If you’re wondering if Robert Redford is married, the answer carries a bit of a heavy heart these days. As of 2026, the legendary actor and director is no longer with us, having passed away on September 16, 2025, at the age of 89. But up until that final moment at his beloved home in Sundance, Utah, he was very much a married man.
He spent his last 16 years as the husband of Sibylle Szaggars, a German-born artist who basically gave the Hollywood icon a "whole new life" when he thought his chapter on romance might have already closed.
It wasn't a "Hollywood" marriage in the way we usually think of them. No red carpet drama. No tabloid blowups. Just two people who really liked trees, art, and staying away from Los Angeles.
The Woman Who Stood by Him: Sibylle Szaggars
Honestly, most people didn't even know Robert Redford was married for a long time because Sibylle—or "Billy," as he called her—is about as far from a "celebrity wife" as you can get. She’s a world-class painter and environmental activist.
They met back in the late '90s. At the time, Redford had been divorced from his first wife, Lola Van Wagenen, for over a decade. He wasn't exactly looking to jump back into a legal commitment. But Szaggars was different. When they met at his ski resort in Utah, she didn't even really know the extent of his fame.
That lack of "celebrity worship" was exactly what he needed.
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A Quiet Wedding in Hamburg
After dating for about 12 years—yeah, they took their time—they finally tied the knot in July 2009.
It wasn't a massive, televised event. They flew to Hamburg, Germany, her hometown, and had a private ceremony at the Louis C. Jacob Hotel. There were only about 30 people there. He wore a white suit; she wore champagne. It was intimate, classy, and very much "them."
Why Their Marriage Actually Worked
You've gotta wonder how a guy like Redford, who lived under a microscope for 60 years, kept a marriage so steady. Part of it was their shared obsession with the planet.
- Environmentalism: They weren't just "celebrity activists." They lived it.
- Artistic Space: Sibylle had her own career. She founded The Way of the Rain, a nonprofit that uses performance art to talk about climate change.
- The Utah Buffer: They lived mostly in Sundance, away from the "phony" vibe of L.A. that Redford famously hated.
Redford often said that Sibylle brought a youthfulness back into his life. She’s about 20 years younger than him, but they operated as total equals. When his health began to decline in his late 80s, she was the primary person by his side, protecting his privacy until the very end.
The First Marriage: Lola Van Wagenen
To understand why his marriage to Sibylle mattered so much, you kind of have to look at the first one. Redford married Lola Van Wagenen in 1958. He was just 21; she was 20.
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They were together for 27 years. That’s a lifetime in Hollywood years.
They went through some incredibly dark times together, including the loss of their firstborn son, Scott, to SIDS in 1959. They had three more children—Shauna, James (who sadly passed away in 2020), and Amy.
They divorced in 1985, but unlike most messy celebrity splits, they stayed remarkably civil. Lola even went on to become a respected historian and married George Burrill in 2002. Redford always spoke of her with respect, noting that they were just "two young people who grew in different directions."
Is Robert Redford Married Today?
Technically, Sibylle Szaggars is now his widow. Following his death in late 2025, she has remained largely out of the public eye, likely mourning at their estate in Utah or focusing on her environmental foundation.
The couple never had children together, but Sibylle became a deeply involved stepmother to his surviving children and a grandmother figure to his seven grandkids.
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Robert Redford's Family at a Glance
| Person | Relationship | Status/Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Sibylle Szaggars | Second Wife | Married 2009–2025 |
| Lola Van Wagenen | First Wife | Married 1958–1985 |
| Shauna Redford | Daughter | Painter; married to Eric Schlosser |
| James Redford | Son | Filmmaker; died in 2020 |
| Amy Redford | Daughter | Actress and Director |
| Scott Redford | Son | Died in infancy (1959) |
What You Can Learn From Their Relationship
If there’s any "insider secret" to take away from the way Redford handled his marriage to Sibylle, it’s the value of privacy. He once told an interviewer that "the best thing in my life is my family," and he proved it by not selling their photos to magazines or making their home life part of his "brand."
They lived a life of "doing" rather than "showing."
Whether they were at a Sundance Lab or hiking in the backcountry of Utah, they seemed like a couple that actually enjoyed each other's company without needing an audience. That’s a rare thing for a man who spent his life being watched.
If you’re looking to honor his legacy or follow in his footsteps, the best move isn't just watching Butch Cassidy for the hundredth time. It’s looking into the work Sibylle is still doing. Her nonprofit, The Way of the Rain, continues to produce multidisciplinary shows that highlight the beauty and fragility of our ecosystem. It’s perhaps the most living piece of Robert Redford’s final years that we still have access to.
Supporting environmental causes or attending the Sundance Film Festival—which is moving to Boulder, Colorado soon—are practical ways to stay connected to the values that kept Redford and Szaggars together for over a quarter of a century.