Elon Musk is a revolutionary innovator who has changed the face of modern technology. He is the founder, engineer and CEO of Tesla Motors, SpaceX and PayPal and the father of the world’s most successful and influential entrepreneurs. But one lesser-known aspect of the multi-faceted genius is his marital status, which has been a subject of speculation and public fascination. How many wives, if any, Elon Musk has had is a question that seems to have more guesses than definitive answers?
Just like any other celebrity, maggnetes, history makers and social figures, Musk’s romantic life has been highly publicised and scrutinised. As of 2018 he has been linked to numerous women such as Amber Heard, Cameron Diaz, Talulah Riley and English actress Talulah Riley who, according to press coverage, were either girlfriends of Musk or in a serious relationship with him. But, among the many dating adventures of the billionaire entrepreneur, how many wives does Elon Musk have?
In what comes as no surprise, Elon Musk has officially had two wives so far. The first of these was Canadian author and musician Justine Musk. Justine is the mother of his five children and was married to Elon from 2000 to 2008. They continued to have a cordial relationship until 2018 when they filed a divorce and the move was finalised. His second wife is the actress and model Talulah Riley, who he married in the year 2010. They had two marriages and remarriages in between and eventually divorced in 2016, when a final annulment was completed.
A little insight provided by Justine is that “there’s maybe a three-year overlap between us where I was with him, he was with her, I was with someone else, she was with someone else.” It is known that Elon Musk, during this period, had a brief liaison with pop star and actress Cameron Diaz. But at the same time, there were reports of Musk having a relationship with Amber Heard, although it was not confirmed.
In regards to how much these two marriages costed, informants to the New York Post reported that the total cost—including the settlements and the estimated cost of the ceremony—to be about $4.2 million for Elon Musk and Justine’s wedding. On the other hand, sources say that the amount of money paid to his former wife Talulah Riley was around $4.2 million, although the accuracy of both figures is impossible to assess. All we know is that the total cost of both marriages combined could have easily costed Musk roughly $8.4 million in total.
There have also been rumours and speculations made that Elon Musk had a third secret wife. This was fuelled even further when Musk was spotted with a mysterious woman in public several times. But when asked directly, both Musk and the woman denied any suggestions of marriage publicly.
Women in Elon Musk’s Life
Apart from the two wives, Elon Musk has been linked to an aray of women, with many of them being popular actresses from Hollywood. Afterwards, Musk had a brief relationship with the actress and singer Grimes, who he split from after two years in 2020. Musk has also been photographed with various other women such as Talulah Riley, actress Amber Heard and singer Lana Del Rey. All of these liaisons seemed serious, but it is not known if they had any plans to continue the relationship beyond.
All of these relationships drawn attention because of Elon Musk’s fame and status, as conversations about them often culminated to far-fetched theories about ‘secret marriages’ or secret gossip about the “possible” third wife.
It is also known that Elon Musk is currently dating the musician and singer Grimes and that the two are very much in love. Parents to their son X Ash, it will be interesting to see if this relationship is the one that lasts and if Grimes will become Elon Musk’s third wife someday in future.
Elon Musk’s Views on Marraige
Elon Musk’s views on marriage have been quite publicised, making controversial remarks on both his current partner and ex-wives which has brought a lot of attention. On the one hand, Musk refers to his current love interest Grimes as “the bestest” in life and regularly shares their romantic moments on social media. On the other hand, in relation to his past wives, Musk has reiterated his regret of going through with divorces instead of simply “buckling in and doing the hard yards”.
Furthermore, the technology mogul has shared his malcontentment with the overall structure of marriages which he called “draconian” and a “golden enslavement”. But at the same time, Musk did not dismiss the positives of being in a committed relationship. He remains a strong advocate for commitment and believes that all romantic relationships require personal effort to stay happy and deeply connected.
Public Perception
Musk’s two marriages and his extra-marital affairs has made the public reflect on his views of commitment and marriage. Among the many facets of his life, and that of his ex-wives and now partner, the public has a difficult time in establishing an objective perspective on the matter.
Public knowlege of Elon Musk’s first marriage with Justine Musk is quite unclear. Many people do not even know that he has been married before, or who his first wife is. On the other hand, many accounts exist of Talulah Riley’s subsequent marriage to Elon Musk, and his relationship with her.
However, since his split from both his wife and Riley, the public has viewed Hughes’ as a misogynist and someone who takes advantage of women in order to satisfy his needs and desires. This view is only exacerbated when taking into account his relationships with Amber Heard and Grimes.
Media Reporting
Naturally, when the topic of marriage and Musk’s romantic life is in question, the media tend to sensationalise, reporting more of the sensational events and not so much of the facts. Various media outlets have been writing reports on Elon Musk’s marital and non-marital relationships, showcasing opinions and perspectives exclusive to the outlet. Production of informative but also biased content has been seen, as every narrative and gossip is believed to be newsworthy. This has caused confusion in the public sphere and contributed to the growing misunderstanding of the truth.
The media have shown very little reports on the humanity of Musk, who has proven to be an imperfect person in his romantic life. It is through the sensationalist reporting that the public has pigeon-holed him as a womanizer who takes advantage of women in relationships. It is for this reason that Elon Musk’s marital life has been a subject of much speculation, gossip and misunderstanding.
The Impact on Elon Musk
One of the most consistent issues in Elon Musk’s life has been his romantic life, an issue he has been vocal about. Constantly going through various relationships, marriages and news reports has taken a great deal of influence on Musk. It has caused doubt and confusion, as he tries to make sense of his own mistakes in each failed relationship.
Mostly focused in public mental health, Musk has ongoing grappled with finding positivity and peace through his marriages and past relationships, which have been on his mind when discussing his current successes and failures. He openly expresses his concerns publicly on a regular basis, allowing an exposed and raw view at his mentality on marriage and the impact the situation has had on him.
Overall Analysis
Elon Musk’s marital status has become increasingly complex and complex with the alternating speculation and truth about his relationships. He has had two marriages, numerous serious relationships of which most ended unsuccessfully and he has been publically linked to various other women. His current partner is the musician and singer Grimes with whom he has a son.
It is impossible to know the details of these relationships without intruding on the matter of their private lives. But what is certain is that whatever view one holds of Musk’s diverse romantic history, it has been full of complexity and emotion.
Moreover, with the media constantly sensationalising his affairs, it is no surprise that Elon Musk’s marital life is a point of intense public interest. But, despite the conflicting views and perspectives that the public has on his past relationships, Elon Musk remains the influential entrepreneur we know today.
