott Spencer is a multi-talented creative professional who has pursued careers as a comedian, writer, and photographer. In a 2015 interview with The Mirror, Spencer shared that, at the time, his focus was on his marriage and his passion for photography.

“I’m just really happy and enjoying being married. It’s all been really exciting and new. I’m not really doing anything else,” he said.

“I’m focusing on photography now rather than comedy, and being creative. I’m hoping to hold an exhibition so Stephen and all our friends can see my work.”

The couple are fond of traveling and have visited many exciting places together. In 2017, Spencer tweeted a photo of the two of them exploring the Grand Canyon.

“#GrandCanyon” he simplycaptioned the post, adding a black-and-white photo of the pair posing at the National Park.

Vacations with famous friends are also a regular part of the pair’s relationship. In 2014, Spencer shared a photo of himself and Fry with actress Emma Thompson in a restaurant in Florence.

Health Woes

The TV star and national treasure who underwent surgery to have his prostate removed following a prostate cancer diagnosis, credited his husband for being a steadfast source of support during his diagnosis and treatment.

Doctors had given Fry a Gleason Score of 9 out of 10, indicating an aggressive form of cancer. In a 2018 video, Fry shared details about his journey, describing the severity of his condition with characteristic wit.

“This was quite an aggressive little bugger,” he said. “As far as we know, it’s all been got. … I won’t know for sure until my PSA levels are checked.

“They should be 0 now because I have no prostate. But if there is anything left on the bed of the prostate, then I’ll need radiotherapy and the whole damn process will start again.” Fry also expressed profound gratitude for the unwavering support he received throughout his battle with cancer.

“My family and my divine, darling husband were just marvellous. And those friends who have known have been very kind about it,” he said. “I’m lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful people. Lucky to have such an incredibly team working for me. And lucky to have an immune system working for me.”