Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel: What Happened To David Attenborough’s Wife?

Who Is David Attenborough’s Wife?

Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel is the late wife of Sir David Frederick Attenborough. Jane’s husband is a broadcaster, biologist, natural historian, and author. As the host of Zoo Quest, he gained prominence in the entertainment industry. Today, he is a household name. He was a senior manager at the BBC. He has been hailed a ‘national treasure’ in the UK, although he dislikes the term himself.

Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel: Bio Summary

Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel was born on July 11, 1926, in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, United Kingdom. Her parents are called John Augustus Oriel and Margaret H Oriel per sources. She may have siblings but there isn’t any information about them at the moment.

There is no information about Jane’s childhood experiences, family history, and relatives. She attended high school but the name of the school is unknown. She is said to have graduated from Cambridge University.

Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel was a homemaker after she became a wife and mother. She is widely known as the wife of English broadcaster, biologist, natural historian, and author Sir David Frederick Attenborough.

Jane Was Married For Almost 5 Decades

Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel was married to her husband David Attenborough until her death separated them. She and David met under unknown circumstances but they got married beautifully on February 17, 1950. They were very much in love with each other.

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Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel and the love of her life, David Attenborough gave birth to two children, a son and a daughter who are now adults and doing well independently. The couple named their son Robert Attenborough. Robert is an accomplished lecturer.

Robert happens to be a senior lecturer in bioanthropology for the School of Archaeology and Anthropology at the Australian National University in Canberra. Jane and David’s daughter was named Susan Attenborough.

Susan is a former primary school headmistress. Both Robert Attenborough and Susan Attenborough have their own family. Jane and her husband David would probably still be married if not for Jane’s demise.

Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel and David Attenborough were married until 1997. Their marriage lasted for close to five decades. For all the 47 years they were married, there was no hint of a divorce. Since Jane’s death, David has not remarried and instead focused on his career and goals.

What Happened To David Attenborough’s Wife?

Sir David Attenborough’s spouse, Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel was killed by a brain hemorrhage. She left the world on February 16, 1997, leaving her beloved husband David Attenborough, and her two children Robert and Susan Attenborough behind.

Jane was 70 years old at the time she passed away. Her husband Sir David Attenborough has made comments about his wife’s passing on only a few occasions: one at the end of his biography Life On Air. Sir David Attenborough penned in his 2010 memoir Life On Air, about his wife’s final moments.

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Before Jane died, she fell into a coma and her husband was by her side. She squeezed Sir David’s hand in recognition. Sir David wrote: “She did, and gave my hand a squeeze”. He added: “The focus of my life, the anchor had gone… now I was lost.”