Jack White's third wife, Olivia Jean, has filed for divorce after four years of marriage. As their surprise onstage love story comes to an end, here's a look at the musician's former wives.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleJack White's whirlwind romance with musician Olivia Jean once looked like a rock-and-roll fairytale. Now, four years after the pair famously married on stage in front of thousands of fans, their love story appears to have reached an unexpected end.
According to court documents, Jean recently filed for divorce from the White Stripes co-founder, after four years of marriage. The filing has reignited interest in White's personal life, including his previous marriages and high-profile relationships. Here's a closer look at the women who have played significant roles in the legendary guitarist's life.
Long before becoming one of rock music's most influential duos, Jack White and Meg White were husband and wife. Jack, whose real name is Anthony Gillis, famously adopted Meg's surname after the marriage. The pair married in 1996 and formed The White Stripes the following year. They were the heart and soul of the garage rock duo, with Meg playing the drums and Jack handling the vocals and guitar. Interestingly, fans had no idea that the two were a married couple in the band's initial years of popularity, as they presented themselves as siblings rather than spouses. White later explained that the mystery helped shift attention away from their relationship and toward their music.
Their marriage didn't last long; Jack and Meg White officially ended their marriage in 2000, but their camaraderie continued. For years, the iconic duo kept performing together and transformed The White Stripes into one of the most successful rock bands of the 2000s. When they disbanded in 2011, both parties cited artistic reasons behind the fallout, rather than personal conflict.
Despite largely losing touch after the band's breakup, White has continued to speak fondly of Meg and even paid tribute to her on social media during her 50th birthday celebrations, cheekily calling her a "big sister," referring to their long-running facade onstage.
Following his split from actress Renee Zellweger, White found love with British supermodel and singer Karen Elson. The pair met while filming The White Stripes' music video for Blue Orchid in 2005 and married just weeks later in an unconventional ceremony held in a canoe on Brazil's Amazon River. The couple eventually became parents to two children, a daughter, Scarlett, and a son, Henry.
Over the years, Elson also collaborated professionally with White, releasing music through his Third Man label and working closely alongside him creatively. However, after about six years of marriage, the couple made headlines by announcing their separation with what they famously called a "divorce party," describing the event as a celebration of friendship and mutual respect.
Although the former couple initially appeared to part ways on friendly terms, their divorce later became increasingly contentious amid a custody battle involving their two children. In court filings, Karen Elson accused White of exhibiting controlling behavior, alleging that situations often had to unfold according to his preferences and that he could become angry when things did not go his way.
Elson also claimed that White behaved aggressively toward individuals involved in her professional life, including her manager and legal representatives.The allegations ultimately led a Tennessee judge to grant Karen Elson a temporary restraining order against the musician.
Jack's estranged wife is also a musician by profession, along with being a songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Born Olivia Jean Markel in Detroit in 1990, she began her music career at Third Man Records, the label founded by Jack White. In 2009, she formed the all-female gothic rock band, The Black Belles, with Ruby Rogers, Chrissy Valentine, Erom Belle, Shelby Lynne and Christina Norwood.
The Detroit-born musician first crossed paths with White in 2009 after he received a demo of her music. Impressed by her talent, White invited her to join his label, Third Man Records, where he helped launch her career and formed the all-female garage-rock group The Black Belles. Over the years, the pair collaborated extensively. White produced Jean's music, she appeared in his projects, and their professional partnership eventually evolved into a romantic relationship.
In April 2022, White stunned fans by proposing to Jean on stage during a concert at Detroit's Masonic Temple Theatre. Moments later, the couple returned for the encore and tied the knot in an impromptu ceremony officiated by Third Man Records co-founder Ben Swank. At the time, Jean described the surprise wedding as "the best experience" of her life.
The news of Olivia Jean filing for divorce came as a surprise to many fans, given the couple's fairytale-like romance and unforgettable onstage wedding. In June 2026, Jean filed for divorce in Nashville, seeking alimony and stating that she had become financially dependent on White during their marriage. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Jean cited "inappropriate marital conduct" as one of the grounds for divorce in her filing.
Neither White nor Jean has publicly addressed the divorce filing, but the news has already stirred a buzz among longtime fans of the much-loved couple.
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