Jill Tavelman: Everything About Phil Collins’ Ex-Wife

Jill Tavelman became famous because of her marriage to music star Phil Collins. But her story did not end when their marriage ended. She went on to build a quieter life of her own.

Jill is also the mother of actress Lily Collins. After her parents split, Lily moved to Los Angeles with Jill. The two have stayed close as Lily built her own career. Today, Jill is also a grandmother.

There are other interesting parts of Jill’s story too. She worked as a teacher, spent years helping charities, and later opened an antiques business. Her divorce also led to a famous “fax” story that Phil denied. So, who is Jill Tavelman beyond the famous names in her family? Here is her story.

Who Is Jill Tavelman?

Jill Tavelman is an American business owner. She is best known as the second wife of singer and drummer Phil Collins. The two were married during some of the biggest years of his music career.

Jill is also the mother of Lily Collins. Lily grew up to become a well-known actress. She is now famous around the world for her role in Emily in Paris. Jill has often been seen supporting her daughter at public events.

Still, Jill has her own story. She worked as a teacher before her marriage. She later spent years doing charity work. In 2014, she opened her own antiques store. These parts of her life often get lost behind the fame of Phil and Lily.

Jill Tavelman’s Early Life

Jill Tavelman was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1956. Many online profiles list her birthday as April 9, 1956. Based on that date, Jill turned 70 years old in April 2026.

Some websites give many extra details about her early family life. However, not all of these claims have strong proof. That is why it is better to keep the facts simple. Jill was raised in California and later built much of her adult life between the United States and England.

Long before people knew her as Phil Collins’ wife, Jill had her own life and work. She was not born into her future role as the wife of a world-famous singer. Her life changed in a big way after she met Phil in 1980.

Jill Tavelman profile summary and bio

Jill Tavelman’s Career Before Fame

Before marrying Phil Collins, Jill reportedly worked as a school teacher. This part of her story may surprise people who only know her through Hollywood photos.

Jill was also involved in community and charity work. She has been linked to the Beverly Hills Women’s Club and reportedly served as its president. Later in life, she spent many years giving time to charity work.

You may also see Jill called an architect, model, actress, or TV star on some websites. These labels should be treated with care. Her better-known work includes teaching, charity work, and later running an antiques business.

Jill did have a small connection to the 1988 movie Buster, which starred Phil Collins. Some profiles describe her appearance as a small cameo. Still, acting did not become her main career.

How Jill Tavelman Met Phil Collins

Jill Tavelman met Phil Collins in 1980. Reports say they first met at the famous Rainbow Bar in Hollywood.

At the time, Phil was already part of Genesis. His music career was growing fast. His solo career would soon make him an even bigger star.

Jill and Phil felt a connection and began dating. Their relationship lasted for about four years before they decided to marry.

Imagine dating someone whose face was becoming more famous every year. That became part of Jill’s life. Music, travel, fans, and work were always around them. Still, the couple stayed together and took the next big step in their relationship.

Jill Tavelman and Phil Collins’ Marriage

Jill became Phil Collins’ second wife in 1984. Several reports give their wedding date as August 4, 1984.

This was a huge time in Phil’s career. Genesis was already successful, and his solo music was also taking off. Songs such as “In the Air Tonight” had helped turn him into a major music star.

Being married to someone that famous brought Jill into the public eye. She attended events with Phil and was photographed beside him. Yet she never built the same kind of public career.

The couple spent part of their married life in England. For several years, it was just the two of them. Then, in 1989, their family changed forever. They welcomed their first and only child together.

Jill Tavelman and Daughter Lily Collins

Jill and Phil welcomed Lily Jane Collins on March 18, 1989. Lily was born in England and spent the first years of her life there.

Jill became very focused on being a mother. Old photos show the family together at public events. At the time, no one knew that their little girl would one day become a star in her own right.

Things changed when Jill and Phil’s marriage began to fall apart. The couple separated in 1994, when Lily was about five years old. Jill and Lily then moved to Los Angeles.

Lily grew up mainly with her mother in California. Years later, she built a successful acting career. She appeared in films such as Mirror Mirror and later became the star of Emily in Paris.

Jill remained close to her daughter as that career grew. They have attended premieres and other events together. Their relationship gives Jill’s story a warm side that goes far beyond her difficult divorce.

Why Did Jill Tavelman and Phil Collins Split?

By the early 1990s, Jill and Phil’s marriage was having problems. They finally announced their separation in 1994. Their daughter was still very young.

Reports have linked the breakup to Phil reconnecting with Lavinia Lang, a woman he had known years earlier. Some reports described their relationship as an affair. Because this part of the story has been told in different ways, it is best not to treat every old claim as a proven fact.

Phil did publicly say that he was no longer in love with Jill. Their breakup soon became major celebrity news. It was a painful change for a family that had spent around a decade together.

The divorce was completed in 1996. Jill and Phil had been married for about 12 years. Jill then moved into a very different stage of her life. She was raising Lily in Los Angeles while her former husband remained one of the world’s best-known music stars.

