Tragedy as Mark Rylance's wife Claire van Kampen dies on his birthday aged 71

Claire van Kampen, the wife of actor Sir Mark Rylance, has died aged 71, it has been confirmed.

The 71-year-old passed on Saturday (January 18) - Rylance's 65th birthday - in the German town of Kassel surrounded by her family after being diagnosed with cancer, according to a statement shared on behalf of Sir Mark and her daughter Juliet.

Van Kampen was a concert pianist, composer, playwright, theatre director and worked in various roles at Shakespeare’s Globe for around 20 years. In the statement, she was described as "one of the funniest and (most) inspiring women we have ever known".

It added: "We thank her for imbuing our lives with her magic, music, laughter, and love. Ring the bell, sound the trumpets reverie, something is done, something is beginning. One of the great wise ones has passed."

The announced, signed from "Mark and Juliet Rylance" continued: "Claire has died of cancer on Mark Rylance's 65th birthday. Her youngest daughter having died in 2012, she leaves her eldest daughter Juliet Rylance, her eldest daughter, Juliet Rylance, her two husbands, and countless beloved friends in England and America."

Her theatre credits include composing the music for the 1989 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Hamlet starring Sir Mark, whom she married that same year.

Later in her career she created original scores for Broadway productions of 2000’s True West, 2008’s Boeing-Boeing and 2010 comedy La Bete, as well as adaptations of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and Richard III.

Paying tribute to Van Kampen on X, formerly Twitter, The Royal Shakespeare Company wrote: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Claire van Kampen today. Our thoughts are with Claire's family and friends at this time. Co-Artistic