Mark Rylance Mourns Wife Claire Van Kampen After Her Passing at Age 71

Mark Rylance confirmed the passing of his wife, Claire Van Kampen, on Saturday, January 18. She succumbed to cancer at the age of 71. A statement from Rylance and their daughter Juliet was shared with PEOPLE.

Rylance and Juliet revealed that Claire died "surrounded by family" in Kassel, Germany. This date marks Rylance's 65th birthday.

"Claire Louise van Kampen, Lady Rylance, passed away this morning at 11:47 in Kassel, Germany, surrounded by her family," they stated. They shared that Claire died of cancer just as Mark Rylance entered a new year of his life. They fondly noted that she leaves behind her eldest daughter, Juliet, two husbands, and numerous cherished friends across England and America.

Her family described Claire as "one of the funniest and inspiring women we have ever known." They expressed gratitude for the enduring "magic, music, laughter, and love" she brought into their lives.

Claire's battle with cancer was known before her death, as reported by BBC News.

Born in London, Claire trained at the Royal College of Music and specialized in piano and music theory. She launched her theatre career with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1986, becoming the first female musical director there. In 1987, she joined the Royal National Theatre and met Rylance while working on a play he featured in.

Claire later served as associate to Rylance at the Globe Theatre, where she worked for two decades. They married in 1989, with Rylance stepping in as a father figure to her daughters from a previous relationship. Tragically, her youngest daughter, Nataasha, passed away at 28 in 2012.

In recent years, Claire contributed her talents as a Globe associate and worked as a senior research fellow for early modern music. She also served as a creative associate at the Old Vic Theatre in London.

Reflecting on his late wife in 2023, Rylance stated, "Claire completely changed my life. She introduced me to that world of classical and modern music, and it was around music that we fell in love." He acknowledged the children they raised together and noted that their projects felt like their own children, emphasizing Claire's role as "the rock of my life."

Earlier, SSP wrote that Katy Perry expressed excitement for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour after their feud.