- Julia Rausing died peacefully Thursday morning
- The couple had donated £330 million in more than 1,000 grants
Billionaire philanthropist Hans Rausing has been hit by new tragedy following the death of his second wife from cancer.
Julia Rausing died peacefully Thursday morning surrounded by her family, her friends revealed.
The 63-year-old had dedicated himself to a life of philanthropy with his husband.
The couple had donated £330 million in more than 1,000 grants, including £50 million to UK charities a year, through the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust which they co-founded.
The couple married in 2014, two years after the Tetra Pak heir’s first wife, Eva, died of cocaine abuse in 2012.
Her death attracted huge publicity and Mr Rausing was sentenced to 10 months in prison after hiding her body in his house for two months and preventing her “decent and legal burial” because he was unable to “let her go “.
Hans and Julia Rausing (photo 2016) married in 2014 and formed one of the world’s leading philanthropic forces.
Julia Rausing (pictured with her husband at the Serpentine Gallery summer party in 2015) died peacefully on Thursday morning surrounded by family, her friends revealed.
The couple had donated £330 million in more than 1,000 grants, including £50 million to UK charities a year, through the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust which they co-founded.
Announcing the death of Julia – a “beloved wife, mother-in-law, sister and daughter” – her family said: “Julia was widely known for her unwavering commitment to philanthropy and her significant contributions to various charitable causes.
“She co-founded The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust with her husband in 2014, a charitable fund supporting good causes in the UK and beyond.
“She was instrumental in transforming the Trust into one of the largest philanthropic funds in the country, donating to causes in health, wellbeing and the arts.
“Among her many achievements, it is worth noting how quickly she responded to the challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic, organizing an initiative to provide more than £35 million in funding to help charities survive this period of turbulence.
“She took a keen interest in all donations to the Trust, regardless of their size.”
Mr Rausing said of his wife’s death: “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of my beloved wife Julia after a long illness.
“Julia dedicated her life to her family and charitable causes, and she will be missed by all who knew her. She leaves behind an extraordinary legacy through many charitable works that we will continue in her name.
Mr Rausing’s friends credited Julia with bringing him happiness after Eva’s death, encouraging him to be extraordinarily generous with their charitable trust.
A friend told The Independent: “They were visibly loving and affectionate towards each other and were a very touching couple who spent most of their time discussing how to give money to those in need .
“They were also quietly social while she also had to battle cancer for many years. Without a doubt, it was she who allowed Hans to recover from terrible grief and helped him find the joy of life again.
The National Gallery and other arts organizations have received tens of millions of pounds in donations from the Rausings (pictured at the National Portrait Gallery reopening party in June 2023)
Mr Rausing’s first wife, Eva (left), died in tragic circumstances in 2012 after a drug overdose.
She is survived by her husband, four stepchildren, her sister and her mother.
The National Gallery and other arts organizations have received tens of millions of pounds in donations from the Rausings and have played a leading role in raising money for charity during the pandemic.
They provided an £18 million ‘lifeline’ to small and medium-sized charities through the Charity Survival Fund in 2020, as well as an emergency donation of £16.5 million for other Covid-related causes, including a £1 million donation to the Mail Force campaign.
dailymail us
