Maria Sharapova and Alexander Gilkes are embracing their new roles as parents. The former tennis star and the British businessman were first linked romantically in January 2018. Two years later, Gilkes proposed, and the couple announced their engagement on Instagram. In July 2022, they welcomed their son, Theodore, and have since postponed their “big wedding.”
Sharapova shared her thoughts on motherhood with PEOPLE, expressing how rewarding it is to watch their son grow and develop his personality. “Every single week you learn something new about them, about their personality,” she said. “Although it’s a full-time job, it’s also just so gratifying to see this little human grow and to express himself and to share your moments with him when he’s awake. It’s all very special.”
So, who is Maria Sharapova’s fiancé, Alexander Gilkes? Here’s a closer look at the man who captured the heart of the tennis legend.
Gilkes discovered his passion for art in 1997 when he attended Charles Saatchi’s “Sensation” exhibition. He became an auctioneer for fine art and has served on the board of trustees of the New York Academy of Art since 2016. He has a particular interest in street culture, which he believes is a transformative force in contemporary art.
In addition to his art career, Gilkes is an entrepreneur. He held various positions over the years, including being an auctioneer at Phillips under Simon de Pury’s guidance. In 2011, he founded Paddle8, an online auction website aimed at making the art world more accessible. “We wanted to enhance access to this very elitist and fairly esoteric art world,” Gilkes told GQ. The business was sold to The Native in 2018, and Gilkes stepped down as CEO. He later co-founded Squared Circles, a venture studio, in 2020.
Gilkes also has royal connections. He attended Eton College, where he befriended Prince Harry and Prince William. Although he has never publicly discussed his relationship with the princes, he was a guest at Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding. Princess Eugenie, whom Gilkes affectionately calls “Eug,” is also a close friend and worked at Paddle8 for two years.
The couple went public with their relationship in 2018. They were first spotted together in Los Angeles in January and made their relationship Instagram official in October. They shared photos from a vacation in the Cotswolds, with Sharapova jokingly commenting on Gilkes’ post, “Your photographer is better than mine 🤷🏼♀️.”
In December 2020, the couple announced their engagement. “I said yes from the first day we met❤️This was our little secret, wasn’t it 💍🥂@gilkesa,” Sharapova wrote on Instagram. Gilkes expressed his happiness, writing, “Thank you for making me a very very happy boy. I look forward to a lifetime of loving you, and learning from you @mariasharapova #💍.”
Despite their engagement, Sharapova and Gilkes are in no rush to get married, especially after the birth of their son. “We were going to have a big wedding and then I got pregnant, and so we haven’t scheduled a new wedding yet,” Sharapova told PEOPLE in June 2024. “Perhaps in the next couple of years.”
On July 1, 2022, the couple welcomed their first child, Theodore. They announced his birth on Instagram, describing him as “the most beautiful, challenging, and rewarding gift our little family could ask for.” Sharapova opened up about the challenges of breastfeeding and the adjustments she had to make. “You really don’t know much about what you’re doing and then you just figure it out. And then, in the end, it’s all okay,” she said.
Sharapova also shared how she gradually returned to working out after giving birth. “I spent the last three months of pregnancy, I’d say in a nesting stage where I didn’t do too much. I didn’t feel my body was ready and I was getting quite tired. I felt quite uncomfortable towards the end,” she explained. “Once I gave birth, I had this renewed energy, which I think I needed.”
Interestingly, Gilkes speaks Russian, Sharapova’s native language, in addition to French, Spanish, and English. This shared linguistic ability likely strengthens their bond.
Aside from his business ventures, Gilkes is a contributing editor for British Vogue. He has written for the publication alongside Sharapova, including a safari diary from their trip to Botswana and Rwanda in February 2020.
Alexander Gilkes was born in July 1979 in Camden, London. He is the son of dermatologist Jeremy Gilkes and was educated at Eton College and the University of Bristol. He has been based in New York since 2008 and has held various prestigious roles, including serving on the board of the New York Academy of Art.
Gilkes was previously married to British-Bahraini fashion designer Misha Nonoo. The couple divorced in 2017. Since 2018, he has been in a relationship with Maria Sharapova, and they announced their engagement in December 2020. Their son, Theodore, was born on July 1, 2022.
As Sharapova and Gilkes navigate their new roles as parents, they continue to enjoy their time together, focusing on their son and their respective careers. While wedding plans are on hold, the couple remains committed to each other and their growing family.
Source: PEOPLE, GQ, British Vogue, New York Academy of Art, The Observer, Robb Report, The Native, Squared Circles, Eton College, University of Bristol, Instagram
