Meet Julie Andrews' Three Daughters, Close Bond With Emma, Adopted Amy And Joanna During Vietnam War

Julie Andrews has been making headlines ever since she made a surprise virtual appearance at the World Parkinson Congress in Phoenix. The actress was seen in a brief video message that played at the event. For the unversed, the event aims to combat progressive movement disorder. While Julie rarely makes public appearances anymore, she has continued to work, but largely as a voice actor. 

She has been voicing 'Lady Whistledown' across all seasons of Netflix's popular romance series, Bridgerton, since its debut in 2020. In addition to Julie Andrews, Back to the Future star, Michael J. Fox regularly contributes to Parkinson's disease initiatives. However, her appearance has further piqued fans' curiosity about her personal life, including her three daughters.

Julie Andrews makes a sweet appearance at World Parkinson Congress

Julie Andrews is the sweetest person you could ever meet. However, her appearance on the silver screen has largely been reduced. She appeared at the World Parkinson Congress and welcomed everyone to the 7th annual meeting. She shared how invaluable the attendees' participation was and even referenced the World Parkinson Congress's Red Thread Project, which aims to connect people affected by the disease. She was quoted as saying:

"Good evening, everyone. I'm Julie Andrews, and I'm pleased to welcome you to the 7th World Parkinson's Congress. Your participation is invaluable, as we seek to find a cure to this terrible disease. I know well how devastating it can be. May we all become a beacon of light to stop it in its tracks. Count me in as a red thread. Thank you." 

Meet Julie Andrews' eldest daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton

Julie Andrews welcomed her first daughter, Emma Walton, on November 27, 1962, with her then husband, Tony Walton. The couple had just moved to Hollywood, with their daughter, to film, Mary Poppins, as Julie revealed in her memoir, Home Work. In a conversation with The Guardian, she revealed that she and her daughter share an extremely close relationship. She shared that they bonded for several reasons and stated:

"Emma's dad, my first husband, and I separated, and that helped us. I knew it was really important for me to make Emma's childhood as normal as possible, even though it was incredibly abnormal in many ways. But the same team travelled together, and we were together as much as possible."

Emma and Julie not only share a close personal connection but also occasionally collaborate. In 2017, they collaborated on Julie's Greenroom, a children's show on Netflix that they executive-produced and wrote together, which they called a very special experience. During a conversation with PEOPLE, she revealed that, "This is a new learning curve for both of us, really writing for children in television and also the format to know that you only got this much time and you have to get everything out of it. She's on the floor every day while I'm performing. She's holding it all together."

They also started a "family-friendly storytime" podcast together in 2020 called Julie's Library: Story Time with Julie Andrews. As for Emma's personal life, she married Stephen Hamilton in 1991 and is a mom of two children, Hope Hamilton and Sam Hamilton. Hope has followed in her grandmother's footsteps as an actress. In 2021, she made her professional stage debut in Bay Street Theatre's production of Camelot, a full-circle moment, as her grandmother originated the role of 'Queen Guenevere' in the 1960 Broadway premiere of the play.

Julie Andrews adopted her second daughter with her second husband, Blake Edwards

After parting ways with Tony Walton, Julie Andrews found love again with Blake Edwards. However, although the couple didn't have any children of their own, they adopted their first daughter, Amy Leigh Edwards, in 1974, when she was just two months old. In a conversation with PEOPLE, she revealed that they really wanted a child, but didn't have any success, so they decided to turn to international adoption in 1974, amidst the Vietnam War. Amy also had a younger sister named Joanna, and lived in a small village in Gstaad, which, according to Julie, was "just a village, really, with duckies, piggies and horses."

Julie Andrews and Blake Edwards adopted Joanna Lynee Edwards a year later

A year after adopting Amy, the couple also legally adopted her sister, Joanna Lynne Edwards, from Vietnam in 1975. Julie told The Australian Women's Weekly that everything was wonderful when they welcomed Amy. However, then "Saigon began to fall, and within three months, we had another one." While Emma has shared the limelight with her mother, Amy and Joanna have both chosen to stay out of it, and Julie Andrews rarely discusses them. Nonetheless, she has been candid about what her children have taught her, and stated:

"We as mothers learn from our kids. We teach them to be patient and to put their fears aside and trust that they will survive. They teach us to look at the small things and appreciate them."

image credit: World Parkinson Coalition/YT, JulieAndrews/IG, EmmaWaltonHamilton.com, Amulet Books, Hachette

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