Television survival expert and former SAS soldier Bear Grylls has publicly celebrated his 26th wedding anniversary with a heartfelt tribute to his wife, author Shara Grylls.
A Quarter-Century of Commitment
The couple, who tied the knot in the year 2000 after meeting two years earlier in 1998, are parents to three sons: Jesse, 23, Marmaduke, 20, and Huckleberry, 17. Marking the milestone, Bear, whose real name is Edward, took to social media to reflect on their enduring partnership.
He shared a series of nostalgic photographs spanning their years together, accompanying them with a profound message about the nature of marriage. "26 years married today. Thank you Shara!" he wrote. "I don’t think marriage is about perfection. To us it’s about commitment."
The Real Expedition: Building a Life Together
Grylls, famed for conquering some of the world's most hostile environments, framed marital strength as the ultimate survival skill. He emphasised actions over ideals, stating that a successful union is built on "showing up when it’s hard" and "holding steady when the world pulls you in a hundred directions."
In a poignant comparison to his televised adventures, the 51-year-old adventurer noted: "Strength doesn’t start in the mountains or the wild. It starts at home. With family. With loyalty. With love that’s patient."
He elaborated that the greatest challenges are not those filmed for shows like Man vs. Wild, but the quiet, daily efforts of "building a life together, raising a family, backing each other through every high and low." He signed off the personal manifesto with the simple phrase: "Family first. Always."
Promoting Partnership and a New Book
Bear also used the occasion to promote his 52-year-old wife's latest literary project. Shara's new book, titled 'Never Stop Holding Hands', is released this month. Bear described it as "full of good little bits of advice from our friends on marriage" and encouraged followers to check it out online.
The anniversary post prompted fans to recall the couple's unique love story. Bear previously revealed on Piers Morgan's Life Stories in 2014 that his proposal was as unconventional as his career. He hid Shara's engagement ring between his buttocks as a humorous nod to their first meeting, which involved an unfortunate incident where a wave stripped him naked on a Scottish beach.
"It was the worst timing in the world to fall in love because I was up in Scotland," he joked during the interview, reflecting on the chilly and chaotic beginning to their romance.
