Robin Hurlstone obit

Passing of Robin Hurlstone, Former Art Dealer and Companion of Dame Joan Collins

 He was not on the list.

Dame Joan Collins, known for captivating audiences and her romantic entanglements, notably shared a tumultuous 13-year relationship with art dealer Robin Hurlstone, an alumnus of Eton. The relationship, marked by passion and drama, is remembered by many.

Sadly, it has been confirmed by his family that Hurlstone passed away peacefully in London on Monday. He was cherished by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Even after their relationship ended in 2001, Dame Joan and Hurlstone remained on good terms, reuniting publicly in Saint-Tropez in 2008, a testament to their enduring friendship.

In her memoirs, Dame Joan fondly recounted Hurlstone’s keen aesthetic sense and his sharp wit. She noted his self-proclaimed expertise in matters of taste, admitting his discerning eye was indeed remarkable.

She reminisced about their shared adventures in antique shops, hunting for treasures to adorn her London flat. His most common critiques, she recalled, were dismissive: “hideous” and “ghastly.”

‘Together, we spent hours exploring antique shops in search of furnishings and pictures for my flat in London. His most frequent comments were “hideous” and “ghastly”.’

The relationship was far from easy as the Dynasty star, 93, also penned that Hurlstone could be cutting about her looks, writing: ‘He didn’t like my hair when I wore it down, insisting I wore my short wig from Dynasty – which he liked, but I didn’t.’

Their romance ran its course and Dame Joan then met Percy Gibson, 61, to whom she’s been married for nearly 25 years. She once joked that Robin and Percy’s first meeting felt like ‘two stags at bay’.

She recalled: ‘Robin fixed me with a beady, accusing eye. “This Percy fellow, you seem to talk about him a lot. Have you got a crush on him?”

‘”A crush? Don’t be ridiculous,” I spluttered, but I literally felt my face flame. I don’t think I have blushed since I was a teenager.’

He was known for portraying the farmer Walter Boggis in the 2009 film Fantastic Mr. Fox.