Kate Beckinsale unveils sweet tattoo tribute to her late mother Judy Loe following her death aged 78

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Kate Beckinsale recently got a tattoo honoring her mother, Judy Loe, who passed away at the age of 78.

The 52-year-old actress revealed on Instagram this summer that her mother passed away in her arms on July 15th, after a long and difficult illness. She shared that she’s been completely overwhelmed with grief since then.

While the official cause of Judy’s death hasn’t been released, Kate had shared that her mother had been fighting stage four cancer for the past two years.

Kate shared a new tattoo on Instagram on Friday: a drawing of her mother, based on a photo from 1971. The tattoo is on her arm.

She added a new tattoo beneath an existing one that said ‘Fatherless sc*m’ as a tribute to both her father and stepfather, inspired by David Bowie’s 1979 song, Fantastic Voyage.

Alongside the post, she penned: ‘It everyone would stop dying I wouldn’t have so many tattoos.

Thank you to @_dr_woo_ for this lovely tattoo of my mom, and to @endrystymest for the tattoos of Peepo and a rather harsh depiction of my father.

Last month Kate shared poignant snaps from her beloved mother Judy’s funeral.

She looked back on the day and shared some photos from the ceremony held at Chiswick House.

She was accompanied by her 26-year-old daughter, Lily, whom she shares with her former partner, Michael Sheen. He was also there to show his support.

Kate shared a photo showing Lily and Michael in a warm embrace. Kate and Michael were a couple between the mid-1990s and 2003.

Kate shared in her caption that she’s still deeply shocked and saddened by the loss, and heartbreakingly revealed she sometimes instinctively reaches for her phone to call her, only to remember she won’t get a response.

Kate mentioned her mother specifically requested people not wear black to her funeral, and instead wanted it to be a celebration of her life.

In a heartfelt message, Kate wrote about her mother, saying it felt wrong and absurd to be holding a funeral for someone so full of life, energy, and joy. She described her mother as a true lover of life.

Over the years, you only asked for one thing: a joyful celebration of your life. And everyone honored that wish by avoiding black clothing, just as you wanted.

Honestly, I never imagined, especially after that awful night before the funeral – barely two hours of sleep on a rock-hard sofa and I genuinely thought I wouldn’t be strong enough to even go – that the whole thing could be so…beautiful. It wasn’t sad, not really. It was overflowing with love, happiness, and joy, and it was all because of them. Everything good came from who they were and everything they brought into the world. It just…it was amazing, and I hadn’t expected that at all.

You connect people, cherish love, and value both cherished memories and long-standing friendships – all thanks to a higher power.

Saying goodbye to you was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done, and I still haven’t fully accepted it. I often find myself wanting to text you in the middle of the night, only to remember you won’t be replying.

The funeral, followed by the celebration I won’t call a wake, was an incredibly powerful event at Chiswick House, and I truly felt like you were there with us in spirit.

People of all ages danced the night away, from young children to those in their eighties. Friends from everyone’s school – yours, mine, and Lily’s – were all there. The quiet, generous love you gave to others was truly amazing, and it still is today.

I’ll always feel a heavy emptiness inside where you used to be. I hope I can learn to cope with this pain more gracefully than I am now, because right now, it’s really difficult.

However, you did give me a wonderful gift: a group of incredibly talented people who I know will be there to support me when I need it, whenever I’m ready.

Right now, I’m completely shocked and heartbroken, and I need some space to process everything. But I remember the love and support you received from the relationships you built, and knowing those people are there for me too is another example of how kind and giving you were – that kindness will always be remembered.

Mama, I love you deeply. You’re a part of everything I am – in my very being. Even when things are hard, you’re always with me, and my love for you is immense.

She passed away eighteen months after Judy’s second husband and Kate’s stepfather, Roy, died in January 2024.

In December 2023, he was hospitalized in Los Angeles after a severe stroke. He had been diagnosed with two different types of cancer the previous summer.

This wasn’t the first time Judy had experienced the loss of a husband. She was previously widowed when her first husband, Richard Beckinsale, unexpectedly passed away in 1979, leaving Kate just five years old.

The actor, best known for his work on the TV shows Rising Damp and Porridge, unexpectedly died on March 19, 1979, at the young age of 31. He is survived by his wife, Judy, and their daughters, Kate and Samantha.

Kate recently shared the sad news of her mother’s passing in July. She explained she was posting a collection of photos reluctantly, only because she needed to officially register her mother’s death certificate, which would soon be public information.

