Ella van Heemstra: What Happened To Audrey Hepburn’s Mother?

Ella van Heemstra was an aristocrat and the mother of Audrey Kathleen Ruston best known as Audrey Hepburn. Ella’s daughter Audrey was a British actress who was recognized as a film and fashion icon. She worked in films, television, and on the stage. She became a star for her role as Princess Ann in the romantic comedy Roman Holiday (1953).

Ella van Heemstra: Bio Summary

Who Was Audrey Hepburn’s Mother, Ella van Heemstra?

Baroness Ella van Heemstra was born on 12 June 1900, in Velp, Gelderland, Netherlands. Baron Aarnoud van Heemstra and Baroness Elbrig Willemine Henriette van Asbeck were her parents. Her father was a Dutch nobleman, jurist, and politician. He served as mayor of Arnhem between 1910 and 1920, and Governor-General of Suriname from 1921 until 1928.

Ella’s mother was the granddaughter of jurist Count Dirk van Hogendorp. Ella was the sister of Wilhelmina Cornelia (Miesje) Baroness van Heemstra, Geraldine Caroline Baroness van Heemstra, Marianne Jacqueline Baroness van Heemstra, Willem Hendrik Johan Baron van Heemstra, and Arnoudina Johanna Baroness van Heemstra. Her parents were married in the year 1896.

Ella van Heemstra’s parents remained married until her mother passed away. Her stepmother became Anna Eliza Roosenburg after Anna and her father got married. Ella’s paternal grandparents were Wilhelmina Cornelia (née de Beaufort, 1843–1927) and Willem Hendrik Johan Baron van Heemstra (1841–1909), the mayor of Loenen.

Ella’s maternal grandparents were Gerrit Ferdinand van Asbeck and Caroline van Hogendorp. Ella spent much of her childhood at Huis Doorn. Ella’s educational background and qualifications are unknown. She was a noblewoman, socialite, and volunteer worker. In the early 1960s, she lived in Los Angeles.

Later, Ella lived in San Francisco, where she did volunteer work for soldiers coming back from Vietnam. She was named Dame of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem by Queen Elizabeth II on 7 September 1971. According to her IMDb page, she is an actress although she appeared in only one film and was even uncredited for her role.

ALSO, READ: Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston: How Did Audrey Hepburn’s Father Die?

Ella van Heemstra was uncredited for her role as Sidewalk Cafe Patron in the film “Funny Face”. She was an early supporter of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime. She wrote several articles in praise of the fascist leader.

Ella van Heemstra Was Married Twice

Ella van Heemstra was married and divorced two times in her life. Her first marriage happened when she was a teenager. She married Jonkheer Hendrik Gustaaf Adolf Quarles van Ufford in the year 1919. She was 19 years old at the time. They had two sons and got divorced in 1925. Their sons were born in the Dutch East Indies.

Their sons were Jonkheer Arnoud Robert Alexander Quarles van Ufford (1920–1979) and Jonkheer Ian Edgar Bruce Quarles van Ufford (1924–2010). After the divorce, Ella van Heemstra got married for the second time to Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston (later Hepburn-Ruston). She and Joseph were married on 24 September 1926 in Batavia, Java, Dutch East Indies.

Ella and Joseph became the parents of Audrey Kathleen Hepburn (née Ruston; 1929 – 1993). Audrey who was born in Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium became an actress. Due to Joseph’s job, the family was often on the move. He worked for a trading company but soon after he and Ella got married they moved to Europe, where he began working for a loan company; reportedly tin merchants MacLaine, Watson, and Company in London.

After a year in London, they moved to Brussels. They eventually settled in the suburban Brussels municipality of Linkebeek in 1932. In the mid-1930s, Ella and Joseph recruited and collected donations for the British Union of Fascists (B.U.F). Ella met Adolf Hitler and wrote favorable articles about him for the B.U.F.

Joseph left the family, moving to London, where he became more deeply involved in Fascist activity. Ella moved with Audrey Hepburn to her family’s estate in Arnhem. Her two sons from her first marriage were sent to The Hague to live with relatives. Ella and Joseph were divorced on 24 June 1939.

What Happened To Audrey Hepburn’s Mother?

Ella van Heemstra passed away on 26 August 1984, at age 84, in Tolochenaz, Vaud, Switzerland. The cause of her death is unknown. She was living in her daughter’s house in Tolochenaz, Switzerland where she died. Audrey accompanied her mother’s body to the Netherlands for the funeral. She was buried at Huis Doorn, Doorn, Utrechtse Heuvelrug Municipality, Utrecht, Netherlands.