But one strange story from their breakup refused to disappear. For years, people claimed Phil had ended his marriage to Jill by fax. The truth behind that famous story is where the second half of Jill Tavelman’s life becomes even more interesting.

Did Phil Collins Divorce Jill Tavelman by Fax?

One story has followed Jill Tavelman and Phil Collins for many years. It says Phil ended their marriage by sending Jill a fax. It sounds shocking. That is also why the story became so famous.

However, the full story is not that simple. Phil has denied that he simply ended the marriage by fax. He has said that fax messages were used during this difficult time. But he denied the claim that one fax was how he divorced Jill.

This difference matters. Sending messages by fax was much more common in the 1990s than it is today. It does not mean the legal divorce happened through a fax machine.

Still, the story became part of their public breakup. Even decades later, people continue to ask about it. The safer answer is simple. The fax story became a famous rumor, but Phil Collins denied that he divorced Jill Tavelman by fax.

Jill Tavelman’s Divorce Settlement

The end of the marriage also came with a large money settlement. Jill Tavelman reportedly received about £17 million in the divorce.

That was a huge amount of money, especially in the 1990s. It helped make their divorce even bigger news. Phil was one of the world’s most successful music stars at the time, so people were very interested in the money side of the split.

However, the reported £17 million should not be confused with Jill’s net worth today. A divorce payment from 1996 does not tell us exactly how much money someone has 30 years later.

Phil later talked about his failed marriages in his 2016 book, Not Dead Yet. He said he was disappointed that his marriages had ended. Jill, meanwhile, mostly stayed away from public fights and moved forward with her own life.

Jill Tavelman’s Life After Phil Collins

Life after Phil Collins gave Jill a fresh start. She was living in Los Angeles with Lily, who was still a young girl. Much of Jill’s time went into being a mother.

Jill also spent many years doing charity work. She did not rush to build a celebrity career from her famous last name. Instead, she kept a much lower public profile.

As the years passed, Lily grew up. She found her own path and started working as an actress. Jill suddenly had more time for herself.

That change led to an important question. What did Jill want to do now?

She had always loved old things with a story behind them. She also liked finding unusual gifts for people. Once Lily was grown, Jill decided it was finally time to turn that interest into something of her own.

Jill Tavelman’s Antiques Business

In 2014, Jill Tavelman opened an antiques business called Waverly on Doheny. The store is based in West Hollywood, California.

The shop is not just about expensive old furniture. Jill looks for strange, fun, and special things from the past. She then finds new ways to use some of them.

Jill has said that she never really understood why people throw useful things away. She likes giving old objects another chance. A forgotten item can become something special again when the right person finds it.

This love for old items became an important part of Jill’s life. Her business also gave her something that was fully her own. She was no longer just being talked about as Phil Collins’ ex-wife or Lily Collins’ mother.

Waverly on Doheny has remained part of her public life. In 2026, the business still has an active official website. Jill’s move into antiques shows that starting something new does not have an age limit.

Jill Tavelman Is Now a Grandmother

Jill’s family has also entered a sweet new chapter. Lily Collins married filmmaker Charlie McDowell in 2021.

Then came even bigger family news. Lily and Charlie welcomed their first child, a daughter named Tove Jane, in January 2025. Their baby was born with the help of a surrogate.

That made Jill Tavelman a grandmother. It also changed the family story once again. Jill once raised Lily as a young mother. Now Lily has a daughter of her own.

In 2026, this gives us three generations of the family. Jill is now watching her daughter enjoy motherhood while continuing her acting career. It is a very different picture from the difficult years that followed Jill’s divorce.

(FAQs)

 How old is Jill Tavelman, and when is her birthday?

Jill Tavelman was born on April 9, 1956, in Los Angeles, California. She is 70 years old in 2026.

 Does Jill Tavelman have a partner today?

Jill Tavelman has not publicly confirmed a new husband or partner in 2026. Her best-known marriage was to Phil Collins, from 1984 to 1996.

 What is Jill Tavelman’s net worth?

Some websites claim Jill Tavelman is worth around $25 million, but this figure is not confirmed by reliable financial records. Her exact net worth remains private.

 What movies was Jill Tavelman in?

Jill is sometimes linked to a small cameo in Buster. However, acting was never her main career. IMDb mainly lists her in connection with Extra, so long movie lists found online should be treated with care.

 Where does Jill Tavelman live today in 2026?

Jill’s exact private home address or current residence is not publicly confirmed. What is confirmed is that her business, Waverly on Doheny, is based in West Hollywood, California, and its official site remains active in 2026.

Final Thoughts

Jill Tavelman first became known around the world because of Phil Collins. They met in 1980, married in 1984, and welcomed Lily Collins in 1989. Their marriage later fell apart, and their divorce was completed in 1996.

The breakup brought plenty of public attention. There was the famous fax story and the reported £17 million settlement. Yet those events are only one part of Jill Tavelman’s life.

After the divorce, Jill focused on raising Lily. She also spent years doing charity work. Later, she followed her love for old and unusual things and opened Waverly on Doheny in 2014.

Her daughter went on to become a major actress. Jill then entered another new stage of life when Lily welcomed Tove Jane in 2025.

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