Since walking down the aisle in March, it’s been nothing but bliss for Dr Harry Cooper and his wife Susan, affectionately called ‘Suze’.
Together for almost a decade before finally tying the knot, the TV vet says marriage has brought the couple closer than ever before.
Settling back into things following a honeymoon spent exploring Western Australia, Harry, 78, tells New Idea: “We’ve got a lot more understanding and tolerance for each other. You grow closer together.”
“It’s good you tolerate me,” chimes in Suze, 64, with a chuckle.
Reflecting on their happy day, Harry says his one wish was that his path crossed Suze’s sooner.
“I wish I’d met her 20 years ago, I really do,” says Harry, clearly smitten with his new bride. “But fate isn’t like that is it.”
“I don’t know if I would have been able to keep up with him then,” quips Suze.
Often away filming Better Home and Gardens for days at a time, Harry makes sure to keep the romance alive by sending love notes to Suze when he’s on location.
“I text all the time,” reveals Harry.
“I’ll send her a little heart … I keep her up to date about what’s going on – and that’s how we keep going.
“I usually bring more treats home for the animals than I do for her though,” he adds cheekily.
When they do have time together, Suze tells New Idea they love nothing more than sharing a cuppa on the porch of their home in Port Macquarie, NSW, or walking the paddocks of their 50-hectare property to feed their menagerie of animals.
“The best quiet time we have is sitting on the front verandah watching the sun go down. We have birds out there and we watch the wallabies – it’s when we have our best chats,” says Suze.
While many of his ilk might be slowing down for a well-deserved rest, Harry – who’s been sharing advice about animals great and small on Better Homes and Gardens for 18 years – has no plans to retire.
“When Harry’s Practice was brought to an end, I was ready to give it away and be a humble vet again,” reveals Harry.
“But television is a great family, when things are going bad, you’re there for each other and when we got married, we had messages coming through too.
“I like making television, I enjoy it, and I’ll be there as long as they want me.”
And he has a number one fan in Suze, who tunes in to watch her husband at work!
“I watch him – and I say what I think,” she says with a chuckle.
“He’s so good at what he does, he’s and a genuine person and that’s why people love him …and I always learn something!”
With the end of the year fast approaching, the happy couple are excited to celebrate their first Christmas together as husband and wife.
Doting grandfather Harry also can’t wait to get stuck into making his famous Christmas pudding, “My guess is we will probably do something around home,” shares Harry.
Eager for some low-key celebrations after a big year, for Harry and Suze, the best gift will be spending time with their loved ones.
“What do we give each other apart from comfort, love and understanding?
I don’t know,” reflects Harry.
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