Billionaire philanthropist’s wife Julia Rausing left huge £58million in will following her death aged 63 from illness
PHILANTHROPIST Julia Rausing, who died earlier this year, left an eye-watering £58 million in her will.
Julia, who died of cancer aged 63 in April, was the wife of Swedish food packaging titan Hans Kristian Rausing.
A trust set up in her name after she died has pledged to donate £100 million to UK charities in the next year, including £10 million to the Royal Opera House, £5 million to The National Gallery and £1 million to Gloucester Cathedral.
Figures from the probate office show she left a gross estate of £58,815,688 reduced to £58,518,112 after her bills were paid.
In her will, made a month before her death, she asked to be buried in the church at Lasborough, Gloucestershire, wearing her wedding ring, and left her two nieces and nephew, and great nieces and great nephews, £250,000 each.
She left £30,000 each to her five god-children.
She left the rest of her estate to Hans, whom she met in 2002 when she was a senior director at auction house Christie’s.
In a heartbreaking tribute, Hans, heir to Tetra Pak, said: “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of my beloved wife Julia after an extended illness.
“Julia dedicated her life to her family and charitable causes, and she will be missed by all who knew her.
“She leaves behind an extraordinary legacy across many charities which we will continue in her name.”
The couple donated £330million in more than 1,000 grants through the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust which they co-founded in 2014.
Their philanthropy included £50million to UK charities.
Their charity extended across the health and well-being, welfare and education plus the arts and culture sectors.
Julia worked at Christie’s auctioneers before she met Hans.
She is survived by her husband, four stepchildren, her sister Lavinia Verney and mother Lady Helen Delves Broughton.
One friend told The Independent: “They were palpably in love and affectionate towards each other and were a very touching couple who focused most of their time on how to give away money to those in need.
“They were also discreetly social while she also for many years had to battle cancer.
“Without a doubt, she was responsible for bringing Hans back from appalling grief and helping him find joy in life again.”
Hans’s first wife Eva, mother to his four kids, was found dead wrapped in bedding at the couple’s squalid Belgravia flat in July 2012.
He had hidden her body for two months before being charged with delaying her burial and sentenced to ten months’ in prison.
A coroner ruled Eva died around May 7 from the effects of cocaine on a damaged heart.
At the time she was one of the richest women in Britain.
Professor Hans Rausing, Hans’s father, died aged 93 in August 2019.