Veteran actress Jill Freud has died at the age of 98, her daughter Emma has announced.
The performer, who portrayed the housekeeper at Downing Street in the 2003 romantic comedy Love Actually, died peacefully whilst surrounded by family members.
Emma confirmed her mother’s passing through a statement, describing how the 98-year-old had taken her “final bow” following an evening spent with children and grandchildren.
The family gathering included sharing pizza together before Ms Freud’s peaceful death.
The actress enjoyed a distinguished career spanning decades in British theatre and film.
Her role in Richard Curtis’s beloved Christmas film Love Actually marked her final screen appearance, where she played a member of the Prime Minister’s household staff.
According to Emma’s statement, the family knew Ms Freud was nearing the end during their final evening together.
“After a loving evening where we knew she was on her way surrounded by children, grandchildren and pizza, she told us all to f*** off so she could go to sleep,” Emma revealed.
Actress Jill Freud has died at 98
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The 98-year-old never regained consciousness after falling asleep that night.
Emma shared that her mother’s final words were “I love you” before she passed away peacefully.
The touching tribute painted a picture of a spirited woman who maintained her characteristic wit and humour until the very end.
Emma’s candid account of her mother’s last moments reflected the actress’s forthright personality, combining tenderness with the irreverent spirit that defined her throughout her long life.
Jill Freud’s final acting role was in Richard Curtis film Love Actually in 2003
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Ms Freud’s extraordinary life began when she was born on April 22, 1927.
During the Second World War, she and her sister were evacuated to Oxford at the age of 16, where they found refuge with renowned author CS Lewis and his companion Jane Moore.
The young evacuee spent three years in the Lewis household, forming such a strong bond with the writer that he drew inspiration from her for one of his most beloved characters.
Mr Lewis based Lucy Pevensie in The Chronicles of Narnia on Ms Freud, a connection she acknowledged in a 2014 interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“It’s years since I read it, but in the stage version I saw a few years ago, Lucy was very likeable – it was quite flattering,” she reflected about seeing the character inspired by her younger self.
Jill Freud’s daughter shared a poignant statement
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Following her time with Mr Lewis, Ms Freud pursued her theatrical ambitions and gained admission to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, with Lewis covering her tuition fees.
She began performing on the West End stage under the name Jill Raymond before marrying into the renowned Freud family in 1950, becoming the wife of Sigmund Freud’s grandson.
In 1980, she established Jill Freud and Company, managing repertory theatre companies in Suffolk for three decades.
Emma’s tribute highlighted her mother’s dedication to regional theatre and performers’ welfare, noting how hundreds of actors cherished her for “her passion, her care, her shepherd’s pie, her devotion to regional theatre and her commitment to actors’ rights.”
The nonagenarian maintained remarkable vitality, participating in daily tap dancing classes during lockdown at 93 whilst living with three other Freud women.