Adele's ex-husband Simon Konecki has widely been regarded as one of the main influences on 30, but little is known of the ultra-private charity mogul.
The Hello singer's former marriage has been thrust into the spotlight ever since she dropped her fourth studio album last week, with fans now convinced that certain lyrics (and even full songs) were inspired by her heartbreaking 2019 split.
Adele finalized her divorce from Simon Konecki in March after a lengthy battle over finances, marking an official end to the relationship with the 47-year-old entrepreneur. The exes have managed to keep the nitty-gritty of the £140 million split under wraps, coming to an undisclosed settlement in court and (mostly) withholding details of their separation from the media. Simon and Adele's son Angelo, 9, divides his time between his parents' nearby homes in Los Angeles and enjoys a relatively normal life away from the paparazzi's attention.
Adele and Simon Konecki at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 27, 2015
As for Simon, it seems maintaining a lowkey persona may be a little more difficult in the wake of Adele's 30 album. From questions on why Adele left her husband to what he thinks about her latest record, interest in the philanthropy CEO has skyrocketed over the past week—and it looks like it's not about to come down to Earth any time soon.
So without further ado, here's everything you need to know about Simon Konecki.
How did Adele meet Simon Konecki?
Adele first met her ex-husband in 2011, shortly after the release of her Grammy-award-winning 21 album.
A charity CEO and ex-banker, Simon was a breath of fresh air from the glitzy Hollywood circles Adele was used to. While the circumstances of how they were introduced remains a mystery—Ed Sheeran has denied the widespread rumors he played Cupid in the romance—it appears that they were officially an item as early as 2012. The pair were spotted vacationing together in the affluent Florida city of Boca Raton in January of that year, six months before it was confirmed they were expecting their first child.
Unlike many other celebrities, who exclusively date fellow A-listers, Simon’s low-profile status was a major plus for the Easy on Me singer.
“I have no desire to be with anyone in show business because we all have egos,” Adele revealed to Vanity Fair in 2016. “He [Simon] is not threatened by any stage of my life that I’m going for, and that’s an amazing thing. It’s the most serious relationship I’ve ever been in.”
Where is Simon Konecki from?
Born to wealthy parents in New York in 1974, Simon Konecki spent his early childhood on the US East Coast before moving to London at the age of 10 for his secondary education. He studied at the prestigious Eton College, which just so happens to be the alma mater of Prince William and Prince Harry, before heading back to the US to pursue a financial career in the Big Apple.
Simon Konecki attended the same school as Prince William and Prince Harry
What accent does Simon Konecki have?
He may hold US citizenship, but that doesn’t mean he speaks with an American twang. Simon has retained the upper-middle-class English accent he acquired during his private school days, uttering words in a tone that wouldn’t sound out of place at Buckingham Palace.
What does Simon Konecki do?
After growing disillusioned with his lucrative job as a foreign exchange broker at Lehman Brothers, Simon decided to ditch the rat race and pursue a career in philanthropy.
“I was doing well and earning a lot of money, but I got sick of that greedy and corrupted world,” he admitted in a 2012 interview.
He went on to co-found Life Water, an ethical UK bottled water company, in 2006, using the profits to build Drop4Drop, a charity that campaigns to provide clean water for developing countries. Now CEO of the international company, Simon spends much of his time supervising long-term water solution projects in Africa and India.
DROP4DROP have been working hard with our partners in Mozambique to provide clean water to the Ancuabe & Chiure districts. In these rural areas, water paucity remains a stark issue ‼️💧#cleanwaterforall pic.twitter.com/bFQ4DcWzNkJuly 20, 2020
Who was Simon Konecki married to before Adele?
Simon tied the knot with fashion stylist Clary Fisher in 2004 and the couple welcomed a daughter in 2007. They divorced the following year and full custody of their child was reportedly granted to Clary.
Like Simon, Clary also found love again, remarrying to illustrator Paul Collicutt in 2016.
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