The Rolling Stones legend Keith Richards has a brand-new title to add to his long list of achievements: great-grandfather.
The 82-year-old rock icon is celebrating a joyful family milestone after his granddaughter Ella Richards announced the birth of her first child, a baby girl named Luna.
Ella, who turned 30 over the weekend, shared the happy news with fans on Instagram, posting a tender photograph of herself lying beside her newborn daughter on a blanket. “30!! best birthday yet with our baby girl Luna,” she captioned the sweet image.
© InstagramThe arrival of baby Luna marks a new chapter for one of rock music’s most famous families and officially makes Keith a great-grandfather for the first time.
Luna is the first child for model Ella and her long-term boyfriend Sascha von Bismarck, 31, a photographer from one of Europe’s most distinguished aristocratic families.
The couple’s happy announcement was met with an outpouring of love from friends and family, including several well-known names from society and fashion circles.
© InstagramPrincess Olympia of Greece, a goddaughter of King Charles, commented: “The most beautiful.” Meanwhile socialite Daphne Guinness wrote: “Happy Birthday! So so sweet @ellarichardsr.”
Ella’s older sister, model Alexandra Richards, also celebrated the milestone, writing: “Happy happy birthday 🙂 30s are the best.”
© Getty ImagesThe baby news comes just months after Ella revealed she was expecting. Back in March, the Burberry model shared a striking black-and-white photograph showcasing her growing baby bump, delighting followers and prompting an emotional response from her famous grandfather.
Reacting to the announcement at the time, Keith wrote: “Sending love and looking forward to welcoming my first great grandchild!”
For Keith, family has always remained at the centre of his life despite decades spent touring the world as one of rock’s most legendary performers.
Ella is the daughter of Marlon Richards, Keith’s eldest son from his long relationship with actress and model Anita Pallenberg, who died in 2017 aged 75. Her mother is former model and stylist Lucie de la Falaise, whose aunt was legendary fashion muse Loulou de la Falaise.
© WireImageOver the years, Ella has occasionally offered rare glimpses into life inside the famously unconventional Richards family.
Speaking to Tatler after appearing on the magazine’s cover in 2023, she described her grandfather as being very different from his hard-partying public image. “He is very quiet and sweet and loving,” she said. “He’s a lot more shy than people think.”
She also reflected on the free-spirited household she grew up around. “My grandfather used to wear my grandmother’s clothes, and she used to wear his,” she recalled. “Most of my family are slightly mad and crazy or weird. My whole family are all crazy creatives. No one is academic. Everyone is wild and free-spirited.”
© Getty ImagesElla and Sascha confirmed their romance in early 2023 when she revealed that he had photographed her for her Tatler cover shoot.
“It was really easy,” she said at the time. “I feel very comfortable with him taking my photo, which is a very personal thing.”
Sascha himself comes from an illustrious family. He is the younger brother of Count Nikolai von Bismarck, the photographer and former boyfriend of Kate Moss, and a direct descendant of Otto von Bismarck, the 19th-century German statesman credited with unifying Germany.
Fashion has long played a significant role in Ella’s life. She made her New York Fashion Week debut at just 18 and quickly landed a major Burberry campaign photographed by Mario Testino alongside Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn.
She later joined the Kate Moss Agency, run by her godmother Kate, and has since walked for luxury brands including Prada, Calvin Klein, Fendi and Valentino.
“I feel very lucky to have someone who’s been through it all and can guide me,” Ella previously said of Kate. “I can go and talk to her about things and she completely understands. I don’t really need to explain anything.”
Keith now becomes the second current member of The Rolling Stones to reach great-grandfather status. His bandmate Sir Mick Jagger welcomed his first great-grandchild in 2014 when granddaughter Assisi Jackson became a mother.
The happy family news arrives during an exciting period for the legendary band. The Rolling Stones are preparing to release their highly anticipated 25th studio album, Foreign Tongues, in July. The record will reportedly feature appearances from Sir Paul McCartney, Robert Smith, Steve Winwood and recordings from the band’s late drummer Charlie Watts.
