Clare Ratcliffe Revealed: The Woman Beside Ben Stokes
A verified look at her age, coaching career, marriage, family life and independent professional journey
Introdution
Clare Ratcliffe, now publicly known as Clare Stokes, is a British dance and cheerleading coach. Many people recognise her as the wife of England cricket star Ben Stokes, but she has also built her own career in dance, education and youth coaching.
She holds formal qualifications in dance and primary teaching and works with young cheerleading athletes. Public company records also show that she has an active business role connected with BAS Promotions Limited.
Quick Bio
| Detail | Verified information |
|---|---|
| Maiden name | Clare Ratcliffe |
| Married name | Clare Stokes |
| Birth month and year | October 1989 |
| Age | 36 years old as of July 2026 |
| Gender | Female |
| Nationality | British |
| Country of residence | England |
| Profession | Dance and cheerleading coach |
| Education | BA Honours in Dance and PGCE Primary Teaching |
| Husband | Ben Stokes |
| Wedding date | 14 October 2017 |
| Children | Two |
| Business role | Director and company secretary |
| Company | BAS Promotions Limited |
| Known for | Coaching career and marriage to Ben Stokes |
Who Is Clare Ratcliffe?
She is a British coach with professional training in dance, teaching and cheerleading.
Her public profile grew through her relationship with Ben Stokes. However, describing her only as a cricketer’s wife would leave out an important part of her story. She has qualifications that allow her to work with children and young performers, and she is publicly listed as a coach at Hartlepool Hawks.
Her story is similar in some ways to Rachel McLellan, who also became widely known through her connection to an international cricketer while developing a separate media career.
Clare Ratcliffe’s Age and Nationality
Official UK company records state that she was born in October 1989. This makes her 36 years old in July 2026.
She is recorded as British, and England is listed as her country of residence. Following her marriage, official records use the name Clare Stokes.
The public Companies House record confirms her birth month and year, nationality, residence and current directorship.
Education and Professional Qualifications
Her professional background is strongly connected with dance, teaching and youth development.
She has the following publicly listed qualifications:
- BA Honours in Dance
- PGCE Primary Teaching
- BGU Level 1 Cheerleading Coach qualification
- Advanced training in jazz, pom and lyrical performance
- First-aid qualification
A PGCE is a recognised teaching qualification in the United Kingdom. Her combination of dance study and teacher training gives her useful knowledge of both performance and child education.
These qualifications are listed on the official Hartlepool Hawks coaching page.
Career as a Dance and Cheerleading Coach
Clare works as a coach with Hartlepool Hawks, a cheerleading and dance organisation that supports young athletes.
Her work includes cheerleading as well as performance disciplines such as jazz, pom and lyrical dance. Coaching in these areas requires more than physical skill. A coach must teach routines, improve confidence, manage safety and help young performers work successfully as a team.
Her primary-teaching qualification is also relevant because much of this work involves communicating clearly with children.
Readers interested in English cricket careers may also enjoy the story of Keaton Jennings, another figure connected with the professional cricket environment in northern England.
Business Role at BAS Promotions Limited
Clare also has a verified role at BAS Promotions Limited, an active UK-registered company associated with Ben Stokes.
She was appointed company secretary on 9 October 2013. She later became a director on 6 April 2023. Her responsibilities as a company officer are separate from her coaching work.
Companies House records describe the company as active and continue to list her in both positions.
No reliable public evidence provides a separate personal wealth figure for her. Her verified financial and business information should therefore remain limited to the formal company positions shown in public filings.
Marriage to Ben Stokes
Clare married Ben Stokes on 14 October 2017 at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in East Brent, Somerset.
The couple had already been together for several years before their wedding. Their ceremony was attended by well-known England and Durham cricket figures, including Joe Root, Alastair Cook, Stuart Broad and Paul Collingwood.
Sky Sports reported that guests attended a 40-minute church service before the newly married couple appeared outside for photographs.
Family support can play a major role in the demanding life of an international cricketer. The challenges faced by athletes and their families can also be seen in Marcus Trescothick’s career story, particularly during long tours and periods away from home.
