From two name changes to a fairytale meeting and romance with the talented Kate Winslet, Edward Abel Smith has been a fascinating character all his life. Here’s his story.
Even with a world-famous uncle like Richard Branson, Edward Abel Smith, the husband of actress Kate Winslet, was not very well known to the public before meeting the Hollywood star. Let’s take a journey through his life.
Who Is Edward Abel Smith?
Edward Abel Smith (originally Abel Smith) was born on January 1, 1978, to parents Linette J. Branson and Robert Abel Smith in Sussex, London. He is a businessman and the nephew of British billionaire Richard Branson, owner and founder of Virgin Galactic. Not long after his birth, his parents divorced, and Smith was raised by his mother and stepfather, Robin Brockway.
Young Smith grew up with his four brothers in Parsons Green, South-West London. He attended a boarding school in Sussex and later studied at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He started his career in the entertainment industry soon after completing his studies.
Smith began working as a marketing consultant for his billionaire uncle’s Virgin Galactic. He worked there for a few years before moving on to other ventures. In 2011, he became the Vice President of Marketing and Promotion for Branson’s charity organization, Virgin Unite. He also founded the company, “Rocknroll Adventures,” which specializes in organizing adventure trips for young people.
Smith now works as the Head of Marketing Promotion and Astronaut Experience at his uncle’s company. He specializes in developing commercial spacecraft that will transport tourists to space in the future.
Why Did Edward Abel Smith Change His Name Twice?
The celebrity husband has had two legal name changes in his life. Born Abel Smith, he changed his name to “Ned Rocknroll” in 2008. The name change was considered controversial because of its association with the rock and roll lifestyle, and many people criticized the decision.
In an interview, his ex-wife, British socialite Eliza Pearson, explained the reasoning behind the weird name change.
She said, “The whole thing was about having fun with your name. He thought we all took ourselves too seriously, so it was about reacting against it. He looked into just being ‘Ned,’ with no surname at all, but that’s illegal, so we couldn’t do it.”
However, in 2019, Smith changed his name to the much less flashy Edward Abel Smith just a few years after the birth of his son with Kate Winslet. When the Hollywood actress was asked about his name changes in an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, she also explained the reason for her husband’s name changes in detail.
She said,
“So his birth name is Abel Smith. And as time went by and Ned became Ned — who is quite an original personality — he just decided at one point in his life to just change his name to Rocknroll. Ned Rocknroll. So when I met him, his name was Ned Rocknroll. This is completely true.”
Kate Winslet.
When asked why he changed it to the much calmer “Edward Abel Smith,” she said, “When he changed his name to Rocknroll, I don’t think he had anticipated what might happen if he should have a girlfriend whose name was Kate Winslet and who was quite well-known and therefore the press might kind of not react so well to the fact that she had this boyfriend called Ned Rocknroll.
So, it was a little tricky… I got to the point where I’m like, you know, I’m filling in doctors’ forms, and it says ‘ mother’s name’ and ‘father’s name,’ and I’m like, ‘Honey…are we going to keep going?’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah, you’re right. I’ll just change it back.’ So, he changed it back.”
Is Edward Abel Smith Kate Winslet’s Husband?
Yes, Edward Abel Smith is Kate Winslet’s husband. They met in 2011, and their love story unfolded, earning the label of a fairytale romance over the years. The couple met while staying at Richard Branson’s $70 million ‘Great House’ mansion on Necker Island.
A couple of hours later, Richard Branson and his guests, including Smith, Winslet, and her then-boyfriend Louis Dowler, were caught up in a disastrous house fire caused by lightning during Hurricane Irene. The “Titanic” star became a hero when she helped the Virgin founder’s 90-year-old mother to safety, which likely endeared her to Smith.
Following Winslet’s breakup with Dowler, she and Smith began dating later that year. They secretly engaged during the summer of 2012, subsequently exchanging vows in December of the same year. Their wedding occurred at a private New York ceremony surrounded by close friends and family.
“Titanic” costar and close friend Leonardo DiCaprio walked Winslet down the aisle. The happy couple have two children, a son Bear and a daughter named Mia Honey.
Edward Abel Smith’s Net Worth
Edward Abel Smith has an estimated net worth of $25 million thanks to his lucrative position at his uncle’s company and other ventures. Despite being the “Avatar” star’s third husband, the couple seems very happy, and she always has high praises to sing about him during interviews.
