Elon Musk’s dating life has been quite public, with numerous high-profile relationships over the years. Musk’s first marriage was to Justine Musk in 2000. The couple had six children, but their relationship ended in divorce in 2008.
He married actress Talulah Riley in 2010, but their marriage ended in two divorces, first in 2012 and again in 2016 after briefly remarrying. Musk’s other relationships include a brief romance with actress Amber Heard and singer Grimes, with whom he shares three children.
He also fathered twins with Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis in 2021 and had another child with her in early 2024, making him the father of 12 children in total. Musk humorously suggested that his growing family could address the “underpopulation crisis” in a tweet from 2022.
Justine Musk reflects on her marriage to Elon, describing it as a challenging dynamic shaped by grief and control
Musk’s early relationship was with Jennifer Gwynne, whom he met during their college years at the University of Pennsylvania. Gwynne described Musk as having a quiet intensity but noted his occasional “silly” side.
They were serious enough to introduce each other to their families, but their relationship ended when Musk struggled with long-distance communication. Years later, Gwynne auctioned memorabilia from their time together, remembering Musk fondly, especially his visionary ideas about electric cars and how his family welcomed her during a visit to Toronto.
Justine Musk met Elon while at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada, where their relationship began when Musk pursued her relentlessly. They married in 2000 and soon after experienced the devastating loss of their first child.
Despite their shared grief, the couple went on to have five more children. Justine later reflected on their relationship in a candid essay, noting that their marriage was marked by Musk’s domineering attitude and lack of empathy. After their 2008 divorce, Justine continued to raise their children with shared custody while receiving financial support.
Talulah Riley entered Musk’s life soon after his split from Justine. The two met in London and quickly became engaged. After marrying in 2010, their relationship was tumultuous, with multiple divorces and remarriages. Riley later admitted that the repeated marriages seemed somewhat habitual, and despite the multiple splits, the pair remained on good terms.
While Musk was separated from Riley, he pursued actress Amber Heard, initially through a dinner arrangement set up by director Robert Rodriguez. Their relationship sparked in 2016 and lasted intermittently until their final breakup in 2018. Musk reflected on their breakup, expressing that it hurt deeply but acknowledging the intellectual connection they shared.
Musk’s most recent relationship with Grimes started in 2018, shortly after they flirted on Twitter. Despite a somewhat rocky start, including a brief period of separation, they had two children together. Grimes confirmed their second child’s birth in 2022, and although they lived in separate houses, Musk and Grimes maintained a close and unconventional relationship, often referring to each other as best friends.
