Photo by: Slebbi via flickr

Accomplished and respected, what else would Britain’s famous actress Dame Judi Dench ask for?

Well, love beckoned once again for the 82-year-old widow and grandmother in the person of conservationist David Mills who, in his 70s, is much younger than her.

The two met in 2010 when he invited her to open a squirrel enclosure at the wildlife center he runs near her home in Surrey.

Dench dismissed the thought of remarrying at her age but admits that she struggled to find an adequate word to describe Mills.  “I don’t know what the word is because I don’t like the word ‘partner’. Partner is something to do with dancing. Partner - horrible word. Friend? No. Boyfriend? No. Chap? Will chap do?” she asked.The multi-awarded actress, in an interview with Good Housekeeping magazine, said that she now enjoys spending her time with her “jolly nice friend” and enjoying a good laugh together.  “A sense of humor is the most attractive thing of all. It’s essential.”

Dench’s was first married to actor Michael Williams who died in 2001.  They were together for 30 years and have a daughter Finty. Dench said her one regret was not having many children.  “I had planned to have six, easily,” she said. “The rewards you get out of it. Finty and I are so close.”

The actress’ next movie is “Victoria and Abdul,” a film about Queen Victoria’s relationship with an Indian servant, Abdul Karim. It would be the second time the actress will play Queen Victoria -- the first was 20 years ago in “Mrs Brown.” That film was about the monarch’s relationship with another servant and earned Dench an Oscar nomination.

Although Dench has enough awards -- both Oscars and Oliviers -- to display on her mantelpiece, she is not that hopeful on seeing the gender pay gap in her industry closing.  “Salary, parts, you name it: it’s better now than it’s ever been, I think, but it will never be on a parity. Never. No matter how much we speak out. We are put in our place.”