Eric Clapton's 5 Children: All About His 4 Daughters and Late Son

Eric Clapton is the father of five children: Ruth, Julie Rose, Ella May, Sophie Belle and the late Conor

Eric Clapton is known as one of the most influential guitarists in rock history. Between his 17 Grammy Awards and being a three-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the musician has his fair share of achievements across his decades-long career.

The Yardbirds guitarist’s legacy, however, spans further than his chart-topping hits. Clapton is a father of five children: Ruth, Julie Rose, Ella May, Sophie Belle, and the late Conor, who died in 1991.

Clapton fathered his first child, Ruth, with Yvonne Kelly in 1985. At the time, the musician was still married to his first wife, Pattie Boyd. Ruth was kept a secret from Boyd, and it was only after Conor’s death at age 4 that the little girl's identity was revealed. In the 2007 biography, Clapton: The Autobiography, Clapton is quoted as crediting his daughter for helping him cope with his grief.

“Yvonne knew that [being close to Ruth] would help and it was true. I was able to hold a child again, and to be held by a child,” he said. Ruth has been a tremendous support. I had no idea how much power a child could have on an adult life, how much it can make you feel valid, unique and strong.”

Read on to learn more about the British guitarist’s five kids.

Ruth Clapton, 39

Clapton’s first, Ruth, was born on Jan. 12, 1985.

Although Clapton and Ruth were close during her childhood, the father and daughter spent a number of years estranged from each other. However, they have since mended their relationship and were on good terms by the time Ruth and her husband Dean Bartlett divorced in 2021.

“I’ve gone through a really rough time,” she told the Daily Mail of the divorce in 2021. “I’m about to navigate my way through a divorce — a decision that neither of us has taken lightly. All we want for each other is happiness, even if that can’t be achieved together.”

When asked about her father, Ruth said, “I’m always checking in with him. He’s doing really good, I’m very grateful for that. He’s itching to get back out there like all musicians.”

Ruth is a mom and shares two children with her ex-husband Bartlett: Isaac Eric Owen and Theodore Ivan.

She often shares snaps of the youngsters of her children on her Instagram account, where she also posts fashion and beauty content.

Julie Rose Clapton, 23

Clapton welcomed his second child — and his first with his current wife Melia McEnery — Julie Rose, on June 13, 2001.

Julie studied fine arts at the Rhode Island School of Design and is a keen creative, having weaved her own 3D art and designed several outfits. Now living in London, she posts about her adventures and her everyday life on her Instagram account.

A joint post from Julie and the Textile Arts Center in Brooklyn, New York, in May 2024 described Clapton's daughter as "a Fiber artist from England, living and working in Brooklyn. Her work includes weaving,knitting,paper making and natural dyeing."

Ella May Clapton, 21

The couple’s second daughter, Ella May Clapton was born in London on Jan. 14, 2003.

According to her LinkedIn page, she’s currently a student at The University of Newcastle, England, studying for a degree in sociology. Her previous job roles include waitressing, reception work, and a two-month internship as a Junior Associate at PR and marketing firm Global Prairie.

In April 2022, the Daily Mail reported that Ella was in a relationship with model and heir to the British chocolate company Fry’s, Jude Fry. The pair confirmed the relationship after Ella posted a series of sweet snaps in honor of Fry’s 21st birthday in August 2022. Captioning the photos with, “happy birthday 💝 I love you,” the couple can be seen laughing at the camera in one snap, while another shows Fry kissing Clapton on the forehead.

In January 2023, Fry shared a carousel of images on Instagram celebrating Ella's birthday. @"I love you. Happy birthday my els ❤️," he wrote in the post's caption.

More recently, Ella has shared images on Instagram of spending time with friends in New York City in February 2024 and from a trip to Japan in April 2023.

Sophie Belle Clapton, 19

Sophie Belle is Clapton and McEnery’s third child, born Feb. 1, 2005.

Although very little is known about Sophie and she likes to stay out of the spotlight with no public online presence, her father dedicated a song to her and her two older sisters. The song, titled "Three Little Girls," which was released alongside J. J. Cale on their joint 2006 album The Road to Escondido, speaks of how proud Clapton is of his children and the joy that they bring to his life.

The lyrics read, “Julie Rose and Ella May / Sophie Belle, you came to stay / You take my breath away / My three little girls.”

Conor Clapton

Clapton welcomed son Conor Clapton with Italian television personality Lory Del Santo, on Aug. 21, 1986. He tragically died in New York City on March 20, 1991 after falling 49 stories out of an open window.

According to a 1991 report from The New York Times, a window was left open after it was cleaned by a housekeeper.

The guitarist has previously opened up in interviews about his son’s death, recalling the moment that Del Santo called him to tell him the news.

“I remember putting the phone down and calmly walking from my hotel [in N.Y.C.] to that place as if nothing happened,” he said. “And I walked past the street and, this is a terrible thing of shame for me, which I’ll never, ever perhaps recover from and seeing that, seeing a crowd of people and a paramedic van and knowing that he was there [trying to be resuscitated] and walking by, I’ll punish myself forever about why didn’t I run? Why didn’t I go to see him? … the truth is I couldn’t. I was so frightened.”

Clapton's "Tears in Heaven" was inspired by Conor's tragic death and has become one of the musician’s most popular and has resonated with many of his fans.

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