Miriam Margolyes' unconventional 54-year relationship: Who is Heather Sutherland?

Miriam Margolyes is an actress and one of her most iconic roles is portraying Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter franchise. She has also been in Babe and since 2018, she has been in the TV series Call the Midwife.

Miriam was born on May 18, 1941 in Oxford, UK, she also gained Australian citizenship in 2013. Miriam is known for saying what she thinks and is very outspoken. Even though one of her most iconic roles is in The Wizarding World, Miriam revealed she isn’t actually a fan of the franchise. As reported by Yorkshire Live, she said:

I understand you and Chris are huge Harry Potter fans. Here’s the thing, I’m not.

I’m not against it, I’m just not interested. I’ve never seen a film. I’ve never seen the books, I’ve never read them. I just pocket the money when it comes and I’m very grateful for it.

Miriam Margolyes is in a long-term relationship

Miriam Margolyes isn’t married, but she has been in a long-term relationship since 1967, with Heather Sutherland.

In a recent interview with British Vogue, for which she posed nude, she revealed that she and Sutherland have been together for over 5 decades, but have chosen to never live together. The pair live in different cities, Margolyes living in South London, while Sutherland lives in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Read more ⋙ Harry Potter's Professor Sprout reveals the small amount she was paid and how she feels about it

Thanks to their arrangement, the pair are ‘able to lead their lives without diminishing them’.

I didn’t want her to have to give up anything. And I didn’t want to give up anything. I wanted my cake and I wanted to eat it too. And so far, it’s worked.

Miriam and Heather are in a civil relationship, which according to Miriam, it is for legal protection, as reported by Heart.

Who is Heather Sutherland?

As reported by Daily Mail, Heather Sutherland is an Australian historian and was a professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Miriam and Heather met in 1967, a year after Miriam came out as lesbian, through a mutual friend. Miriam was working on a BBC Radio drama after graduating from Cambridge University.

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An unconventional relationship

Miriam revealed that her secret to a long-lasting relationship is ‘not living together’. In her biography, she explained:

We've probably lasted this long because we have always led completely separate lives.

As reported by Daily Mail Margolyes and Sutherland speak to each other every day but only see each other around 8 times a year. They’ve only ever lived together whilst on holiday.

Sources used:

Heart: ‘Who is Miriam Margolyes' partner Heather Sutherland?’

Daily Mail: ‘Who is Miriam Margolyes' partner Heather Sutherland? As star makes jaw-dropping appearance on cover of Vogue she reveals secret of their 54-year relationship’

Yorkshire Live: ‘Harry Potter's Miriam Margolyes' life from long-term girlfriend to 'disgust' at her body and health concerns’