All About Paul McCartney's Son, James McCartney, and How He's Followed in His Father's Footsteps
Paul is dad to five children: Heather, Mary, Stella, Beatrice and James, and it’s a title the rock legend clearly treasures. “As far as being a dad is concerned, I've always just tried to give my kids a bit of guidance if they seem to need it — but that was mainly when they were younger,” he said in an interview published on his website in February 2023. “Now that they are older, they're guiding me.”
The Beatles star continued, elaborating on how his fatherhood role has changed now that his kids are all adults. “They don't need so much guidance these days, but if there's ever a problem, I'm very happy to be the guy they come to,” he wrote. “So, that's largely the thing of being a dad. You're just there to help, and I suppose have fun with — we do have a lot of fun.”
Paul became a father in 1969 after he married his first wife, photographer Linda McCartney (née Eastman), and adopted her daughter Heather from a previous relationship. That same year, the pair welcomed their first child together, daughter Mary. They went on to have two more kids together: Stella in 1971 and James in 1977.
Following Linda’s tragic death in 1998, Paul married former model Heather Mills in 2002. A year later, the two welcomed Paul's youngest child, daughter Beatrice. Paul and Mills separated in 2006 and, after a contentious legal battle, their divorce was finalized in 2008.
James has said that he struggled with accepting Mills into his family after his mother's death, so was estranged from his father for a period of time. “We drifted quite far apart — it was a difficult period,” James told The Irish Mirror in 2013. “The estrangement was partly because of Heather. It was difficult because of Mum’s death and then moving on, having a new mother.”
However, Paul and James have not only reconciled since then, but their relationship has grown stronger than ever. “[He] is my dad and he is also my best friend,” James told The Irish Mirror. In June 2024, James shared a sweet Instagram post in honor of his musician father turning 82.
“Happy Birthday Dad. I will always love you,” he wrote. “You are a guiding light that shows me how to move forward. You love me, I love you and that's all that matters. ❤️.”
Here’s everything to know about Paul McCartney’s only son, James McCartney. Paul welcomed his only son, James Louis McCartney, on Sept. 12, 1977, with his late wife Linda in London.
The couple, who wed in 1969, were already parents to three daughters, including Mary Anna McCartney, born in August 1969, Stella Nina McCartney, born in September 1971, and Heather Louise McCartney, Linda’s daughter from a previous marriage who was born in December 1962. Upon their marriage, Paul officially adopted Heather.
Source: Katie Mannion/people.com