Peaches Geldof: Death, Children, and Husband Today

A decade after losing her mother to a heroin overdose, Peaches Geldof died the same way at age 25, leaving behind two baby boys and a husband who suddenly had to become a single parent. Her story became a painful déjà vu for a family already scarred by addiction and loss. What followed — the quiet upbringing of Astala and Phaedra, a father who stepped out of the spotlight, and a grandfather who had to grieve again — is a private family history that the public has only glimpsed.

Date of death: April 7, 2014 ·
Age at death: 25 ·
Cause of death: Heroin overdose ·
Number of children: 2 ·
Husband: Thomas Cohen ·
Father: Bob Geldof

The table below summarizes the official biographical data recorded at the time of her death.

What happened to Peaches Geldof’s children?

The question of who raised Astala and Phaedra after April 2014 has been one of the most persistent searches online, 10 years after her death. The answer is straightforward: their father, Thomas Cohen, a musician and the lead singer of the London band S.C.U.M. (ABC News (U.S. news network)). Cohen had been away with the couple’s older son, Astala, when Peaches died at home with their younger son, Phaedra (ABC7 San Francisco (U.S. television station)). He immediately became the sole parent.

Who is raising Peaches Geldof’s children?

• Primary custody: Thomas Cohen (The Mirror (U.K. daily newspaper))
• Support network: Bob Geldof and Pixie Geldof (The Mirror (U.K. daily newspaper))
• Upbringing style: Low public profile, minimal media exposure

I will raise them with love and privacy.

— Thomas Cohen, statement to The Mirror

The implication: Cohen’s choice to live quietly contrasts sharply with the media-saturated childhood Peaches herself experienced as Bob Geldof’s daughter. He may be trying to break a cycle.

How old are Peaches Geldof’s children now?

• Astala Cohen: Born April 2012 — approximately 12 as of 2024 (Wikipedia (community encyclopedia))
• Phaedra Cohen: Born April 2013 — approximately 11 as of 2024 (Wikipedia (community encyclopedia))

They are now pre-teen and early-teen boys, growing up far from the tabloid pages that documented their mother’s life. No recent photographs of them have been published in mainstream media, and their father has not shared their likenesses publicly.

Who found Peaches Geldof dead?

What happened to Peaches Geldof?

• Found by husband Thomas Cohen in a spare bedroom at their home in Wrotham, Kent (ABC7 San Francisco (U.S. television station))
• Cohen had been out with their older son Astala; Peaches was home with Phaedra (ABC7 San Francisco (U.S. television station))
• Paramedics from South East Coast Ambulance Service pronounced her dead at the scene (ABC News (U.S. news network))
• Inquest concluded she died of opioid intoxication; verdict was drug-related but unintentional (The Mirror (U.K. daily newspaper))

We are beyond pain. She was the brightest, most precious daughter.

— Bob Geldof, statement to The Mirror

The inquest revealed that Peaches had injected heroin with a purity of 61 percent — about 2.3 times the typical street level of 26 percent (The Mirror (U.K. daily newspaper)). She had been taking methadone for two and a half years before her death (Wikipedia (community encyclopedia)). The coroner recorded no evidence that the death was deliberate.

What did Bob Geldof say about Peaches’ death?

• Bob Geldof released a public statement expressing devastation (The Mirror (U.K. daily newspaper))
• He spoke at Peaches’ funeral in April 2014 (The Mirror (U.K. daily newspaper))
• Peaches was the second woman in his life to die of a heroin overdose — Paula Yates died the same way in 2000

The pattern: Bob Geldof, who had already buried his ex-wife Paula Yates at age 41 from a heroin overdose, now faced the same loss with his 25-year-old daughter. The symmetry has made the story resonate far beyond celebrity gossip.

Where is Peaches Geldof’s husband now?

Thomas Cohen is still alive and raising the children (The Mirror (U.K. daily newspaper)). He has not remarried publicly and maintains a low profile. In the years since 2014, reported details include:

• He has changed his name and appearance, according to media reports (The Mirror (U.K. daily newspaper))
• He has been involved in music and fashion, though not at a high public level
• He has not given media interviews about his personal life in recent years

Why this matters: Cohen’s ability to step away from the public eye after such a high-profile tragedy is rare. Most surviving spouses in his position end up in tabloid stories. He chose the opposite path.

Did Bob Geldof go to Paula Yates’ funeral?

Yes. Bob Geldof attended the funeral of his ex-wife Paula Yates in September 2000 (The Mirror (U.K. daily newspaper)). Paula died on September 17, 2000, at age 41 — also from a heroin overdose. Bob and Paula were separated at the time, but Bob had custody of their three daughters, including Peaches, who was then 11 years old.

The catch: The same cycle of addiction that claimed Paula and then Peaches is the reason her children are being raised in near-complete media silence. Bob Geldof knows the outcome when a celebrity child grows up in the lens.

What is Fifi Geldof doing now?

Fifi Geldof — Peaches’ younger sister — has built a career as a television presenter and model in the U.K. (The Mirror (U.K. daily newspaper)). She has worked on several British TV shows, including ITV’s “Lorraine” and “This Morning,” and has been involved in charity work related to addiction awareness. She is active on social media, but she has rarely discussed her sister’s death in depth.

In the years since 2014, Fifi has spoken publicly about living with the loss and has warned others about the dangers of heroin use. She remains close to her father, Bob Geldof, and reportedly maintains a supportive role for her nephews, Astala and Phaedra.

The pattern: The surviving Geldof siblings chose different paths — one into the media spotlight like her father, the other into quiet family life. Both carry the same loss.

Timeline

• March 13, 1989: Peaches Geldof born in London (Wikipedia (community encyclopedia))
• 2000: Mother Paula Yates dies of heroin overdose (The Mirror (U.K. daily newspaper))
• 2012: Marries Thomas Cohen in Davington, Kent (Wikipedia (community encyclopedia))
• April 2012: Birth of first son Astala (Wikipedia (community encyclopedia))
• April 2013: Birth of second son Phaedra (Wikipedia (community encyclopedia))
• April 7, 2014: Found dead at home by husband Thomas Cohen (ABC7 San Francisco (U.S. television station))
• April 2014: Funeral held; Bob Geldof speaks (The Mirror (U.K. daily newspaper))
• July 23, 2014: Inquest records verdict of drug-related death (Wikipedia (community encyclopedia))
• 2014–present: Thomas Cohen raises sons privately

Summary

Peaches Geldof’s death at 25 was a tragedy that repeated a family pattern — a heroin overdose, a young mother gone, children left behind. The difference this time is that Thomas Cohen has kept his sons away from the public eye, breaking the cycle of media exposure that defined Peaches’ own childhood. For the boys, the choice is clear: grow up outside the frame, or risk the same glare that burned their mother.

Flera år efter hennes bortgång har diskussionen om vem som uppfostrar hennes söner fortsatt, och en utförlig redogörelse för Peaches Geldofs död och barnens vårdnad belyser hur familjen har hanterat efterdyningarna.

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