🌟 A Dazzling Newcomer to Heaven: Actress and Muse Jill Freud Dies Aged 98
🌟 A Dazzling Newcomer to Heaven: Actress and Muse Jill Freud Dies Aged 98
The acclaimed British actress, theatre director, and celebrated muse Lady Jill Freud (née June Flewett) has died peacefully at the age of 98. She passed away on Monday, November 24, 2025, after a remarkable life that bridged the worlds of literature, cinema, and the stage.
The news was announced by her daughter, broadcaster and writer Emma Freud, who is married to filmmaker Richard Curtis. In a moving tribute, Emma revealed her mother's final, feisty words:
“My beautiful 98-year-old mum has taken her final bow. 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. And then she never woke up. Her final words were, 'I love you.'”
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I. The Muse of Narnia: Lucy Pevensie
The most unique chapter of Jill Freud's life began during the Second World War.
Evacuation to Oxford: Born June Flewett in 1927, she was evacuated from London during the Blitz. At the age of 16, she moved to Oxford to work as a housekeeper at The Kilns, the home shared by author C.S. Lewis and his companion, Jane Moore.
The Inspiration: Freud lived at The Kilns for three years. Lewis grew exceptionally fond of the young woman, praising her "unselfishness and patience and kindness" in a letter to her mother. It was the enormous, mysterious wardrobe on the landing at The Kilns, which she recalled, that is believed to be the model for the famous gateway to Narnia.
Lucy Pevensie: Lewis later drew upon the spirit and personality of the young, kind, and brave Jill to create Lucy Pevensie, the youngest of the four children in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and the first to discover the world of Narnia.
Decades-Later Discovery: In a delightful twist of fate, Freud did not learn she was the prototype for Lucy until 2004, decades after the book’s publication, when Lewis's stepson, Douglas Gresham, wrote to her. She later told The Hollywood Reporter, "I was absolutely thrilled. It's like being told you were the real Lady Macbeth!"
C.S. Lewis, recognizing her talent, later paid for her fees to attend the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
II. Career Highlights: Stage, Screen, and Suffolk
After graduating from RADA and adopting the stage name Jill Raymond, she built a distinguished career on the stage and screen.
West End Success: She quickly progressed to the West End stage, appearing opposite stars like Michael Redgrave.
Theatre Director: In 1980, she founded her own company, Jill Freud and Company, and later the Southwold Summer Theatre, both based in Suffolk. For over 30 years, she was a central, beloved figure in regional theatre, employing hundreds of actors. Her daughter noted her dedication to actors' rights, her passion, and her famous shepherd's pie.
Family and Marriage: In 1950, she married Clement Freud, the grandson of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. Clement went on to become a successful broadcaster and a Liberal Member of Parliament (MP), leading to Jill becoming Lady Freud when he was knighted. The couple had five children, including writer/broadcaster Emma Freud and PR executive Matthew Freud.
The Final Film Role
To a modern audience, Jill Freud is best known for her final screen role as Pat, the kind and long-suffering housekeeper at Downing Street in the 2003 romantic comedy, 'Love Actually.' The film was written and directed by her son-in-law, Richard Curtis, and she shared scenes with Hugh Grant and Martine McCutcheon.
Jill Freud’s daughter also affectionately highlighted her mother’s enduring spirit, noting that Jill enjoyed the same lunch every day—a glass of red wine and a packet of crisps—and, at the age of 93 during the Covid-19 lockdown, participated in a daily tap-dancing class.
She is survived by her five children, 17 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
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