Actress Jane Lapotaire, known for her roles in both The Crown and Downton Abbey, has passed away at the age of 81, the Royal Shakespeare Company has confirmed.
Jane Lapotaire died on March 5, the Royal Shakespeare Company confirmed. According to The Sun, a spokesperson said, “We are saddened to hear of the death of Jane Lapotaire. A truly brilliant actress, her RSC credits include Piaf, which won her Tony and Olivier awards, and Gertrude opposite Kenneth Branagh in Adrian Noble’s Hamlet.”
No cause of death has been released.
Born Jane Burgess on December 26, 1944, in Ipswich, England, Lapotaire was given up for adoption as a baby. She was placed with a foster mother, with whom she lived for 12 years. Jane began acting after discovering her love for the art form at 17 and later trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School between 1961 and 1963.
“I knew then that I wanted to act,” she once said. “I wanted it more than walking or breathing.”
‘The Crown’ and ‘Downton Abbey’ actress Jane Lapotaire dies at 81
Lapotaire worked as an assistant stage manager at Ipswich Repertory Theatre while studying. Her acting career, which spanned more than 60 years, began on stage when she landed the role of Ruby Birtle in When We Are Married at the Bristol Old Vic in 1965.
Jane Lapotaire rose to fame in the 1970s and won major awards for her acting. In 1980, she won a Tony Award for portraying singer Edith Piaf in the play Piaf.
Many people also remember her from television, where she played royal characters in both season 3 of The Crown, starring as Princess Alice of Battenberg, and season 5 of Downton Abbey, portraying Princess Irina Kuragin.
In 2000, Lapotaire became seriously ill after suffering a brain hemorrhage. She had a long recovery but later returned to acting and even wrote books about her life.
Only weeks before she died, she received the honor of Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) from the King for her work in drama. It was her final public appearance.
Tributes pour in
Tributes have poured in for the icon on social media.
“Her Tony-winning Piaf was raw, vulnerable, and devastating. What a remarkable artist we’ve lost,” one person wrote, according to The Sun.
Another added: “She was an extraordinary talent, and I have always admired her versatility in every role she took on.”
“She was magnificent as Alice of Battenberg in The Crown,” a third wrote.
Jane Lapotaire is survived by her son, Rowan Joffe, whom she shared with ex-husband Roland Joffe.
Rest in peace, Jane Lapotaire.
