Wolf Hall star Claire van Kampen dies on birthday of husband Sir Mark Rylance

Claire van Kampen has sadly died at the age of 71 after a courageous battle with cancer – on the birthday of her husband Sir Mark Rylance.

Director and playwright Claire composed the music for BBC series Wolf Hall, as well as working on the music for her husband's iconic performance of Hamlet in 1989.

Claire died in Kassel, Germany, surrounded by family. A statement from Sir Mark and Claire's daughter Julia read: "Claire Louise van Kampen, Lady Rylance, has died this morning, Saturday the 18th of January at 11:47, in the ancient town of Kassel, Germany, surrounded by her family. Wife of architect Christopher van Kampen and, later, actor Sir Mark Rylance, Claire was mother of two girls with Christopher, Nataasha van Kampen and Juliet Rylance.

"Concert Pianist, Composer, Musical Director at Shakespeare’s Globe for twenty years under Rylance and then Dominic Dromgoole, Playwright, Theatre Director, she was also one of the funniest and inspiring women we have ever known.

"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 two husbands, and countless beloved friends in England and America."

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."

Across her iconic career, Claire worked as the artistic associate at Shakespeare's Globe, along with being a creative associate at London's Old Vic.

But her life was also filled with tragedy – her youngest daughter Nataasha, who worked as a filmmaker, died aged just 28 in 2012 after a brain haemorrhage.

She welcomed Nataasha and Julia with her first husband Christopher van Kampen.

At the time of the tragedy, Mark pulled out of his creative role in the London Olympics opening ceremony, releasing a statement which read: "Our beloved daughter and sister Nataasha passed away of unsuspected natural causes early on Sunday morning. Because of our bereavement, I have decided to withdraw from my commitment to the opening ceremony of the Olympics."