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Mrs. Kendal was married in 1869 to W. H. Grimston Kendal, and the two thereafter acted mostly together. In the early 1870s, the Kendals starred in a series of "fairy comedies" by W. S. Gilbert, and they appeared for a number of seasons at The Prince of Wales's Theatre. From 1879 to 1888, they managed St. James's Theatre (London) with great success, and presented a large number of Pinero plays, among many others.
Mrs. Kendall had a wide emotional spectrum: she could play Desdemona and Lady Macbeth as flawlessly as she performed in variety shows. Robertson usually outshone her husband on stage; William Kendal was an astute businessman who chose plays that would display his wife's talents. The Kendals brought new respectability to the Victorian theatre, which had fallen into disrepute among the middle classes. They imposed a high moral code both on stage and behind the scenes. They also managed the Court Theatre for a time. Mr. and Mrs. Kendal retired in 1908.
