John le Carré’s widow passes away at age of 82
VALERIE Jane Eustace, the widow of the author John le Carré, has passed away at the couple’s Cornwall home.
The former book editor died last Saturday, some two months after her husband’s death in December, following his battle with pneumonia.
John, whose real name was David Cornwell, passed away at the age of 89.
Valerie, also known as Jane Cornwell, was 82 years old.
Jonny Geller, of the Curtis Brown Group literary agency, wrote on Twitter: “Jane Cornwell, devoted wife of David Cornwell (John le Carré) passed away last weekend.
“Jane was a wonderful woman. She was his secret editor and first reader and wise counsel. David wrote every day and she read and commented on each page. I will miss her. Thoughts are with the family.”
Valerie had been married to the Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy novelist for 48 years, and he had often spoken highly of her ability to help a book come together, The Mirror reports.
The couple got together towards the end of his first marriage to Ann Sharp, after meeting at a book event in Birmingham, and, in a letter he wrote to his psychiatrist in a bid to work out why that marriage was failing, the writer admitted he had taken a lover – Jane.
She was, he wrote, “a mistress who might very well provide me with the happiness I speak of – and whom I in turn can please with my success, if it returns, and my talent, if it has not left; but she has the rare gift of not pressing me, and we have no particular plans”.
He added: “In the time we have been together – admittedly never long – I have been content, and have written a great deal.”
Their marriage was plagued by the espionage novelist’s many affairs, which he claimed were essential for his creative process, but he once told a friend: “I think we’re more monogamous than most couples.”
Jane also confided in a pal: “Nobody can have all of David [Cornwell, le Carre’s real name].”
The sad news of her death also comes weeks after the passing of actress Charlotte Cornwell, David’s half-sister, who died of cancer in January at the age of 71.
The accomplished television, film and stage actress starred in the BAFTA-winning TV series Rock Follies.
Le Carré based the main character in his 1983 spy novel The Little Drummer Girl on Charlotte. He encouraged her career and is said to have been disappointed when Diane Keaton was cast as her character in the cinema version of the book.
‘Jane was a wonderful woman. She was his secret editor and first reader and wise counsel’
JONNY GELLER