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Julian Barnes Secretly Marries Amidst Cancer Battle
17 Jan
Summary
- Booker Prize winner Julian Barnes married his publisher Rachel Cugnoni in secret.
- The private ceremony took place at a register office with eight guests.
- Barnes, battling blood cancer, found love again after his first wife's passing.
Booker Prize-winning novelist Julian Barnes secretly married his former publisher, Rachel Cugnoni, in August 2025. The intimate ceremony was held at a register office with only eight attendees, marking a significant personal milestone for the acclaimed author. This union comes as Barnes is undergoing treatment for a rare form of blood cancer, a battle he has faced for some time.
Barnes, who won the Booker Prize for "The Sense of an Ending," had not anticipated finding new love after his first wife, literary agent Pat Kavanagh, died in 2008. He revealed that Kavanagh had given him her blessing to find happiness again. His relationship with Cugnoni began eight years ago, a few years prior to his cancer diagnosis.
The couple kept their marriage private until recently, when they hosted a party for approximately 100 friends and family to celebrate Barnes's impending 80th birthday. During the celebration, Barnes shared the news, evoking an emotional response from his guests. His final novel, "Departure(s)," is set to be published next week.
