Elon Musk has been in the news lately for a variety of reasons, including his technological advancements and his erratic financial decisions.
The richest guy in the world is a father to twelve children, but did you know that he lost his firstborn at the age of 29 days?
Are you curious about the number of times he has been married?
Hold on tight, though, because Musk has a brand-new, “incredible” proposal that is making headlines.
Elon Musk’s wives
Elon Musk’s first wife, Justine Musk, was a major influence in the early years of his life.
The couple married in 2000 after meeting while attending Queen’s University in Ontario. Their journey would include both early success and severe personal anguish.
When the couple’s first son, Nevada Alexander, was born in 2002, their happiness quickly turned to sorrow when he sadly died at the age of 10 weeks from SIDS.
Although Elon Musk hasn’t talked much about the devastating death of his son Nevada, some information has surfaced, in part because of a terrible Tesla accident.
Musk exhibited extraordinary empathy and compassion in letters to James Riley, whose son Barrett perished in a 2018 Tesla Model S crash, stating, “There’s nothing worse than losing a child.”
Elon Musk about his lost son
He shared his own grief, recounting the personal tragedy of losing his firstborn son, Nevada, at 10 weeks old: “My firstborn son died in my arms. I felt his last heartbeat.”
The couple had five more children after this devastating loss, including twins in 2004 and triplets in 2006, before divorcing in 2008.
Here’s how Justine has described the breakup:
”In the late spring of 2008, my wealthy entrepreneurial husband, Elon Musk, the father of my five young sons, filed for divorce. Six weeks later, he texted me to say he was engaged to a gorgeous British actress in her early 20s who had moved to Los Angeles to be with him. Her name is Talulah Riley, and she played one of the sisters in 2005’s Pride and Prejudice. Two of the things that struck me were: a) Pride and Prejudice is a really good movie, and b) My life with this man had devolved to a cliché.”
The actress who married Musk – twice
Musk fell in love with the British actress Talulah Riley twice. When the 39-year-old St. Trinians actress first saw Musk in 2008 at a nightclub in London, she was instantly enthralled with the inventor’s “sweet” and “shy” personality.
Soon after Musk and Justine’s divorce, the couple were married for the first time in 2010.
Intense passion and difficulties characterized their brief romance, which ended in their first divorce in 2012.
However, they remarried in 2013 and divorced again in 2016, demonstrating that certain love tales are difficult to let go of. Riley has now praised Musk, referring to him as “a great friend” in spite of their complicated relationship.
”He looks out for me. We are in a happy place now, where we’re good to each other, which is really nice. I have the utmost love for him,” she said.
Musk’s five children from his former marriage resided with the couple. Nevertheless, neither Musk nor Talulah Riley are parents.
Secretive union with Shivon Zilis
Shivon Zilis, an executive at Neuralink, one of Musk’s brain-machine interface startups, has been associated with him in recent years.
Their relationship remained secret until 2022, when it was announced that they had used IVF to become parents to twins, expanding Musk’s already extensive family.
Given that Zilis reported directly to Musk, the story undoubtedly generated some discussion about workplace ethics. With the aid of surrogacy, they welcomed their third child together in early 2024.
In Walter Isaacson’s biography, the Neuralink executive disclosed that she and Musk were never romantically involved. In order to guarantee that their children would be genetically his, Musk instead contributed his sperm. Zilis clarified that Musk urged her to become a parent because he “really wants smart people to have kids.” Their arrangement did not include any sexual or romantic involvement.
The musician who broke all conventions
The relationship Musk had with Canadian musician Grimes (born Claire Boucher) was arguably the most surprising and well-publicized.
With their opposing personalities—the tech tycoon and the avant-garde artist—the couple stunned the globe when they first appeared together in 2018.
In 2020, they received a boy named X Æ A-12, which was later changed to X AE A-Xii for legal reasons, reflecting the unorthodox nature of their union.
Through surrogacy, they gave birth to a daughter, Exa Dark Siderael Musk, a year later.
Although they announced a “semi-separation” in late 2021, they reportedly remain close and committed to co-parenting. For example, Grimes described her relationship with Musk by saying, ”I’d probably call him my boyfriend, but we’re both very fluid in how we define things.”
It was announced in September 2023 that the couple had given birth to a son, their third child. Only a month later, in October 2023, Grimes sued Musk over their eldest son’s custody and parental rights.
How many times have Elon Musk been married?
Naturally, the topic of how many marriages Elon Musk has actually had arises. It can be a little difficult to keep track of all the relationships he’s had.
However, the answer is three: he has been married to two different women on three separate occasions. His past marriages include one to novelist Justine Wilson and two to actress Talulah Riley.
Elon Musk’s estranged relationship with Vivian Jenna Wilson
Vivian Jenna Wilson, one of Elon Musk’s most famous children, was born to Musk’s first wife, author Justine Musk, along with her twin brother.
Choosing to take her mother’s last name in order to distance herself from her biological father, 20-year-old Vivian made news in June 2022 when she formally changed her identity and gender at the Santa Monica courtroom.
In a petition filed in April 2022, Vivian expressed her desire to sever ties with Musk, stating, “I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form.” Despite her decision, Musk has publicly reacted to the change, claiming in a July 2022 interview that his “son” was “dead” due to the influence of what he called the “woke mind virus.”
Musk has also made controversial comments about his child’s transition, stating that he was misled into approving the use of puberty blockers. He claimed, “It happened to one of my older boys, where I was essentially tricked into signing documents… I was told Xavier might commit suicide if he doesn’t. Musk’s remarks have sparked debate, with Dr. Jordan Peterson, who was interviewing him at the time, dismissing his claims as “a lie right from the outset.”
Elon Musk’s parenting wisdom
Elon Musk’s personal life is just as complicated and fascinating as his work life, with twelve children and a string of romances that have captured the public’s attention.
Elon Musk, known for his unique approach to life, recently shared some light-hearted thoughts on parenting in a post on X.com. Reflecting on the challenges of raising kids, he quipped, “Whoa, I just realised that raising a kid is basically 18 years of prompt engineering.” also has strong views on the importance of family, previously stating, “Having children is saving the world.”
When a soon-to-be parent asked Musk for his biggest piece of advice on raising a child, Musk didn’t hold back, replying, “My advice regarding starting a family is start immediately.” He also stressed the importance of being mindful about education, advising, “Be super careful about what schools teach your kids.” Classic Musk – blending humor with some solid wisdom on family life.
The story continues: What’s next for Musk?
According to reports, Elon Musk’s most recent plans include building a $35 million house complex in Austin, Texas, where his blended family can congregate and foster co-parenting and harmony. Musk has told people close to him that he wants his kids and two of their moms to reside on the Tuscan-style complex so that his younger kids can be close to one another and he can spend more time with them, according to the New York Times.
The new residences are only a 10-minute walk from the Austin mansion where the Texas billionaire usually lives, according to sources close to him who spoke to the Times.
Regardless of the success or failure of this grandiose scheme, Elon Musk’s narrative is far from over.
