Philomena Lee ‘honoured’ to meet Pope Francis in Vatican

Philomena Lee, the inspiration behind the Oscar tipped film Philomena, has had an audience with Pope Francis.

The film, starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan, recounts the true story of Philomena Lee’s search for the son she was forced to put up for adoption through the Seán Ross Abbey mother and baby home in 1952, when she was aged 19.

More than 60 years after she saw her son for the last time, Ms Lee met Pope Francis along with her daughter, Jane Libberton, and Coogan, who wrote, produced, and starred in the film.