by Louise Ford
It hadn’t been the easiest start to their relationship, but after the storm of publicity died down, the pair were able to continue their romance with less distraction. ‘He’s great, really sweet and sexy. I’m mad about him,’ she revealed. ‘He keeps me sane when things get stressful and we always have fun.’
The duo discovered that they had an incredible amount in common: shunning posh eateries for small cafes and bistros, shopping in charity shops and even taking the bus over expensive cabs. ‘I still get on the bus and go shopping at the supermarket,’ Keira admitted in a newspaper interview, ‘although with my face on just about every bus it’s been a bit more difficult really.’
Jamie was also the perfect gentleman to her English rose: polite, shy, driven and, above all, loyal. Keira was dating someone who, despite his good looks, wouldn’t stray. ‘I’m a loyal person,’ he explained. ‘I hate the idea of even switching banks. Even though I could be saving money, I really like the guy at the bank, so I just couldn’t let him down.’
Although they were both successful in their own right – Keira had started to command over £1.5 million a film and Jamie was being inundated with modelling requests – they both shared a desire to lead as normal a life as possible. However, with their heavy work schedules meaning that they were often thousands of miles apart, it was going to be tough. Keira had already admitted that she was finding it difficult keeping tabs on her personal life. ‘I woke up one morning and realised I haven’t spoken to my best friend for a month-and-a-half. She’d split up with her previous boyfriend and already got another one and I didn’t know about any of it,’ she said at the time. ‘I’m not good with phones and I don’t have email, I can’t use a computer, so not being in touch is totally my fault.’
It was clearly a case of absence makes the heart grow fonder for Keira, though, when she admitted to missing Jamie on the set of King Arthur. After four months spent in Ireland’s Wicklow Mountains filming the historical blockbuster, she was pining for more than just dinner dates with the handsome model. ‘I feel like I’m at university but without the shagging – which is unfortunate,’ she confessed.
As they saw each other so little, it was no surprise when the rumour mill started churning out stories in early 2004 that they had split – and by February there were whispers in the press that Jamie had lost his girlfriend to actor Adrien Brody, who was playing Keira’s lover in the psychological thriller The Jacket.
The pair had the obligatory steamy sex scene together and Adrien was reportedly helping to calm her nerves by taking vodka and brandy to her caravan before shoots. They were also staying in the same block of flats in Glasgow and had been spotted exploring the city’s nightlife together, including a ‘date’ at a White Stripes gig. In February 2004 news agency WENN claimed that Keira was inseparable from her handsome co-star, adding, ‘This follows Knightley’s recent split with model Jamie Dornan. A movie insider says, “They are very close and spend a lot of time together. Keira and Adrien really seem to have clicked.”’
The rumours of an affair were false and it was the first of many trying situations that the new couple would have to face together. A furious Adrien also hit back later in the year when the stories were threatening to damage his own relationship, as well as harming Keira and Jamie’s reputation. ‘We were said to be having intimate, candlelit pasta dinners at my apartment, but that’s not true,’ he explained. ‘We ate together a couple of times because we were working but it never went further than that.’
Two weeks after reports of their split, the now billboard-famous model jetted to Glasgow to see Keira on set and the pair were seen strolling through a park in the Scottish city before stopping for a hug and intimate chat. It was quite clear that the relationship hadn’t quite fizzled out yet – far from it, in fact. Behind the scenes the pair had started discussing their future together and Keira – despite her promising start in acting – was considering a change of tack by going to university.
Jamie was reportedly ‘dead against’ her plans to go to Oxford Brookes, since he had always rejected the idea of getting a university degree in favour of choosing his own path instead. He also reportedly allayed concerns that despite her latest film King Arthur being panned by critics, her career was too good to give up. Cruel cynics mused, meanwhile, that he was probably worried that his famous lover would be mobbed with male students wanting to date her. ‘Jamie thinks Keira is making a name for herself in Hollywood and can study anytime so doesn’t understand why she wants to do it straight away,’ a friend told a newspaper. ‘He feels she is only eighteen and the world is her oyster. He just wants to make sure Keira makes the right decision. He seems to think she’d be completely mobbed with male admirers at university whereas in the world of film she’s one of many beautiful people and less likely to be led astray,’ a source added.
