Dame Judi Dench has been given an unusual 81st birthday present by her daughter – her first ever tattoo.

The actress had the words “carpe diem” inked on her wrist as a gift from her actress daughter Finty Williams.

Dame Judi Dench with the award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, for The Winter's Tale, at the Olivier Awards 2016
(Ian West/PA)

She told Surrey Life magazine: “That’s my motto: Seize the day. Finty gave it to me for my 81st birthday – she’s wonderful with surprises.

“Mind you the company of A Winter’s Tale, which I was doing at the time, used to say that it said fish of the day.”

The former James Bond star previously told Good Housekeeping she was contemplating getting an Indian symbol tattooed and has also joked that she would like to have Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s name inked on her bottom.

ame Judi Dench attending the London Critics' Circle Film Awards at the May Fair Hotel
(Jonathan Brady/PA)

She told Good Housekeeping: “There’s an Indian symbol that I like which supposedly represents life and love and everything.

“One of the cameramen who worked on The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel told me what it meant, but I’m a bit nervous in case I’m being set up – It might be unbelievably rude.”

Dame Judi will soon be seen in Tim Burton’s film Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children, which is due for UK release in September.