Tennis star Andy Murray’s grandmother Shirley Erskine has died just weeks after the death of her husband Roy Erskine, with cousin Ailsa Erskine sharing a heartbreaking tributeGeorgia Burns Trainee Trends, Showbiz and Lifestyle Writer and Peter Hennessy
00:25, 06 Feb 2026Updated 00:43, 06 Feb 2026
Andy Murray’s grandmother Shirley Erskine has passed away(Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire)
Andy Murray is grieving the loss of his grandmother, who sadly passed away just weeks after the death of his grandfather Roy Erskine. Shirley Erskine, mother of Judy Murray, died last week, as revealed by Andy’s cousin in a heartfelt tribute.
Andy’s cousin, actress Ailsa Erskine, announced the sad news on Instagram, sharing a poignant series of 19 photos commemorating her grandmother’s life. In a moving tribute, Ailsa described her as ‘one of a kind’ and someone who ‘lit up every room’, reports the Daily Record..
The emotional caption read: “We said goodbye to my sweet, amazing, hilarious and one of a kind granny last week. She lit up every room she walked into, smiled at every stranger she passed and was always guilty of having too much chatter down Dunblane High Street.
“I will miss her so much but there will not be a day that goes by that I won’t think of her and take a little bit of her with me. What a life she led and I will count my lucky stars to have grown up with such a light of a woman in my life. Sleep well granny, mini, fairy b, gran gran, Shirley E, my best friend. Thanks for giving me the gift of the gab. Say hi to Grandpa for me. Love you so much.”
Condolences flooded the comment section of Ailsa’s post, from all those who knew Shirley. Elaine Ritchie commented: “What a wonderful grand-daughter you are Beautiful words.”
Andy’s grandfather Roy Erskine passed away last month(Image: PA)
Joanne Crawford wrote a heartfelt message: “What a lovely tribute to your gran. She was always such a lovely lady when she was interviewed about her grandsons and you xxx”.
The outpouring of condolences continued, with Susan Gillespie sharing: “So saddened to read this message – fond memories of Tennis Week in Elgin @ St.leonards hotel xx.”
Jane Mccormack expressed her sympathy, saying: “So sorry to hear about your Granny and Grandpa x sending our love to you all.”
Shirley’s passing comes just weeks after the death of her husband Roy Erskine, Andy’s grandfather, who died at 94. Roy, a promising tennis player in his youth, later played professional football for Hibernian, Stirling Albion and Cowdenbeath.
His former club, Stirling Albion, announced his passing with a touching tribute: “Everyone at Stirling Albion was saddened to learn of the passing of former player, Roy Erskine, on the 19th of January 2026.
“Roy joined Albion from Troon Juniors in August 1954 and played with the club for two seasons before leaving for Cowdenbeath. In recent years, Roy had been a regular with his daughter Judy at club hospitality where he enjoyed speaking with supporters and chatting about his time at the club.
“He was particularly pleased to help celebrate the club’s League 2 championship win in 2022-23. A well-known and popular figure in Dunblane where he spent many years as an Optician, he will be sorely missed.”
Both Roy and Shirley were avid supporters of their grandsons Andy and Jamie Murray’s tennis careers, frequently spotted at matches rooting for them.