How Many Children Did David Bowie Have?

Bowie's Two Children

David Bowie had two children, born nearly three decades apart to two different marriages. His son, Duncan Jones, was born in 1971 during Bowie's first marriage to Angela “Angie” Barnett. His daughter, Alexandria “Lexi” Jones, was born in 2000 during his second marriage to supermodel Iman. Despite the extraordinary pressures of global fame, Bowie was by all accounts a devoted and present father who prioritised his children's wellbeing over his own career ambitions.

Duncan Jones (Born 1971)

Duncan Zowie Haywood Jones was born on 30 May 1971 in Bromley, Kent. Originally named Zowie Bowie — a name chosen by his mother — he later adopted the name Duncan as he sought to define himself independently of his father's fame. His parents' marriage, which had become increasingly turbulent amid Bowie's cocaine addiction and Angie's own struggles, ended in divorce in 1980. Bowie was granted full custody of nine-year-old Duncan, an unusual outcome for the era.

Bowie raised Duncan in Switzerland, then later in New York, deliberately shielding him from the entertainment industry. Duncan was educated at boarding schools in Scotland and later studied philosophy at the College of Wooster in Ohio before attending the London Film School. He emerged as a filmmaker of considerable talent, winning the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut for his science fiction film Moon(2009), which explored themes of isolation and identity that resonated with his father's own artistic preoccupations.

Alexandria “Lexi” Jones (Born 2000)

Alexandria Zahra Jones was born on 15 August 2000 in New York City to Bowie and his second wife, the Somali-American supermodel Iman. Her arrival came after Bowie and Iman had suffered a miscarriage and undergone fertility treatments. Bowie, who was fifty-three at the time of Lexi's birth, described becoming a father again as a transformative experience that contributed to his decision to step away from public life following his heart attack during the Reality Tour in 2004.

The decade of silencethat followed — during which Bowie released no new music and made virtually no public appearances — was spent in large part raising Lexi in the family's apartment in New York's SoHo neighbourhood. Lexi has pursued interests in visual art and fashion, inheriting the creative sensibilities of both her parents while maintaining a relatively private life.

Bowie as a Father

Those close to Bowie consistently described him as a deeply engaged parent. His decision to take full custody of Duncan in 1980 — at the height of his career — required significant personal sacrifice and a willingness to slow the relentless pace of touring and recording. Similarly, his withdrawal from public life after 2004 was motivated substantially by a desire to be present for Lexi's childhood in ways that his own complex family background had not afforded him.

Bowie's own childhood had been marked by the mental illness of his half-brother Terry Burns, whose struggles with schizophrenia and eventual suicide in 1985 deeply affected Bowie. This experience appears to have reinforced his determination to provide stability and emotional presence for his own children. Both Duncan and Lexi have spoken publicly about their father's warmth, humour, and dedication to family life away from the spotlight.

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