Once filming on The Jacket finished in March, it was Jamie’s chance to patch things up with Keira properly. When she returned to London to celebrate her nineteenth birthday at home, he finally managed to spend some quality time with her; he also started to get to know the Knightley family and it was clear that he fitted in well. Keira’s mother Sharman immediately warmed to her daughter’s new beau and quickly became a confidante to Jamie, as the young showbiz couple in the coming weeks and months began to struggle with certain negative – and very frightening – aspects of fame. ‘Sharman was very fond of Jamie – of all Keira’s boyfriends, he is her favourite,’ a family friend revealed a year later after their split. ‘It may have been something to do with the fact that Jamie had lost his own mother at the age of sixteen and Sharman has been almost a surrogate mum to him recently.
‘Jamie is such a vulnerable kind of guy, plus she is Scottish and he is Northern Irish and that Celtic connection may have helped them get along.’
With a break in filming, the pair had time at last to nurture their relationship and found plenty to keep them busy. Since it was Keira’s birthday, she decided to go on a well-earned shopping spree and as well as looking for a car – ‘a Mini Cooper S in black’ – the loved-up duo were also spotted house-hunting together. It was time for the pretty actress to move out of her parents’ house, and she invited Jamie to come and live with her. ‘I don’t know if they found anywhere suitable but Jamie certainly seemed to enjoy looking!’ one onlooker noted as they browsed estate agent windows in west London.
Keira eventually snapped up a £1.5 million apartment in fashionable Mayfair and in June 2004 the pair moved in together – along with a few friends. ‘I actually moved in with about six people in the end,’ she told US talk show host Jay Leno, ‘which was a bit of a problem because there were only two bedrooms. It was very crowded! But I kept on asking more people to move in, forgetting that I only had two bedrooms.’ Far from a romantic love nest for two, the apartment also had further problems: ‘It’s got water pouring through the ceiling, the electricity doesn’t work and the toilet broke,’ she admitted at the time.
After a period of temporarily moving back to her parents’ house while the issues with their new house were fixed, the pair began living together properly and Jamie got to know ‘the real’ Keira. Having grown up with two sisters, Jamie was used to living with girls but even so he probably hadn’t bargained on Keira being something of a tomboy who liked to break down inhibitions by farting. ‘As soon as you fart in front of somebody, the whole illusion has gone in an instant,’ she explained.
Not put off by Keira’s toilet humour, Jamie was now head over heels in love with the pretty star and evenings were spent preparing her home-cooked meals – including his specialities, roast dinners and spaghetti bolognese – while she challenged gender stereotypes by buying him flowers. However, the domesticity seemed to end there, as Keira admitted that she would often take their dirty laundry back to her mum’s house in Teddington.
Family ties were strengthened further when Jamie invited Keira back to his childhood home in Northern Ireland where she was welcomed with open arms by his ad
oring family. Keira immediately struck up a bond with his sister Jessica, a former designer for clothing brand Diesel, over their mutual love of books and fashion. She also proved a hit with his father Jim, who clearly believed the film star was something of a positive influence on his son after the tragedies of his teenage years. ‘Well, she’s a very nice person indeed,’ the fifty-six-year-old consultant obstetrician proudly told the Belfast Telegraph in late 2004. ‘I’ve met her a few times and she’s actually very straightforward. She’s visited Northern Ireland and like Jamie she’s a huge fan of the sandwiches you get in Doorsteps on the Lisburn Road.’
