The recent revelation that Saoirse Ronan secretly married Jack Lowden took many by surprise, as few even knew the notoriously private pair were together.
Amid the report, fans were shocked to learn that the Irish actress, 30, had been in a six-year relationship with her Mary Queen of Scots co-star, 34.
The couple met in 2018 while playing husband and wife on set of the period drama and have kept their romance largely out of the public eye, thanks in part to Ronan’s lack of public online presence, and Lowden posting only a handful of pics of them on his social media throughout their romance.
Despite their camera-shy nature, the Scottish star has not held back in praising his other half’s acting talents and compared her skills to “gold” last year.
He told the i: “My first love is actors. And when you're given a Ferrari like her, it's all about how you make everything good for the Ferrari to show off.
“Don't make a Ferrari do what a Renault Clio does. It's a dreadful analogy but they're like gold dust, good actors. When there's someone like that, you just have to facilitate them and you will get gold. And my God, did we.”
Here, the Standard looks at the couple's relationship from when they met to walking down the aisle.
How they met
The couple first met in 2018 on the set of Mary Queen of Scots, a film depicting the historic feud between the titular monarch and Elizabeth I. Ronan played the title role, while Lowden portrayed Lord Darnley, the Queen's scandalous second husband.
Over the years, they have kept their relationship private, even denying they were together at times. In 2019, when a reporter from The Telegraph asked the Irish actress if “Am I allowed to ask if you're going out with the person that everyone thinks you're going out with?” to which she simply replied, "No," ending the discussion.
Slow Horses star Lowden has also been tight-lipped about their relationship. In an interview with ES Magazine that same year, he refused to comment on their romance, stating: “Oh, I'm not going to talk about that. I don't like talking about that side of life.”
Despite their efforts to keep things under wraps, their relationship flourished away from the public eye.
Flourishing romance
However, the Small Axe star has not shied away from sharing glimpses of their relationship on Instagram. In 2020, he posted a candid clip of Ronan driving through the Scottish Highlands. Other posts have subtly included her, with snippets of her head visible in some photos and more obvious images of them together.
In 2022, they made their first public joint appearance at the Australian Open. Then earlier this summer, they were spotted at Glastonbury alongside Paul Mescal, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Andrew Scott. Following the festival, Lowden shared a rare Instagram photo with Ronan.
Last year, the Dunkirk actor opened up about living with "one of the best actors in the world" in an interview, acknowledging the public interest in their love life but appreciating their level of privacy.
He told The i: “I'm not an idiot. Her and I don't find that odd. We're hugely appreciative of the level of scrutiny we have… We're treated well but we don't seek it either.
“People have got it far worse. It's also obviously of our own making. Whatever – as long as we've got each other, we're alright with any of that.”
Little Women actress Ronan, in turn, expressed her appreciation for Lowden’s support telling Harper's Bazaar last September: “When a person you respect as much as I do him says that, it means more than anyone else's opinion.”
Engagement speculation
In 2023, The Gold star sparked engagement rumours with an Instagram post after climbing a mountain in Scotland.
The second photo in the carousel featured four hands touching the summit, with one hand wearing an engagement ring. Lowden captioned the post,: "Ben Vrackie, summit 2759ft. So not classed as a Munro, but a Corbett. Steep, beautiful path, unparalleled views of Perthshire, and the heather starting to put her purple on. Or…her OUT out outfit."
Though his caption didn’t clarify the situation, commenters were quick to congratulate the couple on what they assumed was an engagement announcement.
Wedding reports
Over the weekend, it was revealed by the Irish Independent that the pair had secretly married in a Scottish ceremony earlier this month.
The marriage was confirmed by the register of Scottish civil marriages. The intimate ceremony took place at the Edinburgh Registrar's Office, attended by only a handful of their closest friends and family.
The Standard has contacted Saoirse Ronan and Jack Lowden’s reps for comment.
Aside from being newlyweds, the couple have collaborated on The Outrun - an adaptation of journalist Amy Liptrot's memoir about overcoming alcoholism, which premiered at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
Helmed by Arcade Pictures, the production company, founded by Lowden, Ronan and his friend producer Dominic Norris. However, according to Variety, the couple stepped down from the production company this year.
A spokesperson told the outlet: “Arcade was formed to make The Outrun and Dominic will continue to drive that banner's train.
“Jack and Saoirse are excited to celebrate the film as it makes its debut and beyond, and will continue looking for more passion projects to develop together in the future.”
