David Bowie’s widow, Iman, has shared a sweet tribute to the musician on what would have been his 79th birthday.
The Starman hitmaker passed away on January 10, 2016, after an 18-month battle with liver cancer, just two days after his 69th birthday.
Days before the 10th anniversary of his death, his wife, Iman, took to Instagram to share a loving tribute to Bowie on his birthday.
She posted a black-and-white photograph of the singer and wished him a “happy heavenly birthday”.
“Jan 8th. Happy Heavenly Birthday. Your light burns so bright in all our hearts! We love and miss you,” she penned.
Bowie’s daughter, Alexandria “Lexi” Zahra Jones, also shared a throwback photograph of herself with her father as she marked the occasion.
“Da big 79 today. Happy birthday, pops, miss ya!” the 25-year-old shared.
Bowie shares his daughter, Lexi, with Iman, and also has a son, Duncan Zowie Jones, with his first wife, Angie Bowie.
Scroll on for everything you need to know about Bowie’s family and his relationship with Iman.
How did David Bowie and Iman meet?
Bowie and Iman met on a blind date in 1990 arranged by their mutual friend, hairdresser Teddy Antolin.
Bowie, whose real name is David Jones, admitted it was love at first sight, with sparks quickly flying between the pair.
Though Iman was initially hesitant to meet Bowie, Iman later revealed that she quickly fell in love with the man behind the music.
“I fell in love with David Jones,” the Somali-American supermodel told the Guardian in 2014.
“Bowie is just a persona […] He’s a singer, an entertainer. David Jones is a man I met.”
Iman, whose full name is Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid, was not looking for love when she met Bowie, but it proved to be fate.
What happened with David Bowie and Iman?
Bowie and Iman got married during a private civil ceremony in Lausanne, Switzerland, on April 24, 1992.
They also celebrated at a second, larger wedding ceremony in Florence, Italy, on June 6, 1992.
They remained devoted to each other for 26 years until Bowie’s death in 2016.
The couple were generally very private about their relationship and lived their life with their daughter, Lexi, away from the spotlight.
“We are very normal,” Iman told PEOPLE in 2005.
During their marriage, Iman cooked dinner for her husband every night, and Bowie would often play music with Lexi.
Bowie was diagnosed with cancer two years before his death, but kept his illness a secret from the public.
He underwent chemotherapy while recording his final album, Blackstar, and was told his cancer was inoperable in November 2015.
Iman remained devoted and by his side until his passing, supporting him through his treatment.
After his death, Iman revealed how difficult it was to grieve privately, telling British Vogue, “It was too much.”
What did David Bowie say about Iman?
Bowie admitted it was love at first sight when he first met Iman, and knew she was “the one”.
“My attraction to her was immediate and all-encompassing. I couldn’t sleep for the excitement of our first date,” he told OK Magazine.
“That she would be my wife, in my head, was a done deal. I’d never gone after anything with such passion in all my life.”
Weeks before their 1992 wedding, Bowie also gushed over Iman’s “overwhelming beauty” as he heaped praise on their relationship.
“I found her intolerably sexy,” Bowie once said of his wife. “But she’s so much more than that. She’s my soulmate.”
He famously described meeting Iman as like “winning the lottery” and said his greatest achievement in life was marrying her.
Who was David Bowie’s first wife?
Before meeting Iman, Bowie was married to American model Angela “Angie” Barnet.
The couple first met in London in 1969, and they got married a year later.
They famously had an open relationship, but they ultimately separated after nine years of marriage.
Their divorce was finalised on February 9, 1980, and Bowie fought for custody of their son, Duncan Jones, originally Zowie Bowie.
Who are David Bowie’s children?
Bowie welcomed his son, Duncan, on May 30, 1971, with his first wife, Angela.
He wrote the song, Kooks, for his newborn son after his birth, and they shared a close relationship.
Bowie was granted custody after his divorce from Angela, and Duncan’s relationship with his mother became strained.
After Bowie’s death, Angela said that contact with her son had ended years earlier, and they are believed to have been estranged for around 40 years.
Duncan has forged a career as a film director and won a BAFTA for his debut project, sci-fi film Moon.
Duncan has two children with his wife, Rodene Ronquillo, and both of their names pay tribute to his father.
His son is called Stenton David Jones, and his daughter’s name is Zowie Tala Mabsie Jones.
Bowie also has a daughter, Lexi, from his second marriage to Iman.
She currently lives in Los Angeles, where she works as a fashion designer and photographer.
Start your journey to find love for FREE today, with eHarmony.
