Meet the Hiltons: A who’s who of one of the most famous dynasties in America
Theirs was a union which would bring together two of the most storied, glamorous and wealthy families in history; so it's little surprise that James Rothschild chose to propose to Nicky Hilton in a somewhat spectacular manner.
Having dated for 3 years, on 12 August 2014, the billionaire Rothschild heir asked the youngest Hilton daughter for her hand during a romantic boat ride in Lake Como, Italy, popping the question with a 6-carat Asscher-cut diamond ring worth an estimated $2.5 million.
Revisit Tatler’s September 2024 issue, where the hottest chef on the planet spoke to Harriet Kean about working for a billionaire, that scandal and butter (of course)
Less than a year later, the wedding reception was held at Kensington Palace with the bride wearing a haute couture Valentino gown. European aristocracy, American reality stars and British socialites came together for the lavish day, with the high society guest list featuring A-listers from both sides of the Atlantic, including Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece, Chelsea Clinton, Thomas van Straubenzee.
Of course, the Hilton contingent was also out in full force for the big day, its members including socialites, philanthropists and hoteliers, with connections to Hollywood, the British aristocracy, and yes, the Kardashians.
Perhaps the most famous of them all? Former Tatler cover star Paris Hilton, who herself went on to marry in a lavish wedding in 2021.
But who else is in the Hilton dynasty? Here’s your guide to who the key players are...
J. R. Eyerman / The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images1/9Conrad Hilton
The founding father of the Hilton dynasty is Conrad Hilton, the great-grandfather of Paris. One of seven children, he was the son of Norwegian immigrants, and learned business from his father who ran a grocery store in New Mexico. After serving in France during World War I, he returned to the US and moved to Texas, where he bought his first hotel: it was so successful, he ended up having to convert dining rooms into more bedrooms. He went on to buy more hotels in the state before going nationwide, eventually purchasing the famed Waldorf Astoria in New York for $3 million. He was married three times - first to Mary Adelaide Barron, with whom he had three children (Conrad Jr., William Barron, and Eric Michael); second to the Hollywood star Zsa Zsa Gabor, with whom he had one daughter (Constance Francesca Hilton Gabor) and thirdly to Mary Frances Kelly. One of the richest men in the US, on his death in 1979 he left just $500,000 to his two surviving sons, William and Eric, and $100,000 to his daughter Constance, with the rest going to his namesake charitable foundation. According to the New York Times he wrote in his will: ‘Charity is a supreme virtue, and the great channel through which the mercy of God is passed onto mankind.’
Bettmann / Getty Images2/9Conrad Hilton Jr
Growing up super-rich led to Conrad Hilton Jr becoming something of a playboy in the 1940s and 1950s, famously marrying Elizabeth Taylor (he was the first of her five husbands, and they were married for less than a year) and being accused of having an affair with his stepmother, Zsa Zsa Gabor (as per her own autobiography, published after his death). He married an Oklahoma oil heiress, Patricia McClintock, in 1958, with the couple having two sons, Conrad Hilton III and Michael Otis. As the heir to the family business, Hilton Jr worked closely with his father, helping the company expand dramatically. He died in 1969 of a heart attack, aged just 42.
Evening Standard / Hulton Archive / Getty Images3/9Constance Francesca Gabor Hilton
The only child of Conrad Hilton Jr and his second wife Zsa Zsa Gabor, Constance inherited her mother’s famous good looks, and often accompanied her to film premieres and other red carpet events. Growing up, she worked on reception at her father’s hotels during her summer break and won blue ribbons in equestrian competitions, before becoming an actress, comedian (often poking fun at her famous family) and photographer. She married Joseph Piche in 1993, divorcing him seven years later, and was engaged to be married again when she died in 2015.
Bettmann / Getty Images4/9William Barron Hilton
The second son of Conrad Hilton Sr, William Barron worked alongside his brothers in the running of the hotel empire. He also owned the San Diego Chargers and was one of the founding owners of the American Football League in the 1960s. He married Marilyn June Hawley in 1947, with the couple going on to have eight children together. They famously lived at Jay Paley House in the upscale neighbourhood of Holmby Hills in Los Angeles, with the property recently on the market following his death in 2019. Just like his father, he left the majority of his wealth to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, giving just three per cent of it to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Dave Benett / Getty Images5/9Richard and Kathy Hilton
Richard is the sixth son of William Barron Hilton and a grandson of Conrad Hilton Sr. He married his high school sweetheart, Kathy Richards, in 1979, after meeting when they were just 15-years-old. The couple have four children: Paris, Nicky, Barron and Conrad. While Richard is a real estate broker and founder of his own company Hilton & Hyland, Kathy is an actress, philanthropist and fashion designer. She has also appeared in a season of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, which stars her half-sisters Kim and Kyle Richards.
YU TSAI6/9Paris Hilton
This Tatler cover star rose to fame in the early 2000s as the original Los Angeles party girl, often pictured alongside her younger sister Nicky as well as other It girls Mischa Barton, Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears. Her fame went stratospheric after she starred in the much-loved reality TV series The Simple Life alongside friend Nicole Richie, and she soon dipped her toe into the world of business, creating hundreds of products in her name from perfumes to fashion lines. In 2020, she released an insightful documentary about her life on YouTube, This is Paris, which shed light on the trauma she suffered at the hands of a reformatory school, as well as opening up about the ‘blonde bimbo’ persona she is known for - and how it couldn’t be further from the truth. Paris is married to venture capitalist Carter Reum. The couple wed in an extravagant three day event at her grandfather's Bel air estate in November 2021 which was followed by a lavish seven-week honeymoon.
Neil Mockford / Alex Huckle / GC Images via Getty Images7/9Nicky Hilton
The younger sister of Paris, Nicky is close to her elder sister and was frequently photographed with her during their youthful partying days. She married banking scion James Rothschild in 2015, with the glamorous high society wedding’s guest list featuring A-listers from both sides of the Atlantic, including Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece, Chelsea Clinton, Thomas van Straubenzee, Bijou Phillips and Amanda Hearst. A fashion designer with a successful line of shoes, she now lives in New York with her three children.
Michael Loccisano / Getty Images8/9Barron Hilton II
Paris and Nicky's younger brother Barron Hilton II keeps a lower profile than his siblings. The model met his wife, German aristocrat and DJ Tessa Gräfin von Walderdorff, in 2016 at a New Year's Eve bash in St Barts, with the couple marrying in 2018. They have three children together, Milou, Caspian and Apollo. He once ran a very popular food Instagram account, Barron's Bites, but sadly hasn't posted since 2017. He now works with his father Richard at Hilton & Hyland.
David Buchan / Getty Images9/9Conrad Hilton III
The youngest of the Hilton siblings, Conrad Hilton III has weathered a fair few controversies over the past few years, but is now seeking treatment.
