Andrew Strauss to remarry seven years after the death of his wife
Andrew Strauss is preparing to remarry seven years after the death of his first wife, Ruth. The former England captain, now 48, confirmed that he will wed Antonia Linnaeus Peat on December 17 in the wine town of Franschhoek in South Africa, in a ceremony that will be attended only by their families, reports BritPanorama.
Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Strauss explained that the gathering would be small and private in the valley east of Cape Town. The timing means he will not be in Australia for the start of the Ashes series next week, choosing instead to focus on the wedding he and Linnaeus Peat have been planning quietly for some time.
The couple were first seen together two years ago after leaving an exclusive London restaurant and were reported to have been in a relationship for several months already. Their more public appearances have since included the Royal Box at Wimbledon this summer, where they joined a cluster of sporting names.
Linnaeus Peat, 30, grew up in Hong Kong before attending St Mary’s Calne, a prestigious boarding school. A former PR executive, she is now a company director at Linnaeus Fine Art Advisory Limited.
Strauss’s decision to marry again comes after a long period of adjustment following the death of his first wife. Ruth died aged 46 on December 29, 2018, from a rare form of non-smoking lung cancer. She and Strauss had been married for fifteen years and had two sons, Samuel and Luca, now 19 and 17.
Her illness and death prompted the former opener to establish the Ruth Strauss Foundation in 2019. The charity supports families preparing for the loss of a parent and funds research into the types of lung cancer that claimed Ruth’s life. Its annual Red for Ruth day has become a fixture in the English cricketing summer, with fans and players wearing red during a July Test to highlight the charity’s work.
Strauss has spoken candidly about how grief altered his perspective. In a 2023 interview with The Telegraph, he reflected on the urgency that followed Ruth’s death. “Our time is limited, and therefore I need to be more conscious about what I do and don’t do,” he said. “This might mean experiencing things that weren’t appealing to me before, or saying no to things even though I don’t want to let people down. But most of all, it means keeping the people most important to me happy.”
He also urged greater openness around grief, stating, “It is still far too much of a taboo. Many people feel very uncomfortable, not knowing what to say to those who are going through it.” Strauss emphasized that this topic should not be avoided, acknowledging, “We’re all going to be touched by death in life. Grief still feels very beneath the surface to me. And that has to change.”
As he prepares for this new chapter in his life, Strauss continues to embody resilience, navigating the delicate balance of personal joy and public scrutiny. It’s a poignant reminder that life, with all its complexities, moves forward — even in the face of profound loss.
