Colin Firth’s ex-wife Livia Firth has revealed the emotional reason she still uses the Oscar winner’s surname – despite getting divorced four years ago.
The Italian-born activist and eco-fashion campaigner, 56, decided to speak up after facing a barrage of questions about why she continues to go by his name on social media.
In a new Instagram video shared on Monday, Livia admitted that while the reason is partly practical, she also has strong sentimental ties that are impossible to break.
‘Many of you ask me, why do I still use the name Livia Firth in my Instagram account?’ she began in the clip.
‘First of all, it’s very interesting that it’s always in an accusatory way. It’s never anything different. It’s always like, ‘Oh, why do you…?’ Which always makes me smile.’
Livia, who married the Pride and Prejudice and King’s Speech star in 1997, said she wanted to put the long-running speculation to rest.
Colin Firth’s ex-wife Livia Firth, 56, has revealed the reason she still uses the Oscar winner’s surname – despite getting divorced four years ago
The Italian-born activist and the King’s Speech star tied the knot in 1997 (pictured in 2018)
‘When I started my social media activity, many, many, many years ago, my [handle] was Livia Firth with the blue tick and verified, and my avatar, in my professional life as an activist, and my career, has always been Livia Firth,’ she continued.
‘When I separated, I said, okay, I will move to Livia Giuggioli Firth. And by the way, Giuggioli, which is my name… I never changed it. Italian women never change their name on documents.’
She then revealed her deeply emotional bond to the name, explaining: ‘I’m incredibly proud of being Giuggioli, and I’m incredibly proud of being Firth.
‘And I’m a Firth mama. My boys are Firth. And that part will never go away.’
She and Colin, who met on the set of the BBC drama Nostromo in 1996 and married the following year, share two sons – Luca, 24, and Matteo, 22.
Livia added that while she had intended to switch her Instagram handle to reflect her Italian surname, she has been unable to do so because of Meta’s strict rules for verified accounts.
‘I’ve asked Instagram to please change my name. How do I do it? Because when you are a blue tick, you have to be authorised to change your name,’ she told fans.
She has changed the name in her bio to Livia Giuggioli, but her handle remains as it was.
The eco-fashion campaigner decided to speak up after facing a barrage of questions about why she continues to go by his name on social media
‘I’m incredibly proud of being Giuggioli, and I’m incredibly proud of being Firth. And I’m a Firth mama. My boys are Firth. And that part will never go away,’ she said in the video (pictured in May)
Fans commented with support, describing critics as ‘small-minded’ and praising her for her good humour
‘The process seems to be incredibly complicated… I’m being completely ignored.
‘I wrote to Instagram many times. I got some special names of people who could help me in Meta. I wrote to them and they never replied.’
She added: ‘So it’s very, very simple: my [handle] is still @LiviaFirth because Meta is not allowing me to change it.
‘Equally, I really don’t care. The people who love me really don’t care whether it’s Livia Giuggioli or Livia Firth or another name.
‘So that’s it. At some point, maybe I’ll be able to change it, maybe I’ll never change it, and I’ll always be Livia Firth even though I’m not married to [Colin] Firth anymore.
‘Is that a problem, really, with everything that goes on in the world? Is that a problem?’
Fans commented with support, describing critics as ‘small-minded’ and praising her for her good humour.
One wrote: ‘You are a Firth – you created a family that is your name. I love following you and seeing how much you do for our planet.’
Livia and Colin, who met on the set of the BBC drama Nostromo in 1996 and married the following year, share two sons – Luca, 24, and Matteo, 22 (pictured in 2017)
The sustainability pioneer became one of fashion’s most influential voices when she created the Green Carpet Challenge, which saw A-list stars including Meryl Streep and Emma Watson wear ethically made gowns to major awards shows.
Livia and Colin, 65, separated in 2019 after a 22-year relationship marked by an on-off separation and her brief affair with Italian journalist Marco Brancaccia.
They divorced in 2021 and remain on amicable terms as co-parents.
The new video comes just weeks after Livia made headlines for another bold move – when she dramatically shredded her MBE certificate and announced she was returning the honour to St James’s Palace.
The activist, who was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2019 for services to the fashion industry, said she could no longer keep it after what she called Britain’s ‘appeasement’ of Donald Trump during his visit to the UK.
‘Because I can’t reconcile those two positions, I have shredded my honour and I am returning it to sender,’ she said in her letter to the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood.
Born in Rome, Livia studied film before meeting Colin on Nostromo.
During their marriage she became a fixture on the red carpet, often seen alongside the actor at the Oscars and Golden Globes.
