Miriam Margolyes makes her Vogue cover debut at the age of 82 and opens up about people's love for her

Miriam Margoyles is truly a British icon! Known for her quick wit, adorable eccentricity and rather raunchy sense of humor, fans love her for being unapologetically herself. On a professional front, the veteran actress is renowned for her work in the TV and film industry, including roles in Blackadder, Babe and the Harry Potter franchise. The BAFTA Award winner has now made it to the cover of British Vogue at the age of 82 and inspiring many others to embrace their bold selves. 

Margoyles opened up about a host of issues including body image and her journey to coming out as gay in 1996 and her journey since. Other notable LGBTQ+ pioneers featured in the magazine included Ncuti Gatwa and Emma D’Arcy in the magazine's July edition according to The Guardian. In true Miriam fashion, The Windsors star candidly opened up about coming out as a lesbian in 1966 and being part of the LGBTQ community ever since. She said gay people are “not conventional” and she “wouldn’t want to be straight for anything”. “I think gay people are very lucky because we are not conventional, we are a group slightly apart," she told the magazine. "It gives us an edge. We’re good artists, we’re good musicians. And I like being gay. I wouldn’t want to be straight for anything."

While most people battle feelings of shame and guilt as they come to terms with their sexuality at first the actress revealed that she "never had any shame about being gay or anything really." "I knew it wasn’t criminal because it was me. I couldn’t be criminal," Margolyes explained. While discussing her sexuality she said she has always tried to “make people feel good about themselves”. “It’s a strong position if you’re not afraid to be who you are,” she said. “We’re all so insecure. People are frightened such a lot of the time and what I’ve always tried to do … (is) make people feel good about themselves.”

The 82-year-old has been with her partner Heather Sutherland for 54 years! The two first met when Margolyes was trying to make it in the larger acting scene following her college graduation. They’ve been together ever since for over half a century though have never cohabited, with Heather living in Amsterdam. “We were able to lead our lives without diminishing them,” said Margolyes. “I didn’t want her to have to give up anything. And I didn’t want to give up anything. I wanted my cake and I wanted to eat it too. And so far, it’s worked.”

Speaking of their relationship Margolyes said, “Gay people have the luck to be able to fashion the relationship they want. It’s much more flexible for us. I think we have more freedom than [straight people] do. Particularly gay boys, they’re always f---ing everything. It’s amazing. I don’t know how they get away with it," she quipped.

At 82 years old she feels life has been growing better and better over the years. "People come up to me and say ‘I just love you’, and want to hug me. And that is dazzling.” She remembered a newspaper once calling her “a national trinket, which is very witty and rather cutting actually”, she said. “I’d like to be a national treasure, but I don’t know if I really am.” Well, we think so and so does the publication that aptly called her "Our Naughtiest National Treasure."