She passed away in my arms on the night of July 15th, after a long and painful struggle. I haven’t been able to look through my photos and videos yet, so I haven’t chosen any to share.

I’m very sorry if her friends are learning about this through the media or secondhand, but I won’t be going through her phone.

I’m paralyzed, and Jude was everything to me – my guiding star, the person I loved most, and my closest friend. Despite her small stature, she had an enormous heart and impacted the lives of everyone who knew and loved her.

She consistently showed incredible strength, often forgiving others even when it was difficult. She always believed in the best of people, and her absence casts a deep shadow, making life almost unbearable.

She ended with a heartfelt message: “Mom, I love you so much. Ever since I found my father when I was five, I’ve been terrified of this moment, but here I am. Oh, Mom… I’m so sorry. I’m truly sorry.”

People shared their sympathy and support in the comments, with many writing messages like ‘I’m so sorry for your loss. She was a wonderful woman.’

Sending all my love to you and Lily. I’m deeply sorry for your loss. You and Lily shared such a special and close relationship, which is truly rare between mothers and daughters.

Sending all my love, but it doesn’t feel like enough. Nothing can ever replace a mother. I’m so sorry for your loss. May she rest in peace.

Jess Wright added: ‘Omg I am so deeply sorry’. 

Back in March Kate shared a tearful Mother’s Day tribute to Judy amid her cancer battle. 

In a heartfelt Instagram post, she told her mother that she’ll always support her, no matter what, sharing how much she admires her mom.

Kate shared a series of photos documenting her mum’s cancer journey and cherished memories, affectionately calling her mum her ‘partner in crime.’

Kate, who shared last year that her mother was ill, recently spoke about the difficult time they’ve faced together, saying her mother means the world to her.

The Fool’s Paradise star further offered her advice to others who are grieving.

She said: ‘My heart is with you,’ on a day that is ‘joyful for so many and painful for so many.’

Kate also asked her followers to send their best wishes to her mother, whom she described as an amazing and strong woman in her message.

Kate wrote in a heartfelt message about her mother, saying she almost didn’t return to Instagram but is asking for any positive thoughts, prayers, or good energy to be sent her mother’s way. She described her mother as an incredible, strong, kind, modest, loving, and one-of-a-kind woman who is irreplaceable.

Dear God, please keep her safe and protect her from all fears tonight. May angels watch over her as she sleeps until the morning comes. Amen.

Kate was only five years old when her father, Richard, unexpectedly passed away in his sleep from a heart attack. He had an undiagnosed heart condition called coronary artery disease.

The family was focused on Judy, who was recovering in the hospital from surgery to help her have more children.

When she emerged, she learned her operation had been a success, but that her husband had died.

The day before he died, Richard took his five-year-old daughter, Kate, to see her mother in the hospital. He hadn’t mentioned feeling sick, only that he was tired.

That evening, Richard went to a party celebrating The Two Ronnies, and then went home to his family in Sunningdale, Berkshire.

The last time anyone spoke to the up-and-coming comedian, he’d called friends before bed, mentioning some arm and chest pain but joking about it. Sadly, Richard passed away overnight.

Kate has shared that she continues to experience post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from a childhood experience: finding her father, who was very young at the time, unconscious at home while she was being babysat.

Losing Roy brought back deeply painful memories from her past. A year after his death, she shared that the experience of witnessing his passing would stay with her forever, continuing to cause her significant distress.

Roy, who directed popular TV shows like Inspector Morse, Cracker, and A Touch of Frost, became Kate’s partner three years after her father passed away.

Kate shared a happy photo of her father and wrote about two incredibly painful experiences. She explained that discovering her father’s body when she was just five years old deeply affected her life. She also shared that the loss of her stepfather a year ago continues to deeply grieve her.

It feels incredibly careless to have witnessed both deaths without being able to stop them, especially since I did absolutely everything I could the second time. But even that wasn’t enough.

Losing my dog, Roy, was devastating. It also led to the loss of relationships with family and friends, took a toll on my health, and unfortunately, drained all my savings because of the high cost of healthcare for the uninsured. Despite all the hardship, I wouldn’t hesitate to go through it all again for him.

I feel like I really let him down, but I’m finding some comfort today in remembering how much preparation he did during his life. He studied and practiced Jungian psychology so thoroughly, and it makes me feel like the boundary between life and what comes after isn’t so strong. I believe a part of him was at peace with everything.

But it also feels like I’m just trying to convince myself things are okay, and it’s not really working. Maybe I haven’t accepted things enough to overcome my feelings of sadness, regret, and disappointment.

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2025-11-21 16:36