Anna Friel celebrates ‘angel’ daughter Gracie’s 18th birthday

Marcella star Anna Friel is proud of her career as an actress but she’s keener to talk about her joy of being a mother. 

Celebrating the 18th birthday of her daughter, Gracie, she’s shared a string of photographs.

‘My angel, 18 years ago today you made me the happiest I’ve ever been,’ gushes Friel, 46. 

‘You are nothing short of a marvel.’ 

‘My love for you is beyond any love I could ever have dreamed of. To say I am proud is an understatement,’ Anna continued.

Friendly exes: Celebrating the 18th birthday of her daughter, Gracie, she’s shared a string of photographs including some Gracie’s father – David Thewlis

‘You are the kindest , coolest person I know. Happy happy birthday. You had my heart from second one. You will have it until the end of time. To you my sweet angel. love forever , mama.’

Gracie’s father is Friel’s ex-boyfriend, David Thewlis, 60, the Harry Potter star. He joined them for the celebrations in Windsor. 

Last month, Gracie spoke of her musical ambitions, saying: ‘I write a lot of songs with the guitar and I’m getting better the older I get.’ 

Anna’s ex Toby Anstis recently claimed he could now be married to her after she propositioned him in the 90s, but said he lost out to love rat Darren Day. 

The TV presenter, 51, has revealed that the Marcella star chatted him up during the 90’s while at a party and asked him to stay out that night – but when he went for a drink, Darren swooped in and went on to date her for three years. 

Toby said during the Diary of a Name Dropper podcast: ‘Even thinking about it I’m still bitter about this….Darren Day’

The Heart Dance host explained how he and Anna were having a few drinks and were ‘getting on really really well.’

He said: ‘I did feel there was a bit of chemistry and then she asked me, “you’re not going back to London tonight?” and I said “yeah I’m on tele tomorrow afternoon and she said “no stay up the night and go back in the morning.”‘

Shocked Toby continued: ‘I just went bl**dy hell all of me is thinking Jesus Christ I’ve been chatted up and asked to stay up here whether she meant stay at her place, one would hope, but I didn’t know what that meant, but I thought I’d stay up.’ 

As Toby went to get the pair a drink Darren moved in on Anna which the star is convinced his ‘management thought it would be a good publicity thing.’

As he returned he witness the pair getting on and ‘the next day they were all over the papers, but she asked me to stay the night before you Darren.’ 

Despite the couple being together for three years and becoming engaged Toby still seemed a little irked. 

He added: ‘I could have been married to Anna Friel and she could have had my children.’

Anna later married David but separated in 2010. She also married Notting Hill star Rhys Ifans in 2011 but the pair went their separate ways in 2014.

Doting mum: ‘You are the kindest , coolest person I know. Happy happy birthday. You had my heart from second one’ Anna gushed

Milestone: ‘My love for you is beyond any love I could ever have dreamed of. To say I am proud is an understatement,’ Anna continued