ALWEN Hughes stood by her disgraced husband Rolf Harris when he was jailed for indecent assault on four underage girls.
The wife of the disgraced paedophile has died at the age of 92 — just a year after her husband.
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Who was Alwen Hughes?
Alwen Hughes was a jeweller and sculptress, who was born on December 26, 1931, in north London.
She married Rolf Harris in March 1958 after the pair met in art school.
The sculptress grew up in Wales and was known for her eccentric clothing, as well as her decision to have a poodle as a bridesmaid.
Hughes first met Harris in the early 1950s while they both attended art school in Kennington.
The pair later married at St Saviour’s Church in Paddington in 1958.
Hughes stuck by her disgraced husband through the proceedings and his subsequent jail term.
Harris was convicted of 12 sex attacks on girls as young as seven and was handed a jail sentence of just under six years.
After a jury failed to reach a verdict on charges at his 2017 hearing, Harris’ solicitor read a statement from him saying: “Whilst I am pleased that this is finally over, I feel no sense of victory — just relief.
“I am 87 years old, my wife is in ill-health and we simply want to spend our remaining time together.”
Speaking shortly after Harris’ conviction in 2014, singer Vince Hill said: “Alwen is very poorly. We’re all very worried about her.
“I don’t know if she will survive his prison term. She’s quite fragile. She suffers from arthritis and she’s had hip replacements and God knows what.”
How did Alwen Hughes die?
At the time of her death on September 12, 2024, Hughes was 92 years old.
She died from a stroke following a long battle with vascular dementia.
Hughes had been pictured in a wheelchair was reportedly suffering from Alzheimer’s disease in her final years.
At the time of her husband’s passing, she was residing at her family home in Thames Valley and did to not understand that he had passed away, according to reports.
Before Harris’ death in May 2023, the pair were both receiving round-the-clock care due to their respective serious illnesses.
One of their neighbours, Portia Wooderson, said: “Only carers and nurses, who care for him 24 hours, come and go”.
How many children do Rolf Harris and Alwen Hughes have?
The couple had one daughter, Bindi, who was born on March 10, 1964.
She was named after the town of Bindi Bindi, Australia.
During Harris’ first trial in 2014, Bindi attended court every day with her mum and dad.
Bindi stood by her father following his conviction for sex offences.
The disgraced entertainer’s daughter went so far as to defend him in her 2018 book, titled Living With a Pervert.
She claimed that his generation was to blame for his “flirty” behaviour.
Before his death, Harris requested that his daughter Bindi do one more thing for him after he was gone.
The former star reportedly asked his daughter to look after her mother, he said: “I always believed we would go on longer together but, if I go first, promise you’ll take good care of your mum.”
When did Rolf Harris die?
Rolf Harris’ death was confirmed on May 23, 2023.
At the time of death, he was 93 years old.
He was suffering from neck cancer and was reportedly receiving 24-hour care in the months leading up to his death.
A statement from his family, released through his solicitor, said at the time: “This is to confirm that Rolf Harris recently died peacefully surrounded by family and friends and has now been laid to rest.
“They ask that you respect their privacy. No further comment will be made.”
The disgraced Australian performer was last seen in public walking his dog near his rural estate in Bray, Berkshire, where he lived with his wife.
