Meet Alec N. Wildenstein’s Kids: Diane Wildenstein and Alec Wildenstein Jr.

Alec Nathan Marcel Wildenstein was born on August 5, 1940, in Marseille, France, during the turmoil of World War II.

He came from a distinguished family of Jewish art dealers with roots in Alsace, France. His great-grandfather, Nathan Wildenstein, founded the Wildenstein art business in 1875, laying the groundwork for what would become one of the world’s most influential art dynasties.

In 1941, as Nazi forces occupied France, the Wildenstein family fled to the United States and settled in New York City. Alec was raised in an environment of immense wealth and privilege, surrounded by masterpieces and the art-dealing empire his family had built.

His father, Daniel Wildenstein, was a celebrated Impressionist scholar and leading art dealer, while his mother was Martine Julie Kapferer. Alec grew up with one sibling, his younger brother Guy Wildenstein, who later took on major roles in the family business but faced high-profile legal troubles over inheritance and taxes.

His life was deeply tied to the Wildenstein empire, which expanded to include galleries in Paris, New York, and Tokyo. Following the death of his father in 2001, Alec inherited half of the family fortune, valued at approximately $10 billion, which included what was believed to be the largest private art collection in the world.

Beyond art, Alec was passionate about horse racing. Through his Ecurie Wildenstein stables, he bred and owned champion racehorses, including Kotkijet, winner of the prestigious Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris in 2004.

In his personal life, Alec married Swiss socialite Jocelyne Périsset, later known as Jocelyn Wildenstein, on April 30, 1978, in Las Vegas. They met at the family’s Ol Jogi Ranch in Kenya.

Together, they had two children: Diane Wildenstein (born 1979) and Alec Wildenstein Jr. (born 1980). Their marriage, marked by lavish lifestyles and grand spending, collapsed in 1999 after Jocelyn discovered Alec with a 19-year-old Russian model. The divorce became one of the most expensive in history, with Jocelyn reportedly receiving a $2.5 billion settlement plus $100 million annually for 13 years.

Alec later remarried in 2000 to Russian model Liouba Stoupakova, though details of their relationship remained largely private. No other major partners were publicly linked to him.

On February 18, 2008, Alec Wildenstein passed away in Paris from prostate cancer at the age of 67. He left behind a legacy intertwined with art, wealth, scandal, and horse racing. His children, Diane and Alec Jr., continue to live with the influence of their family’s immense fortune and the notoriety surrounding their parents’ stormy past.

Diane Wildenstein

Diane Wildenstein, born in 1979 in New York City, is the elder of Alec and Jocelyn’s two children. Diane has followed in her family’s tradition of passion for horses.

Now residing in London, she is involved in horse breeding, a quieter pursuit that aligns with the Wildenstein family’s long-standing interest in equestrian activities.

Diane’s low-key lifestyle contrasts sharply with her mother’s high-profile persona as the “Catwoman,” a nickname Jocelyn earned due to her extensive cosmetic surgeries.

Despite her parents’ wealth—her father gifted her a $3 million mansion at Ol Jogi for her 17th birthday—Diane has largely avoided the media spotlight. She may be married with children, as no confirmed details have surfaced.

Her relationship with her mother was reportedly strained, with sources indicating that Diane and Jocelyn were estranged in the years leading up to Jocelyn’s death on December 31, 2024. A particularly painful point in their rift came after Alec Sr.’s death in 2008, when payments from the family trust to Jocelyn reportedly stopped, creating tension.

Additionally, Jocelyn allegedly discovered that Diane had been in contact with the Russian model with whom Alec Sr. had an affair, further damaging their relationship. The last known meeting between Diane and her mother was around 2010 or 2011.

Despite this, Jocelyn occasionally shared nostalgic throwback photos of Diane on social media, such as one from August 25, 2024, celebrating Diane’s birthday at their Parisian home, Château de Marienthal.

Diane’s choice to lead a private life in London, focusing on horse breeding, reflects a desire to distance herself from the public drama that defined her parents’ lives. Her commitment to the equestrian world keeps her connected to the Wildenstein legacy, albeit in a more subdued manner.

Alec Wildenstein Jr.

Alec Wildenstein Jr., born in 1980, is the younger sibling and the namesake of his late father. Like his sister, Alec Jr. has ties to the family’s passions, but his focus has been on the Ol Jogi Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya, a 58,000-acre sanctuary that his mother helped establish.

Alec Jr. has taken on a leadership role in managing the ranch, reflecting his love for nature and wildlife, a trait he shares with his mother, who was known for her deep affinity for animals, particularly cats.

Jocelyn’s passion for wildlife was evident in her Instagram posts, including a September 2023 throwback of Alec Jr. at Ol Jogi, captioned, “The Wildenstein Dynasty. My Son Alec Jr #oljogi.”

Unlike his sister, Alec Jr. has faced public scrutiny due to legal issues. In 2016, he was embroiled in a tax evasion case alongside his uncle, Guy Wildenstein, accused of hiding the family’s fortune in offshore tax shelters.

In 2024, Alec Jr. received a two-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of approximately $40,800. Despite these challenges, Alec Jr. continues to run Ol Jogi, maintaining his connection to the family’s Kenyan legacy. He is also described as an accomplished pilot, a skill that aligns with his mother’s early pursuits as a hunter and pilot.

Like Diane, Alec Jr. was reportedly estranged from his mother before her passing, with their rift beginning after the 1999 divorce. Neither he nor Diane attended Jocelyn’s funeral in Paris, a fact that underscored the depth of their estrangement.

However, Alec Jr.’s bond with his cousin David Wildenstein, son of Guy Wildenstein, remains strong, with David describing them as “like brothers” due to their close age and shared experiences growing up.