For many years Bogarde shared his homes, first in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, and then in France, with Anthony Forwood.
 Forwood, who had been married to actress Glynis Johns during the 1940s, was the father of the actor Gareth Forwood, their only child.
Bogarde repeatedly denied that his relationship to Forwood was anything other than platonic.
This was perhaps a lie because male homosexual acts were criminal during most of his career, and could lead to prosecution and imprisonment.
Rank Studio contracts included morality clauses, which provided for termination in the event of "immoral conduct" on the part of the actor.
These included same-sex relationships, thus potentially putting the actor's career in jeopardy.

It is possible that Bogarde's refusal to enter into a marriage of convenience was a major reason for his failure to become a star in Hollywood, together with the critical and commercial failure of Song Without End.
His friend Helena Bonham Carter believed he would not have been able to come out during later life because this might have demonstrated that he had been forced to camouflage his sexual orientation during his film career.
For many years Bogarde shared his homes, first in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, and then in France, with Anthony Forwood.  Forwood, who had been married to actress Glynis Johns during the 1940s, was the father of the actor Gareth Forwood, their only child. Bogarde repeatedly denied that his relationship to Forwood was anything other than platonic. This was perhaps a lie because male homosexual acts were criminal during most of his career, and could lead to prosecution and imprisonment. Rank Studio contracts included morality clauses, which provided for termination in the event of "immoral conduct" on the part of the actor. These included same-sex relationships, thus potentially putting the actor's career in jeopardy.
It is possible that Bogarde's refusal to enter into a marriage of convenience was a major reason for his failure to become a star in Hollywood, together with the critical and commercial failure of Song Without End. His friend Helena Bonham Carter believed he would not have been able to come out during later life because this might have demonstrated that he had been forced to camouflage his sexual orientation during his film career.
Dirk Bogarde