Kate Winslet Recalls Moment She Knew Husband Edward Abel Smith Was 'The One'

Kate Winslet, known for keeping her personal life under wraps, has opened up about a special moment with her husband, Edward Abel Smith. The couple has been married since 2011, but this rare glimpse into their relationship offers a heartfelt story from the early days of their time together. 12 years ago, Winslet and her children – Mia (From her first marriage to Jim Threapleton) and Joe (From her second marriage to Sam Mendes) were staying on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands. A storm hit and the house they were in was struck by lightning, reportedly causing it to catch fire.

Winslet recounted how Ned Rocknroll, as Edward was known then, helped them escape the fire. It was in that intense moment that Winslet realised she had met her future husband, she told The Telegraph.

Edward Abel Smith is the nephew of billionaire and seasoned space explorer Richard Branson and was formerly known as Ned Rocknroll. In her interview with The Telegraph, Kate said, “It was clear to me that this was the person I was supposed to follow through life. And I still feel exactly that way now.”

Speaking about her husband, Winslet added, “Ned looks after everybody. He’s wonderful. We literally do life together; we really do. He’s always jumped from project to project, and when I met him, he was setting up a music festival.”

“Ned and I, we are real-life optimists. When you live with someone who wakes up, opens the curtains, and says, ‘Hello, the world!’ you just think, yes, I am going to sign up for life,” she said.

On her work front, Winslet is currently promoting her latest film, Lee, in which she stars as the legendary WWII photographer Lee Miller, who began her career as a model.

Winslet, who also produced the film alongside Kate Solomon, shared some challenges she faced during production in a conversation with Vogue. The actress endured “three massive hematomas” on her spine but pushed through to ensure the project stayed on track. Winslet reportedly even covered two weeks’ worth of wages for the crew when the production required additional funding.

The film Lee is directed by Ellen Kuras and co-written by journalist Marion Hume. Apart from the Titanic actress, the film’s cast also includes Josh O’Connor, Andrea Riseborough and Alexander Skarsgard.