Elon Musk's Marriages, Relationships, and Fatherhood

Musk met Canadian writer Justine Wilson at Queen's University and married her in 2000.^[1][2][9] Their first child, a son named Nevada Alexander, died of sudden infant death syndrome at ten weeks old in 2002, a loss both have described as devastating.^[1][3] The couple went on to have five more children, including twin boys and triplets, conceived using IVF.^[1][2]

Wilson and Musk divorced in 2008. Wilson has since written and spoken publicly about the marriage, including in a widely read 2010 Marie Claire essay describing tensions over Musk's demanding career and the couple's evolving relationship as his companies grew.^[3]

Musk met English actress Talulah Riley in 2008 and married her in 2010.^[1][4] The couple divorced in 2012, remarried in 2013, and divorced again in 2016.^[1][4] Both have spoken about the relationship in interviews over the years, describing it as close despite its on-and-off nature; they did not have children together.^[4]

Musk began a publicly reported relationship with the Canadian musician Grimes (Claire Boucher) in 2018, and the couple had three children together before separating; Musk and Grimes have each spoken about their co-parenting arrangement in subsequent interviews and, at times, disputes over parenting decisions and privacy.^[1][5]

Musk has also fathered children with Neuralink and X executive Shivon Zilis and with writer Ashley St. Clair, relationships that became public through court filings, Musk's own statements, or reporting from established outlets rather than confirmed romantic partnerships announced by Musk himself.^[5][6] This entry describes what has been publicly reported and confirmed; it does not speculate about the nature or timeline of relationships beyond that record.

Musk has said in interviews and public statements, including posts on X, that he believes declining birth rates are a serious risk to civilization, and he has connected that view to his own choice to have a large family.^[6][7] He has described trying to remain involved as a father while running multiple companies, and several of his children have appeared with him at public events, including his youngest son with Grimes, who briefly became an internet phenomenon after appearing on Musk's shoulder during a 2025 Oval Office appearance.^[7][8]

Reporting on Musk's children has sometimes been contested by the children's mothers regarding accuracy of details such as birth order or the degree of Musk's day-to-day involvement; this entry reflects the range of public reporting rather than a single confirmed account.^[5][6]