Remembering Julian Sands

Our hearts broke when we read the tragic news that Julian Sands had gone missing while on a hike on Mount Baldy, Southern California in January. Following months of dedicated searching, we were devastated to learn that Julian has now been confirmed dead. The noted British actor, who played Percy B. Shelley in Ken Russell's movie Gothic (1986), was a dear friend and long-term collaborator of the Keats-Shelley Memorial Association. He authored prefaces for two of the museum's poetry anthologies and recited works by Keats, Shelley and Byron at sold out events many times in our museum. He was also one of our Ambassadors for Keats-Shelley200 and recorded the voice of Shelley in our short immersive film The Last Days of Shelley.

On 13th February 2022 he was interviewed by 'Il messagero' and was asked which poems by Keats and Shelley he loved the most. 'I love much of what they have written and my personal favourites change every day,' he answered. 'But for sure Shelley's "Mont Blanc" is important to me. When I'm not working l spend a lot of my time climbing mountains all over the world and l know first hand the truth of Shelley's words':

—the power is there,

The still and solemn power of many sights,

And many sounds, and much of life and death.

Julian, thank you so much for all you did for us. You will be dearly missed.