- Julia Rausing passed away 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 after the death of his second wife from cancer.
Julia Rausing passed away peacefully on Thursday morning surrounded by her family, friends revealed.
The 63-year-old had dedicated herself to a life of philanthropy along with her husband.
The couple had donated £330 million in more than 1,000 grants, including £50 million annually to UK charities, through the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust, which they co-founded.
The couple married in 2014, two years after Tetra Pak heir’s first wife, Eva, died of cocaine abuse in 2012.
Her death caused widespread publicity and Mr Rausing was sentenced to 10 months in prison after he hid her body in his home for two months and prevented her “decent and legal burial” because he could not “let her go”.
Hans and Julia Rausing (pictured in 2016) married in 2014 and have formed one of the world’s largest philanthropic forces.
Julia Rausing (pictured with her husband at the Serpentine Gallery summer party in 2015) passed away peacefully on Thursday morning surrounded by her family, friends have revealed.
The couple had donated £330 million in more than 1,000 grants, including £50 million annually to UK charities, through the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust, which they co-founded.
Announcing the passing of Julia, a “much-loved wife, stepmother, sister and daughter,” her family said: “Julia was widely known for her unwavering commitment to philanthropy and her impactful contributions to various charitable causes.”
‘She co-founded The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust with her husband in 2014, a charitable trust supporting good causes in the UK and beyond.
‘She was instrumental in turning the Trust into one of the country’s largest philanthropic funds, donating to health, wellbeing and arts causes.
‘Among his many achievements stands out the speed with which he responded to the challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic, devising an initiative to provide more than £35 million of funding to help charities survive in these turbulent times.
“She took a great interest in all of the Trust’s donations, no matter how large or small the grant.”
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 will be missed by all who knew her. She leaves an extraordinary legacy through many charities that we will continue in her name.”
Mr. Rausing’s friends credited Julia with bringing him happiness after Eva’s death, and encouraged him to be extraordinarily generous with his charitable trust.
a friend told him The independent: ‘They were palpably in love and affectionate with each other and were a very touching couple who focused most of their time on how to give money to those in need.
‘They were also quietly sociable, while she also had to battle cancer for many years. Without a doubt, she was responsible for lifting Hans out of terrible pain and helping him find joy in 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’s reopening party in June 2023).
Mr Rausing’s first wife, Eva (left), died in tragic circumstances in 2012 following 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 led the way in fundraising for charities during the pandemic.
They provided an £18 million ‘lifeline’ for small and medium-sized charities under the Charity Survival Fund in 2020, as well as an emergency donation of £16.5 million for other Covid causes, including a £1 million donation for the Mail Force campaign.