Richard Curtis’ partner, 33, has revealed she proposed to him for the second time – just so he could sleep.
The screenwriter, known for his great romantic comedies like Love Actually and Notting Hill, has been with presenter and director Emma Freud for over three decades and they have four children together.
The daughter of the late politician Sir Clement Freud asked the question early in their relationship, but after six months of deliberation, he finally declined.
Unfortunately for Emma, 61, her second attempt to get the 66-year-old film director down the aisle ended in disappointment again after he admitted dozing off during the big moment.
Speaking to an audience at the Latitude Festival in Suffolk this weekend, Emma shared how she decided to give her proposal another try, using an appearance on a radio show Richard was having at home.
Ouch! Richard Curtis’ partner, 33, has revealed she proposed to him for the second time – just so he could sleep (pictured in 2022)
Romance: The daughter of the late politician Sir Clement Freud popped the question early in their relationship, but after six months of deliberation, he finally declined (pictured in 2018)
Oops! Unfortunately for Emma, 61, her second attempt to get the 66-year-old film director down the aisle ended in disappointment again after he admitted dozing off during the big moment (pictured in 2021).
She also chose to pop the question on February 29 — the day women are traditionally allowed to propose.
Emma, whose great-grandfather was psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, told the crowd, “I proposed to him once.” I did it on air.
“I did Loose Ends on Radio 4 and proposed to him – it was February 29th – knowing he was listening to the show. Then he would come to the pub after the show every time we did it.
“When he entered, it got very, very quiet at our table because they obviously heard it. It was like “What’s he going to say?”
“And he didn’t say anything but, ‘Great show, loved every minute of it, it was amazing’ – and nothing else.” The table was kind of like ‘oooh’.’
Emma then shared how the Four Weddings and a Funeral author then whispered in her ear what really happened.
She added: “He sat down and said, ‘How was it? I didn’t hear a word, I slept through it.”
Emma got a slightly better response after trying it when their relationship was just beginning and she was around 30 years old.
Big plan: Emma shared how she decided to give her marriage proposal another try using an appearance on a radio show Richard was doing at home (pictured in 2020)
Try: “I proposed to him once.” I did it on air. “I did Loose Ends on Radio 4 and proposed to him – it was February 29th – knowing he was listening to the show.”
Oh no: “When he walked in, it was very, very quiet around our table because they obviously heard it.” It was like, ‘What’s he going to say?’ “And he didn’t say anything except, ‘Great show, I enjoyed every minute of it'” (Pictured in 2019)
On that occasion, on February 29, while walking in Regent’s Park, she had gotten on one knee and proposed to her.
She asked, “Will you marry me?” to which Richard replied, “No,” before asking for six months to think it over.
At the end of the lesson, he at least gave her a ring and said, “Listen, I don’t want to get married, but can’t we be married for the rest of our lives?”
The best thing Curtis ever did was when, after reading in a magazine that his crush Kate Moss was pregnant, he joked to Emma, ”Then I guess we could get married.”
While he also once mentioned on a radio show, he “might” marry Emma one day.
That particular “proposal” in 2014 made little impression on Emma when she read about his comment in a newspaper on Saturday, the day before it aired.
She jokingly called it “my worst marriage proposal ever.”
Emma tweeted at the time: “Whaaaat? First I heard about it. Do you call that a suggestion? In the telegraph??? #notsoromanticafterall’
The broadcaster later added, “Just to clarify: I’m not getting married.” He would have to ask me personally. Or at least on Twitter.’
Long-term love: Emma received a slightly better response after trying when their relationship was just beginning and she was around 30 years old
Curtis, whose other romantic comedies include About Time and Diary by Bridget Jones, made his blunder during a recording of Radio 4’s The Reunion.
He told show host Sue MacGregor that he wrote “Four Weddings” “as an attempt to explain to my mother why I wouldn’t get married.”
He added, “I have to say, it didn’t work.” She was still very unhappy with the situation over the next 15 years, although, you know, I think about it. I think I could.’
Curtis has previously said that he and Emma, who have four children, became a couple after getting back together at weddings – another source of inspiration for the low-budget 1994 film.