Billionaire philanthropist Hans Rausing loses his second wife Julia to cancer aged 63: Fresh heartbreak for Tetra Pak heir more than a decade after his first wife Eva died of cocaine abuse

Billionaire philanthropist Hans Rausing has been hit with a new tragedy following the death of his second wife to cancer .

Julia Rausing passed away peacefully on Thursday morning surrounded by her family, her friends have revealed.

The 63-year-old had dedicated herself to a life of philanthropy along with her husband.

The couple had donated £330million in more than 1,000 grants, including £50million to UK charities annually, through the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust which they co-founded.

The couple tied the knot in 2014, two years after the Tetra Pak heir's first wife, Eva, died of cocaine abuse in 2012.

Her death sparked huge publicity and Mr Rausing was given a 10-month prison sentence after he hid her body in his house for two months and prevented her ‘decent and lawful burial’ because he was unable to ‘let her leave’.

Announcing the passing of Julia – a 'much-loved wife, stepmother, sister and daughter' - her family said: 'Julia was widely known for her unwavering commitment to philanthropy and her impactful contributions to various charitable causes.

'She co-founded The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust with her husband in 2014, a charitable fund supporting good causes in the UK and beyond.

'She was instrumental in building the Trust into one of the largest philanthropic funds in the country donating to causes across Health, Welfare, and the Arts. 

'Notable amongst her many achievements was the speed with which she responded to the challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic, masterminding an initiative to provide over £35million funding to help charities survive this turbulent time.

'She took a keen interest in all the Trust's giving, no matter how large or small the grant.'

Mr Rausing said of the death of his wife: '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.' 

Friends of Mr Rausing credited Julia with bringing him happiness after Eva's death, as she encouraged him to be extraordinarily generous with their charitable trust.

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.'

She is survived by her husband, four stepchildren, sister and mother.

The National Gallery and other arts organisations have received tens of millions of pounds in donations from the Rausings, and they were leading forces in fundraising for charities during the pandemic.

They provided a £18million 'lifeline' for small and medium charities under the Charity Survival Fund in 2020, as well as a £16.5million emergency donation for other Covid causes, including a £1million donation for the Mail Force campaign.