Tommy Shelby’s daughter in Peaky Blinders is Ruby Olivia Shelby , and what happened to her is one of the most tragic turns in the series.

Who Ruby is

Ruby is Tommy and Lizzie Shelby’s young daughter, introduced in the later seasons as a central emotional anchor for Tommy. She’s portrayed as unusually sensitive, seeing visions and hearing voices that hint at something darker at play.

How Ruby dies

Ruby dies as a seven‑year‑old child , officially from consumption (a historical term for a wasting lung illness, most likely tuberculosis) while hospitalized. Despite Tommy’s power and wealth, he cannot save her, making her death a brutal reminder that even he is powerless against fate and illness.

The “curse” backstory

Ruby’s death is tied to a Romani curse :

  • Years earlier, Tommy gives away a sapphire necklace that Evadne and Esme Barwell (Connie’s family) believe is cursed.
  • After their own daughter Connie dies at age seven, Evadne places a curse on Tommy that if he ever has a daughter, she will also die at seven.
  • In season 6, episode 3 (“Gold”), Ruby’s illness and visions escalate, and she dies in the hospital before the sisters can lift the curse.

What happens after Ruby’s death

  • Tommy, consumed by guilt and rage, kills Evadne Barwell in revenge for the curse, even though Ruby’s death is medically tuberculosis.
  • Ruby later appears as a vision/ghost in the series finale, guiding Tommy through a final test and helping him realize his brain‑tumor diagnosis was a lie, reinforcing how her memory still shapes his choices.

Quick‑scoop summary table

Aspect| What happened to Tommy Shelby’s daughter
---|---
Name| Ruby Olivia Shelby, daughter of Tommy and Lizzie.16
Age at death| Seven years old.159
Official cause| Consumption (very likely tuberculosis).125
Narrative angle| A Romani curse tied to a sapphire necklace; her death is framed as “vengeance” on Tommy.19
After death| Appears as a forgiving vision/ghost in the finale, helping Tommy survive and move forward.3710

In short, Tommy’s daughter Ruby dies young from illness , but the story wraps it in myth, guilt, and supernatural weight, making her death one of the most haunting moments in Peaky Blinders lore.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.