Who Is Nicky Hilton's Husband? All About James Rothschild (2025)

Nicky Hilton Rothschild has been married to her husband, James Rothschild, for nearly a decade.

The socialite and financier tied the knot at Kensington Palace in London on July 10, 2015. The couple have since welcomed three children: daughters Lily-Grace Victoria and Theodora “Teddy” Marilyn and a son named Chasen.

“They’re just perfect for each other. They’re best friends,” Nicky’s sister, Paris Hilton, told PEOPLE of the couple ahead of their wedding in 2015. “They’re so loyal and they’re so in love. They’re the ultimate couple. They’re like a prince and princess.”

Both heirs to their family’s businesses — James is a descendant of Mayer Amschel Rothschild — the two have settled in their family home in New York City’s NoHo neighborhood in a penthouse apartment.

So, who is James Rothschild? Here’s everything to know about Nicky Hilton’s husband and his relationship with the hotel heiress.

He is from an influential family

James was born into England’s affluent Rothschild family, known for their banking business, which was started by Mayer Amschel Rothschild in the 1760s. The family business has since expanded into various industries, including financial services, real estate, agriculture, mining and winemaking.

James also has famous roots from his mother’s side, as she was a member of the Guinness family, who founded the beer brand of the same name.

He is a financier

James grew up in the family business but carved his own path once he started his career. He is a founder and managing partner of Tru Arrow Partners, a global growth technology firm built around family capital, per his Rockefeller Capital Management bio.

He was born and raised in London and worked at his family company, Rothschild and Co, before moving into real estate investment. After he moved to N.Y.C. in 2012, he also co-founded West Arrow, an investment and advisory firm that also works with family capital and global technology companies.

He and Nicky met at a wedding

Years before they walked down the aisle themselves, Nicky and James first connected at a mutual friend’s wedding in 2011, per The New York Times. The nuptials took place in Rome, and the two hit it off after, quietly dating as they bounced between their homes in the U.S. and England.

In August 2014, James popped the question to Nicky with an Asscher-cut diamond ring while the two were vacationing in Lake Como, Italy, during a romantic boat ride. However, as per tradition, James made sure to get Nicky’s parents' approval first and secretly flew to Los Angeles to get their blessing.

“They are both very happy,” Nicky’s rep told PEOPLE at the time.

He and Nicky got married at Kensington Palace in 2015

Nicky and James tied the knot on July 10, 2015, in the Orangery at Kensington Palace. The venue is popular for civil weddings and is where Queen Anne originally built a garden space to winter her orange trees in 1704.

The bride wore a long-sleeved, ivory and silver guipure Valentino Haute Couture gown embellished with crystals, while her sister donned a pastel blue chiffon dress as her maid of honor.

"Ever since I was a little girl I wanted Valentino to design my wedding dress,” Nicky told Harper’s Bazaar in 2015. “Valentino is the definition of timeless elegance, I don't think there's another couture house like it."

The only snafu during the big day was when Nicky’s vintage lace veil got caught under the tire of a Bentley as they left Claridge’s Hotel to head for the palace.

Following the ceremony, she and her husband partied into the late night as they only returned to their hotel early Saturday morning. For the afterparty, Nicky changed into a sparkly short dress paired with Christian Louboutin heels.

He and Nicky have three children

A year after their wedding, Nicky and James welcomed their first child, daughter Lily-Grace Victoria Rothschild, on July 8, 2016. The family expanded again with the birth of the Rothschilds’ second daughter, Theodora “Teddy” Marilyn Rothschild, on Dec. 20, 2017. The little girl was named after Nicky’s paternal grandmother, Marilyn June Hawley.

Nicky and James welcomed their third child, son Chasen, in July 2022.

“We are officially a party of 5! Welcome to the world sweet boy,” the mom of three wrote in a caption on Instagram. “Mom, dad and big sisters could not be more smitten.”

In March 2023, Nicky opened up to PEOPLE about pursuing a career in fashion design while also being a mom and the importance of showing her children she can balance both.

"Balancing my kids with my fashion design business is a never-ending battle," she said. "But it's important to set the right example for the children from the beginning."

She added that she loves dressing her daughters — while they still let her.

“My daughters like the colors pink and purple now, and they are girly girls in the sense that they love fashion and dressing up," she said. "My youngest daughter used to tell me that her favorite color was gray. Thankfully that has changed!"

He and Nicky designed their N.Y.C. penthouse

Nicky grew up in California and James grew up in London, so the two decided on N.Y.C. as a middle ground. The couple opened up to Architectural Digest in February 2018 about designing their home, which James took the lead on.

“James did the vast majority,” she told the outlet. “But I added my little feminine touches, my little accessories."

James added that while he never considered design as a career for himself, he was passionate about working on his own projects.

"I don't know where I got it from, I just quite enjoy doing it," he said, adding, "I mean, look, I'm not that into the decorating. I do enjoy it, but I would never do it as a job."

Though the couple filled the apartment with family heirlooms and antiques, Nicky said it was important to her that the entire space was kid-friendly, and that there were no rooms her children weren’t allowed to go into.

"I grew up in a house full of antiques and fancy fabrics and certain rooms you weren't allowed to go in," she told AD. "And as a child I always told myself that I will never have that when I'm grown up; I would have a house where no room is off-limits."