Sir Patrick Stewart: A life in pictures

Legendary actor Sir Patrick Stewart rose from humble beginnings in his native Yorkshire to become a global superstar whose work became immortalised portraying characters on some of the most popular sci-fi franchises in history.

Baby Patrick seen being held by his Aunt Dolly. He is seen with his mother (right) and brothers Trevor (left) and Geoff

Image source, BBC/Wall to Wall Media Ltd/Andrew Montgomery

Young Patrick's love of drama came at school when one of his teachers introduced him to Shakespeare and encouraged him to perform.

He threw himself enthusiastically into the flourishing local theatre. "I used to recite Shakespeare from memory," he said. "I just learned all these big speeches."

He went on to star in countless Shakespeare plays. One of his earliest breakout roles was in 1970's Two Gentlemen of Verona, which also featured his rescue dog, Blackie, playing the role of the dog Crab.

His expertise in Shakespeare led to play a major role in the 1976 BBC television series I, Claudius.

Stewart (far right) played Leondegrance in the film Excalibur

Sir Patrick has won numerous awards, including a Grammy and two Laurence Olivier Awards. He was also nominated for a Tony, along with multiple Golden Globes and Emmys over the years.

His iconic voice and facial expressions saw him star in both the Star Trek and X-Men franchises, helping to spawn a generation of global sci-fi fans.

In 1987, he took on the role of Jean-Luc Picard on popular TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Tapping into Star Trek fandom earned him millions of adoring fans around the world.

Image source, Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II knighted Sir Patrick at Buckingham Palace in 2010

His scores of sci-fi fans reached new heights with his starring role as Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men film series, which began in 2000.

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Stewart appeared alongside X-Men co-stars Hugh Jackman (left) and Ian McKellen (right)

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