Elon Musk’s tangled family tree: 12 kids, 3 women, and new drama brewing with Ashley St Clair

Elon Musk’s journey as a father—twelve children with three different women amid custody disputes and personal drama—continues to capture public attention.

Elon Musk’s personal life has long been under the media microscope, and his evolving role as a parent is no exception. American influencer and author Ashley St Clair stunned the internet on Friday by announcing that she had given birth to Elon Musk’s 13th child. In one of her first interviews since the revelation, the 26-year-old told The New York Post that Musk, 53, is “funny” and “down to Earth.” She also claimed that the billionaire wanted to keep their baby a secret for the safety of everyone involved.

The Tesla CEO has fathered twelve children with three different women.(X)

Over the past two decades, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO has fathered twelve children with three different women. His first child was born in 2002 with his ex-wife, Justine Wilson, and his most recent baby arrived in early 2024 with Neuralink director Shivon Zilis.

Musk and Justine Wilson, who were married from 2000 until their 2008 divorce, welcomed six children between 2002 and 2006. Their family journey began with the birth—and tragic loss—of Nevada Alexander, who succumbed to sudden infant death syndrome at just 10 weeks old. Wilson later recalled, “I buried my feelings … coping with Nevada’s death by making my first visit to an IVF clinic less than two months later. Elon and I planned to get pregnant again as swiftly as possible. Within the next five years, I gave birth to twins, then triplets.”

The couple’s twins, Vivian Jenna and Griffin, were conceived via IVF in 2004, while their triplets—Kai, Saxon, and Damian—arrived in 2006. Over the years, the family has kept a low profile amid ongoing speculation about their unconventional origins.

In later years, Musk’s romantic life continued to make headlines. His on-again, off-again relationship with Canadian musician Grimes (Claire Boucher) produced three children. Their son, X Æ A‑Xii, was born in May 2020, followed by daughter Exa Dark Sideræl—born via surrogate in December 2021—and a third child, Techno Mechanicus, whose birth date has not been disclosed. Despite their separation, Musk explained in a 2021 interview with The New York Post, “We are semi-separated but still love each other, see each other frequently and are on great terms.”

Grimes has openly discussed her commitment to building a nurturing environment for her children. In a Wired interview, she remarked, “really care about having a very good relationship with my kids. I think I understand how to be a good parent to them. Both enforcing discipline and being their friend,” she said. “Who knows, maybe they’ll resent me and reject family culture, but I feel like they will not.”

She also took to X to stress her protective stance: “my priority rn is keeping my babies out of the public eye.”

In another candid moment, she told Vanity Fair, “Whatever is going on with family stuff, I just feel like kids need to stay out of it, and X is just out there …I mean, I think E is really seeing him as a protégé and bringing him to everything and stuff.”

Alongside these relationships, Musk’s partnership with Shivon Zilis has added to his expanding family. In November 2021, it emerged that Zilis had secretly welcomed twins—son Strider and daughter Azure—in Austin, Texas. Early last year, the couple confirmed the arrival of their third child together, marking Musk’s 12th overall. Although the children’s lives are largely shielded from public view, Zilis shared a rare moment of warmth on X: “At the end of the day it all ended up for the best! Thank you for taking the time to really connect and understand each other. So glad we had such a wonderful talk, was insanely overdue. You’re a total badass and I respect you very much as well. I can’t wait for kiddo play date and congrats on baby Tau as well!”

Custody row

The saga is further complicated by ongoing custody disputes. In November 2024, Grimes revealed on X that she had been unable to see one of her children for five months, lamenting that she was “going bankrupt fighting for them.” The tensions escalated when Musk brought their eldest son, X, to the Oval Office during a press briefing. Grimes later expressed her disapproval on social media, writing,

“He should not be in public like this. I did not see this, thank u for alerting me. But I’m glad he was polite. Sigh.”

Musk’s high-profile personal life has also seen him involved with Talulah Riley—whom he married and divorced twice—though they never had children together. His multifaceted relationships and the subsequent legal and personal challenges continue to fuel public debate, underscoring the complexities of blending modern celebrity with family life.