Couple 'remarry' after husband with dementia forgot first wedding

  • Video report by ITV News Correspondent Paul Davies

A man with dementia has remarried his wife of 12 years having forgotten their first wedding and was convinced she was his new girlfriend.

Bill Duncan has been with Anne for 18 years, but has been robbed of many precious memories due to his illness - including the fact he is already married.

The 71-year-old has fallen in love with his wife all over again and popped the question to Anne last week.

The loving couple tied the knot in a heartwarming garden ceremony at their home in Aberdeen on Saturday, and Anne said they are as happy as ever.

Bill and Anne on their second wedding day. Credit: ITV News

Anne described the emotional moment of how Bill had proposed to her: "You became very amorous towards me and you kept telling me how much you liked me and how much you wanted to be with me forever and that this was real, he said that 'this was real' and then suddenly the penny had dropped," she explained.

"And I said 'you mean you want to marry me' and he said 'yes!' and he was just so relieved that I had finally understood what he was saying," she added.

Anne met Bill in 2001 when he was performing as an entertainer.

The pair met in 2001 when Bill was performing as an entertainer and magician in Aberdeen.

They first got married in 2007 but over the past nine years, Anne has cared for Bill full time as he slowly forgets their moments together and he now struggles to talk to her.

Anne expected Bill to have forgotten his recent proposal the next day, but he remembered and persisted.

The loving couple had even danced to the same song as their first wedding 12 years ago. Credit: ITV News

She said "And the next day we got married, and it was just the most natural thing in the world, it did not seem a strange or amazing thing to do, it just seemed to be the right thing to do.

"And I was very happy to do it, I thought 'oh how wonderful for me' never mind Bill, it was just absolutely gorgeous."

She said their friends helped decorate the garden and make a wedding cake, and added that their daughter Andrea convinced her to buy a white dress for the couple’s big day.