Jane Lapotaire Dies: The Crown & Downton Abbey Actress Was 81 — See Tributes

Jane Lapotaire — the actress known for her roles in The Crown, Downton Abbey, and more — is dead at 81.

On Thursday, March 12, The Guardian reported that Lapotaire died on March 5. No cause of death, however, was revealed.

The actress played Princess Alice, Prince Philip‘s (Tobias Menzies) mother, in Season 3 of The Crown. She also portrayed Princess Irina Kuragin, the wife of Prince Igor Kuragin (Rade Šerbedžija), in an episode of Season 5 of Downton Abbey.

Film-wise, Lapotaire’s credits include Rebecca (2020), The Young Messiah (2016), Shooting Fish (1997), Surviving Picasso (1996), Lady Jane (1986), and Antony and Cleopatra (1972).

Additionally, Lapotaire won a Tony Award in 1981 for her role as Pam Gems in the Broadway musical Piaf. In 1979, she won an Olivier Award for Actress of the Year in a New Play for the same role.

She was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in February 2026.

We are saddened to hear of the death of Jane Lapotaire.

A truly brilliant actress her RSC credits include Piaf, winning her TONY & Olivier awards, & Gertrude opposite Kenneth Branagh in Adrian Noble’s Hamlet. pic.twitter.com/MnCXO4IwPY

— The RSC (@TheRSC) March 12, 2026

In the wake of Lapotaire’s death, the Royal Shakespeare Company — with which she often collaborated — wrote on X, “We are saddened to hear of the death of Jane Lapotaire. A truly brilliant actress, her RSC credits include Piaf, winning her TONY & Olivier awards, & Gertrude opposite Kenneth Branagh in Adrian Noble’s Hamlet.”

The Tony Awards’ official Instagram account also posted a tribute honoring the actress.

“We mourn the loss of Tony winner Jane Lapotaire, whose unforgettable performance in Piaf left a last[ing] impact on audiences around the world. 🕊️🤍,” it wrote.

Lapotaire is survived by a son, Rowan Joffé, whom she shared with her ex-husband, Roland Joffé. They were married from 1974 to 1980, and he survives.