Stage and screen actor Jane Lapotaire has passed away at the age of 81, The Guardian has reported. Famed for her Broadway triumph as Édith Piaf in Pam Gems’s Piaf, the Suffolk-born star, who bagged a Tony Award for her performance, was also recognised for her work in TV and film. Among her most recent credits, Jane, who passed away on 5 March, appeared as Princess Kuragin in season five of Downton Abbey, before landing the role of Princess Alice of Battenberg in season three of The Crown.

British actress Jane Lapotaire poses after being made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle© POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Jane Lapotaire passed away on 5 March

Tributes have poured in for the beloved star

Following the news of her passing, tributes have poured in for the beloved actor. “We are saddened to hear of the death of Jane Lapotaire,” tweeted The Royal Shakespeare Company, with whom Jane frequently collaborated. “A truly brilliant actress, her RSC credits include Piaf, winning her TONY & Olivier awards, & Gertrude opposite Kenneth Branagh in Adrian Noble’s Hamlet.”

Meanwhile, the official Instagram account for The Tony Awards shared a clip of her 1981 acceptance speech. The caption read: “We mourn the loss of Tony winner Jane Lapotaire, whose unforgettable performance in Piaf left a lasting impact on audiences around the world.”

Across social media, fans have also remembered Jane and her incredible repertoire of performances. “Jane Lapotaire was a sensation as Edith Piaf – and a majestic actor you’d never regret seeing on stage,” wrote one. “RIP Jane Lapotaire. Marvellous actress,” penned another.

Jane Lapotaire’s life and career

Born in Ipswich on 26 December 1944, Jane was the daughter of Louise Burgess, a French teenager who had been put in foster care in England. After giving birth, Louise gave Jane to her own foster mum, Grace Chisnall, who went on to become her primary carer. Nicknamed “Granny Grace” by the Downton Abbey star, Jane spoke about their relationship in a 1993 interview with The Herald, noting: “She was the one constant in my childhood, the giver of security, stability and love, despite all our rows and my tears.”

Jane Lapotaire at the season 3 premiere of The Crown© Dave Benett/WireImage
Jane at the season 3 premiere of The Crown

At the age of four, Jane officially met her birth mother, but continued to spend her childhood in Ipswich with Grace, attending Northgate Grammar School and eventually discovering her passion for acting. After training at the Bristol Old Vic school from 1961 to 1963, Jane found success on the stage, working with the Bristol Old Vic theatre company and the National Theatre, and eventually, the Royal Shakespeare Company.

By the late 60s and early ’70s, Jane had also begun booking roles in film and television, namely Sherlock Holmes (1968), Crescendo (1970), Antony and Cleopatra (1972) and The Asphyx (1973). But it was her leading role in the 1977 BBC drama, Marie Curie (1977), that truly put her on the map. The following year, Jane was cast as Édith Piaf in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Piaf, which eventually moved to the West End and later, Broadway, securing her a Laurence Olivier Award and a Tony Award. As for her most recent roles, Jane starred in episodes of Downton Abbey (2014), The Crown (2019), Dalgliesh (2021), and Endeavour (2023).

As for her personal life, Jane was married twice, first to Oliver Wood from 1965 to 1967, and later, to The Scarlet Letter director, Roland Joffé, from 1974 to 1980. During her second marriage, Jane welcomed a son, Rowan Joffé, who is now a prolific screenwriter and director. His directorial credits include Brighton Rock (2010) and Before I Go to Sleep (2014).