Clare and Ben Stokes’ Children
The couple have two children, a son and a daughter.
Their children have sometimes appeared with their parents at cricket matches and public sporting events. However, the family generally avoids turning the children into independent public personalities.
In October 2024, Ben Stokes publicly confirmed that his wife and two children were inside their home when masked burglars entered while he was playing cricket in Pakistan. He stated that no family member suffered physical harm, although the event had an emotional effect on them.
The family’s experience showed the security pressures that can affect relatives of famous sportspeople. Personal residential and security details should not be repeated unnecessarily.
Life Connected with Professional Cricket
Being married to an international athlete can involve frequent travel, long periods of separation and intense media attention.
Ben Stokes has played international cricket in different parts of the world and has spent long periods away with England. Clare has therefore managed family responsibilities alongside her coaching and business work.
She occasionally attends major sporting occasions, but she does not appear to seek the same level of publicity as her husband. Her public identity remains centred on family, coaching and dance rather than celebrity promotion.
The family side of professional sport is also an important part of Okay Yokuşlu’s public story, where career commitments and parenthood exist alongside elite competition.
Public Image
Clare has developed a quiet and family-focused public image.
She is not known for regular television appearances, political commentary or celebrity interviews. Most mainstream coverage of her relates to:
- Her marriage to Ben Stokes
- England cricket events
- Their two children
- Her cheerleading involvement
- Important events affecting the family
Her coaching credentials also show that she has a professional identity outside cricket. She works in a field that requires preparation, discipline, creativity and responsibility for young athletes.
Like the family-focused life discussed in Robert Saleh’s career profile, her public story shows that relatives can remain important to a sporting career without making every part of their personal lives public.
Social Media Presence
She uses the public name Clare Stokes online and has shared selected moments connected with family, travel, cheerleading and sporting events.
Her social-media presence is personal rather than heavily commercial. There is no strong public evidence that she operates a large product business, paid lifestyle brand or entertainment company through her accounts.
Any account claiming to represent her should be checked carefully because several unrelated people share the name Clare Stokes.
Why Is Clare Ratcliffe Famous?
She is mainly known because she is married to Ben Stokes, one of England’s best-known cricketers.
However, she also has her own verified achievements. She completed higher education in dance, gained a primary-teaching qualification, trained as a cheerleading coach and became a company director.
Her public identity therefore includes four clear areas:
- Dance education
- Cheerleading coaching
- Family life
- Business administration
Career Timeline
October 1989: Born in the United Kingdom, according to her public company record.
9 October 2013: Appointed company secretary of BAS Promotions Limited.
14 October 2017: Married Ben Stokes in East Brent, Somerset.
Following the wedding: Began appearing publicly under the married name Clare Stokes.
6 April 2023: Appointed director of BAS Promotions Limited.
October 2024: Was inside the family home with her children during a reported burglary while Ben Stokes was playing in Pakistan.
2026: Continues to be publicly listed as a Hartlepool Hawks coach and an active officer of BAS Promotions Limited.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Clare Ratcliffe’s married name?
Her married name is Clare Stokes.
How old is she?
She is 36 years old as of July 2026. Her official company record lists her birth month and year as October 1989.
What is her nationality?
She is British.
What does she do for a living?
She works as a dance and cheerleading coach. She is also a director and company secretary of BAS Promotions Limited.
What did she study?
She completed a BA Honours degree in Dance and a PGCE in Primary Teaching.
Who is her husband?
Her husband is England cricketer Ben Stokes.
When did Clare and Ben Stokes marry?
They married on 14 October 2017 in East Brent, Somerset.
Do they have children?
Yes. The couple have two children.
Conclusion
Clare Ratcliffe is more than the wife of a famous England cricketer.
Now publicly known as Clare Stokes, she is a qualified dance graduate, trained teacher and cheerleading coach. She also holds formal responsibilities as a director and company secretary.
Her life combines family commitments with work in education, performance and youth sport. Although her marriage brought her wider public attention, her qualifications and coaching role show an independent professional path built around dance, teaching and supporting young athletes.
