Shannen Doherty's Ex-Husband Ashley Hamilton Breaks Silence on Her Death

Shannen Doherty died on July 13 at the age of 53 following a years-long battle with cancer.

By Anna Rumer

Shannen Doherty's ex-husband Ashley Hamilton is sharing his "love and admiration" for the Charmed actress following her death at 53 after a years-long battle with cancer. The 49-year-old son of actor George Hamilton and Alana Stewart, who was married to Doherty from 1993 to 1994, shared a statement with Us Weekly after Doherty's passing on July 13.

"Shannen was not only my wife, she was my guardian angel," said Hamilton. "Even though things don't always work out the way we hope they will, she stood by my side during some of my darkest times. My love and admiration for her lasted far longer than our short-lived marriage." He added of Doherty's cancer journey, "Watching her battle that horrific disease with such stoicism was inspiring to many, but even more so to me since I am a cancer survivor."

Universal Screening of "Beethoven's 2nd"
(Photo:

Shannen Doherty and Ashley Hamilton in December 1993

- Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

Hamilton noted that he regrets not having reached out to his ex-wife after she announced her diagnosis in 2015. "The world lost a free-spirited soul and my heart aches for her and for all those who loved her," he said. "May she rest in peace."

Doherty married Hamilton in September 1993 after a whirlwind month-long romance that kicked off not long after the Heathers star's brief engagement to Dean Jay Factor came to an end. In April 1994, Doherty filed for divorce. The late actress revealed on her podcast Let's Be Clear with Shannen Doherty in January that her turbulent marriage to Hamilton was part of the reason she was let go from Beverly Hills, 90210 after Season 4.

Related:

'Beethoven's 2nd' Screening
(Photo:

Shannen Doherty and Ashley Hamilton attend a screening of 'Beethoven's 2nd' at the Cineplex Odeon Cinema, Century City, California, December 11, 1993.

- Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

"Towards my last season, I was in a really horrible marriage and there were things transpiring in that marriage that made it very hard for me to consistently be on time for work," Doherty revealed at the time to former co-star Jason Priestley. "And I know that that became a very big problem for the rest of you, because as it should be, because if everybody else is on time and you're waiting for one person, it sucks."

Doherty would go on to marry poker player Rick Salomon in 2002, nine months before annulling the marriage. Then in 2011, Doherty tied the knot with photographer Kurt Iswarienko, from whom she filed for divorce in April 2023. Doherty was involved in the divorce proceedings with Iswarienko until July 12 – the day before her death – when the former couple submitted paperwork indicating that they would continue with the split uncontested. 

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