Clare Drakeford, the wife of Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford, died on Saturday, a Welsh government spokesperson confirmed. Her death was described as ‘sudden’ as she was not suffering from any illness. Drakeford was 66 years old.

“It is with deep sadness that we confirm the sudden passing of Clare Drakeford, wife of the First Minister,” the Welsh government said in a statement. “The thoughts of everyone in the Welsh Government are with the family at this time and we ask that their privacy is respected.”

Also read: Who is Miss Wales 2022 Darcey Corria? Age, Instagram, family, car crash

Who was Clare Drakeford? 

Clare Drakeford (formerly Buckle) married Mark Drakeford in 1977 in Cambridge. According to publicly available sources, they had three children. Details about her personal life are not immediately available.

Also read: Why did Gareth Bale retire from professional football?

Prime Minister of England, Rishi Sunak, has expressed his condolences to Mark Drakeford in a private message after the news of Clare Drakeford’s passing broke, according to The Daily Mail.

Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister of Scotland, conveyed ‘love and strength’ to Drakeford. “My thoughts are with Mark and his family at this terribly sad time,” she tweeted, adding, “On the occasions I met Clare it was obvious how strong the bond between her and Mark was, and I can only imagine the depth of grief he is feeling.”

Also read: Who was Samantha Ann Clark and what happened to the TikToker?

Secretary of State for Wales David TC Davies also tweeted his condolences for Drakeford. He said: “Absolutely devastating news to learn of Clare Drakeford’s passing. My thoughts and prayers go out to Mark Drakeford and his family during this incredibly difficult time.”

The Queen gave her approval to Mark Drakeford’s nomination as First Minister designate, which was made by AMs on December 12. The next day, he chose his cabinet. On January 10, 2019, he was appointed a privy counsellor.