To be honest, we're having trouble believing that Dame Judi Dench is 81. The Mrs Henderson Presents, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Iris, Shakespeare In Love, Room With A View actress (to name only a few) simply cannot be an octogenarian. She just can't be...
But anyway, she is, and that is the first surprising element to this story. The second, is the 81st birthday present given to her by her daughter, Finty. Not a lavender hand cream, nor a hardback new release nor a cosy pair of slippers in sight.
Instead... a tattoo.
YES.
But what does it say? One might think that Dame Judi – a renowned Shakespearean actress – would have opted for the language of Britain's greatest playwright. But in fact, she chose a line from a different language entirely: Latin.
'Carpe diem' the tattoo on her wrist reads, or 'seize the day' if you need a translation.
Talking to Surrey Life, Dame Judi revealed: 'That’s my motto: 'Seize the day'. Finty gave it to me for my 81st birthday – she’s wonderful with surprises.
‘Mind you the company of A Winter’s Tale [who she was acting with at the time] used to say that it said 'fish of the day'.’
Carp, as most will know, is a type of fish (gettit?!).
Speaking about her career as it is now, Dame Judi said: ‘I just want to go on being mobile and able to do things. I’m not going to be beaten by my eyes. I have macular degeneration but you just have to settle for it.'
Macular degeneration is an age-related eye condition which causes blurred or no vision in the centre of the visual field.
‘On my scripts, my font is point-size 22,' Judi continued, 'so you can imagine… It’s ridiculous, it’s a farce but I’m not going to give in.’
'It’s an awful word retirement,' she later commented. 'I see it as a step back in a way, a step down.
‘And if you give up on one thing then it seems to me that you might as well give up another and so on, when it’s so much better to keep the mind active.’
We couldn't agree more. Here's to Dame Judi never ever ever retiring. Ever.