It wasn’t long, therefore, before stories started to emerge that Jamie was to marry his famous girlfriend of just under a year. ‘They were spotted strolling around Bond Street the other day looking in shop windows at diamond engagement rings. Keira seemed to have her eye on something pretty special and she’s told friends she’d love to get married sooner rather than later,’ a friend divulged to the Daily Mirror newspaper.
‘They also visited a jeweller in Harrods but the store was sworn to secrecy and promised not to talk. It seems they are preparing to get engaged, or maybe they’ve already done it and kept it a secret.’ Discussing the couple’s previous ‘rocky’ relationship and the home they were now enjoying together, the source added, ‘There have been a few problems with renovations at the apartment but they’re settling in well.’ Keen to scotch the marriage rumours, Keira broke her silence a few days later in a magazine interview, saying, ‘Jamie’s great but I’m way too young for marriage. One day in the future, maybe, but marriage and kids are just not on my mind at the moment.’
In fact, Jamie and Keira had more serious matters on their plate. The stunning actress now had some major films under her belt and since becoming instantly recognisable – especially as she was living in one of the most sought after districts of London – her fame was coming at a price. The more famous Keira was becoming, the less freedom they seemed to have and at times the situation was becoming disturbing. Jamie was now seriously worried about Keira’s safety – and, naturally, his own by association – as she was being chased by paparazzi on a weekly and sometimes daily basis, as well as being stalked by obsessive fans. ‘I have found myself thinking, “look what happened to Diana”,’ Keira admitted at the time, in reference to Princess Diana who had died seven years previously in a car crash during a paparazzi chase. ‘For some reason your instinct is to run away and you really do begin to think, “Oh my God, there could be an accident here”.’
Fans had also begun to lie in wait for Keira to return home at night and her terrified mother Sharman had started a regular ritual of combing the streets before letting her daughter out of the car in case someone jumped on her. ‘This nutter has been hanging outside my house, it’s been really alarming. My mother has been so upset and I just hate it,’ Keira revealed.
‘Keira plays it cool but you can understand her mum’s worry. This bloke has really shaken Sharman up,’ a friend said in 2004. ‘He is probably just a harmless fan, but you can never be too sure. There are so many weirdos in London.’ Jamie also shared Sharman’s concerns and told BBC Radio Ulster some days later, ‘She’s a nineteen-year-old girl and if she goes anywhere on her own, there’s men following her. It’s almost certainly paparazzi but there’s the off chance that it could be some absolute weirdo.
‘You do get quite aware of the paparazzi and stuff, but I do think they’re the lowest. I can’t handle them at all.’
It was increasingly obvious from Jamie’s rare openness about the situation that the responsibility of dating someone in the public eye was taking its toll. He and Keira had started to dress down when leaving the house in order to try not to draw attention, with the actress wearing baggy trousers, beanie hats and no make-up. Nights out were also being replaced with evenings in front of the TV in order to avoid being out in public. The relentless attention, however, wasn’t just confined to London, as residents living close to Jamie’s childhood home in Holywood, County Down, had also noticed the model’s now famous girlfriend arriving in town for weekend breaks. ‘She has been over before but no one really recognised who she was – it will probably be a lot harder now,’ a source told the local paper. ‘If she lands in Ireland you’ll be the first to know.’
Matters seemed to go from bad to worse when at the London premiere of King Arthur the pair were at the centre of a terrifying security alert. Looking stunning on the red carpet, Keira appeared every bit the A-list celebrity as she stood dripping in £250,000-worth of diamonds on loan from Asprey’s and accompanied by Jamie in a designer black silk suit and shirt. Thousands of fans had turned out to the event in Leicester Square and the young couple couldn’t believe the reaction she was getting. ‘I can’t believe how many people are here,’ Jamie’s now famous lover was overheard saying. ‘I don’t believe I could ever get used to this sort of reaction.’
