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VENICE OFF

Dame Emma Thompson and her husband have left Britain to settle in their Venice home in the wake of Brexit

DAME Emma Thompson has left Britain and moved to Venice in the wake of Brexit.

The Nanny McPhee star, 60, and actor husband Greg Wise have become citizens of the iconic Italian city.

 Emma Thompson and her husband Greg Wise, have left Britain to become Italian citizens as they move to their Venice home in the wake of Brexit
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Emma Thompson and her husband Greg Wise, have left Britain to become Italian citizens as they move to their Venice home in the wake of BrexitCredit: Getty - Contributor

The couple are said to already own a house in Venice and both have had intensive Italian lessons.

By registering as residents in the city – which was hit by recent flooding and the coronavirus crisis – they have also become official residents of Italy.

Speaking in Italian after signing the formal documents last week, Dame Emma said becoming an honorary citizen of Venice was “the realisation of a dream she had cherished for years”.

As official residents, they have the same rights to healthcare, work and study as any other Italian citizen.

She and Wise, 53, who played Earl Mountbatten in Netflix hit The Crown, have also been granted honorary citizenship of Venice.

This has no legal status – it is like being made a freeman of the City of London. They will retain their British passports.

 The Nanny McPhee star, 60, said it was 'a dream she had cherished for years'
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The Nanny McPhee star, 60, said it was 'a dream she had cherished for years'Credit: PA:Press Association

The couple own a £3million house in West Hampstead, North West London, but the deputy mayor of Venice, Simone Venturini, said their Italian property would be their main residence.

Dame Emma, who also has a Scottish holiday home, was a strong opponent of Brexit, claiming before the referendum that Britain would be “mad” not to remain in the EU.

She will be following in the footsteps of her Love Actually co-star Colin Firth, who accepted honorary Italian citizenship in 2017, becoming a dual Italian and British citizen.

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