A mother for the first time aged 64, new Dame known as Queen of Arts
IT is a time in life when many women look forward to retirement – and the chance to devote more time to their grandchildren.
But Julia Peyton- Jones, a leading figure in the arts world, has just become a mother for the first time at the age of 64.
Instead of putting her feet up after a high-flying career as head of the Serpentine Galleries in London, she will be busy raising daughter Pia.
The new mother, who is thought to be single, will turn 65 next month.
It is not known if the infant was born following IVF treatment or surrogacy using frozen eggs.
Dame Julia was director of the Serpentine for more than 25 years and was rewarded with a damehood in the birthday honours list.
Dubbed the ‘Queen of Arts’, she is credited with turning around the fortunes of the galleries, showcasing emerging talents – including a young Damien Hirst – and raising thousands for new buildings and renovations. She could not be reached for comment yesterday, but is understood to be delighted at the arrival of her daughter, whose name means pious. She is thought to be in California, where the baby was born.
Her friend, financier Robin Saunders, said: ‘This is the most exciting news. Julia will be a wonderful mother and role model for her daughter. I wish her happiness with Pia.’ Dame Julia announced her departure as co-director from the Serpentine in 2015, and stood down last summer.
There were rumours she was to replace Sir Nicholas Serota as director of the Tate. Instead, she quietly became a mother after telling friends she had been considering it for some time. The revelation about her motherhood is likely to raise eyebrows in the art world, given her age. But she was unlikely to have had the time before now,
‘My goal is to live to 100’
with her working day consisting of early mornings, back-toback meetings and social events in the evenings.
Announcing her departure from the Serpentine, she said she wanted to spend more time painting.
‘I will be starting all over again,’ she said at the time, ‘I am 64. My goal is to live to 100 and remain in really good shape. And I feel I need to make that investment in what the future will hold.’
Elizabeth Adeney, of Suffolk, was Britain’s oldest mum at 66 when she gave birth to a son in 2009 following IVF treatment in Ukraine. The oldest firsttime British IVF mother is believed to be Sue Tollefsen, from Harold Wood, Essex, who in 2008 gave birth at 57 to daughter Freya after treatment in Moscow.
The cut- off limit for IVF treatment on the NHS is 42 and most private clinics in the UK refuse to treat women over 50, prompting older women to travel abroad for treatment. Another option apart from using frozen eggs is adoption.
Last year, Marks and Spencer executive Laura WadeGery quit her role after having her first child at the age of 50.
Mrs Wade-Grey – once tipped to take the helm of the company – had a child with her second husband, business consultant and farmer Simon Roberts, 67. It was not known whether she became pregnant or used a surrogate. Dame Julia trained at the Royal College of Art. She was briefly a lecturer at Edinburgh College of Art before joining London’s Hayward Gallery as a curator.
She became director of the Serpentine in 1991 and was credited with securing Diana, Princess of Wales as patron. She also managed to secure powerful backers including former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and raised £14million to turn a nearby 19th- century munitions store into a show space. Under her stewardship, visitors numbers rose five-fold and it is now one of the most popular galleries in London.
Dame Julia, who lives in central London, was married to Prosper Riley-Smith, a founder of research company Davis Riley Smith McClay, but they divorced in 1985.
She has one sister and four half-sisters.
One, Elizabeth, 50, is a herbalist and healthy eating expert whose clients include actress Thandie Newton.