The couple were clearly bowled over by the turnout but as the evening wore on, their feelings of excitement turned to disbelief when, due to a ‘breakdown in communications’ with organisers of the event, the duo were left alone during a terrifying crush in the VIP area, without her security guards in sight. Worried the necklace and bracelet would be stolen in the mayhem, security staff stormed through the crowds and swooped on the actress before dramatically stripping her of the jewels from around her arm and neck. Jamie and Keira were left feeling exposed and very, very scared. ‘I was really quite frightened. Security rushed in here at midnight and took them off me […] it was terrifying to have all these people crushing around me when I was wearing all that money,’ she revealed at the time. ‘Now they’re safely away I can just party with Jamie – he was really worried about my safety.’
Being plunged headlong into the world of celebrity was without doubt beginning to become something of an arduous task for Jamie, as he tried hard to enjoy his own ‘normal’ life, which he prized so much. It was, after all, not his career that was bringing the international fame and intrusive attention, but Keira’s. Being her partner required a massive dose of responsibility and loyalty – it was undoubtedly a big ask. While she took centre stage publicly and reaped the financial rewards, he was forced to take something of a back seat, despite the fact that he was being scrutinised almost as much.
Back home in Ireland, his every move was being documented and celebrated – it was now something he couldn’t escape. ‘The image of Ulster males got a makeover last week when twenty-one-year-old Holywood model, Jamie Dornan appeared arm-in-arm with hot actress Keira Knightley at the world premiere of her new film, King Arthur,’ his local paper proclaimed. ‘The stunning actress had Jamie as her escort and most of the world’s paparazzi flashbulbs were popping in the direction of the good-looking young couple, propelling the Co Down man onto the international stage.
‘With his easy style, cropped blond hair, tanned skin, grey-blue eyes and natural stubble, Jamie is the epitome of relaxed glamour – a real Holywood man – Holywood, Co Down that is.’
Keira, meanwhile, was making headlines in glossy magazines and newspapers the world over; photographers were trailing her wherever she went and with every film came relentless TV and press interviews, and red carpet appearances. Jamie, as dutiful boyfriend, was now expected to behave impeccably so as not to damage her reputation, remaining tight-lipped about the intricacies of their relationship while at the same time enduring the various security threats that now engulfed them as a couple. ‘She’s the most beautifully grounded person I’ve ever met,’ Jamie said a year later. ‘It’s very scary walking down the red carpets. And unless you’re the kind of person who likes answering questions about who made your dress – which Keira isn’t – you’re scared. Keira is just a young girl.’
It wasn’t going to be easy but for now, at least, Jamie appeared to be happy and very much in love, and they were facing this crazy world of showbiz together. ‘You would wake up and read the papers or look online and see a photo of Jamie with Keira com
ing out of somewhere like Pret a Manger,’ a source close to the couple admitted.
‘According to the columnist, he enjoyed a “tuna mayonnaise and rocket” sandwich that day,’ the source continued. ‘It was completely bonkers, you couldn’t make it up – the world knew more about him than his mates. You did question how long someone as private as Jamie would be able to put up with that level of intrusion. To be fair, he seemed fine with it, so no one was going to question it. Keira was obviously worth the hassle.’
Chapter Five
IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL
There was no doubt about it: Jamie was smitten.
Keira’s career had now taken her to Hollywood, where she was filming action thriller Domino, and it wasn’t long before the proud model was jetting to Los Angeles to take his famous girlfriend Christmas shopping. The couple were already dodging nasty rumours that Jamie was only in it for a career leg-up but the truth was that they were a young couple in love. ‘He keeps her sane,’ a friend of the pair said at the time. ‘Keira’s the first person to admit that. He’s so down to earth and sweet, it would be all too easy for Keira to be consumed by her career but he reminds her that there’s a world outside Hollywood.’
Strolling hand in hand through Tinseltown, the couple were seen diving in and out of shops, emerging from a bookstore with a Bob Dylan autobiography before stopping at underwear boutique Victoria’s Secret. It was clear their relationship was flourishing despite the need for them to travel great distances – sometimes thousands of miles – to spend time with each other.
