Who was Barry Humphries married to? All about his wives and children as Dame Edna star dies aged 89

Barry Humphries, a legendary Australian comedian, satirist, actor, and author, passed away on Saturday, April 2023, at the age of 89, at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney. He was known for creating and performing the iconic female character Dame Edna between 1950s and 2019. He passed away due to complications from a hip replacement operation, and his death was confirmed by his family on Saturday.

In their statement, Humphries' family said that the comedian was "completely himself" until the end. They added that he never lost his "brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit."

For the uninitiated, Barry Humphries was readmitted to the hospital earlier this week as he was facing issues with his recent hip replacement surgery. Reportedly, Dame Edna's creator was in a severe condition, while his family supported him by being at his bedside. Barry had suffered a fall in February while at home.

However, on Saturday, the news of Barry Humphries' was. He is survived by his fourth wife, actress Elizabeth Spender, who he was married to for more than 30 years, and his four children.

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Barry Humphries married four times and fathered four children

Dame Edna's alter ego, Humphries, was born in 1934 and was married four times during his lifetime.

His first wife was dancer Brenda Wright, who he married when he was 22 in 1955. Brenda was reportedly 19 at the time of their marriage. However, his first marriage didn't last long, as the couple divorced within two years.

In 1959, Barry Humphries tied the knot with Rosalind Tong, a former ballet dancer from New Zealand. The couple had two daughters, Tessa (born in 1963) and Emily (born in 1970). Humphries' eldest daughter Tessa is an actress who has appeared in multiple Australian TV shows and movies. No additional information about Emily was available at the time of writing this article.

However, Barry and Rosalind's marriage ended with a divorce in 1970, after almost eleven years of staying together.

After his second marriage ended with a divorce, Barry was unmarried for nine years. In 1979, he married his third wife, artist Diane Millstead, with whom he had his two sons, Oscar and Rupert. Oscar Humphries is a journalist, and an art and design dealer, while Rupert is a screenwriter.

However, much like his first two relationships, Barry's third marriage also ended with a divorce in 1989.

Barry, who was already married and divorced thrice until 1989, found his lifelong partner in Lizzie Spender, a former film and TV actress. She is the daughter of British poet Sir Stephen Spender and concert pianist Natasha Spender. The couple married in 1990 and stayed together until Humphries' death.

Across his four marriages, Barry fathered four children and became a grandfather to 10 grandchildren.

Humphries' most well-known creations were his characters, especially Dame Edna, a housewife from Melbourne, sporting her outlandish clothes and spectacles. Initially being a satire on any Australian suburban housewife, Dame Edna grew out to be a "Gigastar" among the audience. Barry Humphries, who began portraying the character in 1955, performed in several productions until 2019.

Humphries also held the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire, alongside multiple national honors in the UK and Australia.