Ivy Getty, the oil heiress and model, has filed for divorce from her husband, Tobias Engel, a little over two years after the couple hosted a lavish wedding celebration at the San Francisco home of the bride’s grandmother Ann Getty. The themed outfits, designer dresses and starry guest list all combined for a spectacle that was breathlessly covered by the fashion press.
Here’s what we know about the couple’s split so far.
Who is Ivy Getty?
Ivy Love Getty is the great-granddaughter of the oil tycoon J. Paul Getty and the only daughter of the musician John Gilbert Getty and the jewelry designer Alyssa Boothby. After her father’s death in 2020, Ms. Getty paid tribute in an Instagram post, calling him the “coolest man to ever land on this planet.”
In addition to being an heiress, Ms. Getty is also a fashion model represented by Ford Models. (She appeared on the cover of Town & Country in May 2022.) Like her grandmother, the publisher and interior designer Ann Getty, who also died in 2020, Ivy is a philanthropist. In 2022, she held a charity dinner in Venice to raise money for Ukraine. “Philanthropy is the most important thing to me,” she told L’Officiel, adding, “It’s important to stay aware of what is going on in the world.”
A fashion darling, Ms. Getty attended the Met Gala in 2022 in custom Oscar de la Renta and in 2023 in Maison Margiela. She is a fashion week staple in New York, London and Paris.
Who is her husband, Tobias Engel?
Tobias Engel is a photographer and the son of Peter Engel, an Austrian businessman, and Cheryl Prime, an English actress. Ms. Getty told Vogue that the couple first met through a relative before running into each other again at Paris Fashion Week.
“I saw this cute guy who was taking photos of the event and of me,” she said. “I naturally went over, and we started talking.”
What’s the latest with their marriage?
In January, after three years of marriage, Ms. Getty filed for divorce from Mr. Engel in the Supreme Court of New York County. (The couple were married in a private ceremony in December 2020, some 11 months before their San Francisco wedding celebration.) Mr. Engel, who court records show responded to the complaint on March 25, is contesting the divorce.
What is a contested divorce?
A contested divorce means either that one of the spouses does not want a divorce, or that the spouses do not agree on the grounds for the divorce or what should become of their children, finances or property after the split. (In New York State, there is a separate process for uncontested, or amicable, divorces.) Claire O’Connor, a representative for Ms. Getty, declined to comment on the reason for divorce or why it is being contested.
Presumably their wedding was an understated affair, no?
Not quite. Rather, the wedding was as lavish as one might expect for the great-granddaughter of an oil tycoon who was once the richest man in the world — back when a billion dollars still meant something.
The actress Anya Taylor-Joy was her maid of honor, and the ceremony was officiated by the former speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. (Ms. Getty was raised in San Francisco, Ms. Pelosi’s congressional district and home turf.) Ms. Getty’s 16-foot veil and mirrored wedding dress were designed by John Galliano for Maison Margiela. Mr. Galliano designed not only Ms. Getty’s dress, but also the dresses for all 14 bridesmaids. It is not something he normally does but he was “bewitched” by Ms. Getty, he told Vogue.
Who was there?
Earth, Wind & Fire performed at a 1960s-inspired welcome party, the first event of a three-day celebration. As Ms. Pelosi officiated in the transformed San Francisco City Hall, Mayor London Breed and Gov. Gavin Newsom were in attendance. The fashion designer Wes Gordon was photographed with Ms. Getty’s aunt Vanessa Getty. The crown princess of Greece rubbed shoulders with the social media star Rickey Thompson. Princess Olympia of Greece and Denmark shared the dance floor with the pop star Olivia Rodrigo and the YouTuber Gigi Gorgeous.
Before this union, had her family done anything of note?
Most notably, the Getty family has made its billions thanks to the patriarch J. Paul Getty, who founded Getty Oil. In 1974, he had an estimated fortune of $2 billion to $4 billion. Mr. Getty is also known for his refusal to pay a $16 million ransom for a grandson who was kidnapped by an Italian crime syndicate in 1973.
“I have 14 other grandchildren and if I pay one penny now, then I’ll have 14 kidnapped grandchildren,” Mr. Getty said at the time.
It wasn’t until his grandson’s ear was mailed to an Italian newspaper that he relented and the family paid a reported $2.8 million ransom.
Mark Getty, a second cousin of Ivy Getty, is one of the founders of the photo-licensing giant Getty Images.
Kitty Bennett contributed research.
