The acclaimed British actor and Royal Shakespeare Company veteran devoted one of his final creative projects to an audio series celebrating the Bard’s timeless poetry.
“I hope it has brought pleasure and curiosity, but more than anything else, I want it to have communicated all the multiple features that love might have,” Stewart said of the recordings in a video shared on May 20.
Actor Patrick Stewart appeared in an Instagram video shared on May 20, 2026.
The legendary “Star Trek” actor died at his Los Angeles residence after battling Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia, his family confirmed in a statement shared on his official Instagram account.
“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 family wrote, noting that Stewart spent his final moments “in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny.”
The emotional tribute ended with a reflection on the actor’s peaceful final moments.
“We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace,” the statement concluded.
Born in Yorkshire, England, in 1940, Stewart built an extraordinary career spanning decades in theater, television and film. His remarkable contributions to the performing arts earned him a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in 2010.
Throughout his career, Stewart frequently acknowledged the legendary knights of British theater who inspired him to pursue acting and helped shape his passion for the stage.
One of Patrick Stewart’s final creative projects involved recording an audio collection of William Shakespeare’s sonnets, reflecting his lifelong passion for the legendary playwright.
Speaking after receiving his knighthood on June 2, 2010, Stewart recalled how some of Britain’s most celebrated stage actors had inspired him during his childhood.
“… as I grew up as a child, falling in love with the theatre and Shakespeare, my heroes were Sir Laurence Olivier [and] Sir John Gielgud,” he said, according to the BBC.
“The knights of the theatre represented to me not only the pinnacle of the profession but the esteem in which the profession was held. To find myself, to my astonishment, in that company is the grandest thing that has professionally happened to me.”
Stewart also credited his English teacher, Cecil Dormand, with recognizing his potential and encouraging him to explore acting.
“He was the one that put a copy of Shakespeare in my hand [and] said, ‘Now get up on your feet and perform,’” Stewart recalled.
