Atila Altaunbay is known as the Turkish bodyguard who married Grace Jones in 1996. Their relationship connected his work in personal security with the public life of a singer, model, and actress whose career crossed music, fashion, and film. Contemporary reports place their wedding in Rio de Janeiro that February.
Jones said in 2015 that she could not locate him to finalize a divorce. Later biographies describe charity work in Belgium and report his death in 2021. Those later-life claims require qualification because their supporting evidence is less direct than the contemporary newspaper coverage documenting the marriage.
Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Atila Altaunbay |
| Known for | His marriage to Grace Jones and work as her bodyguard |
| Nationality | Turkish, according to contemporary newspaper coverage |
| Reported birth year | 1976 in secondary biographies, conflicting with contemporary reports of his age. |
| Reported age at marriage | 21, according to The Irish Times’ February 1996 report. |
| Main occupation | Bodyguard and personal security professional |
| Reported height | 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm), an unverified measurement from secondary biographies. |
| Spouse | Grace Jones, whom he married in 1996 and later separated from |
| Wedding location | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Wedding details | A private-house ceremony conducted by a Presbyterian minister in February 1996. |
| Divorce information | Jones said in 2015 that she could not locate him to finalize a divorce. |
| Children with Grace Jones | None, according to published biographies. |
| Reported later residence | Antwerp, Belgium, according to secondary accounts |
| Reported charity association | Helping Hand Belgium, where biographies describe him as chairman |
| Reported death | 2021, according to secondary reports citing a charity Facebook announcement; primary confirmation remains limited. |
| Published net worth estimate | Approximately $800,000, an unsupported online estimate repeated by Net Worth TV. |
His Turkish Background and Connection to Belgium
Atila Altaunbay’s Turkish background is supported by contemporary newspaper coverage. In February 1996, The Irish Times identified him as Grace Jones’s Turkish bodyguard when reporting their wedding. Later biographies name Turkey as his birthplace, although details about his parents, childhood, and early schooling are not well established.
His connection to Belgium comes mainly from secondary accounts. These say he spent time there before meeting Jones and later lived in Antwerp after their separation. Some also describe educational pursuits and charity involvement in Belgium, but do not provide a clear record of his schooling or the dates of his moves.
His Reported Age and Conflicting Birth Years
Atila Altaunbay’s birth year differs across published accounts. The Irish Times described him as 21 when reporting his wedding to Grace Jones in February 1996. If that age was accurate, it would place his birth in approximately 1974 or 1975, depending on his birthday, rather than 1976.
Later biographies, including Legit.ng, publish 1976 as his birth year and 45 as his age at the time of a reported 2021 death. That calculation follows the later birth year but conflicts with the contemporary wedding coverage. Neither account provides a complete birth date that resolves the discrepancy.
Working as Grace Jones’s Bodyguard
Personal security was Atila Altaunbay’s clearest documented professional role. The Irish Times described him as Grace Jones’s Turkish bodyguard when reporting their February 1996 wedding in Rio de Janeiro. Contemporary coverage therefore identified him through his work with Jones as well as through their relationship.
Bodyguard work generally involves protecting a client and helping manage security around travel and public appearances. The available coverage does not specify Altaunbay’s daily assignments, length of employment, or wider client history. Claims about martial arts and emergency-response training appear in secondary biographies, but those accounts do not identify training institutions or records establishing his qualifications.
Grace Jones’s Music, Modeling, and Film Career
Grace Jones established a career in modeling and music long before her marriage to Altaunbay. She worked in New York and Paris, modeled for Yves Saint Laurent and Kenzo, and appeared on Vogue and Elle. Her androgynous appearance and distinctive styling became closely associated with her public image.
Her music moved from disco toward reggae, funk, and new wave, with albums such as Nightclubbing (1981) and Slave to the Rhythm (1985). She also built a screen career, playing Zula in Conan the Destroyer (1984) and May Day in the James Bond film A View to a Kill (1985).
His Reported Singing and Performance Interests
Secondary biographies describe Atila Altaunbay as having an interest in singing and the performing arts. Legit.ng reports that he occasionally sang at events such as weddings and also explored modeling and acting. These descriptions suggest artistic interests alongside his security work, but the article does not identify recordings, productions, or performance dates.
The accounts provide limited detail about teachers, venues, or the timing of those performances. They describe occasional artistic activity without establishing a professional recording career. Contemporary newspaper coverage identifies him as Jones’s bodyguard, making security work the more firmly documented part of his professional background.
How Their Relationship Began
Published biographies place the beginning of Atila Altaunbay and Grace Jones’s relationship in Belgium. Legit.ng reports that they met while Jones was visiting the country and soon began dating. These accounts connect their early relationship with his Belgian background, although they do not establish a precise first-meeting date.
Jones was already an established singer, model, and actress, while Altaunbay had a much smaller public profile. By their February 1996 wedding, contemporary newspapers identified him as her bodyguard. The marriage took place during Jones’s visit to Brazil for Carnival, but the available reporting offers little firm detail about the length of their courtship.
Their February 1996 Wedding in Rio de Janeiro
Jones and Altaunbay married in Rio de Janeiro in February 1996, while Jones was performing in the city during Carnival. The Irish Times announced the marriage on February 27 and said the ceremony had taken place over the preceding weekend. Later biographies give the date as February 24.
The ceremony was held in a private house and conducted by a Presbyterian minister, according to the contemporary report. Afterward, Jones and Altaunbay went to a gym to work out. The newspaper identified him as her young Turkish bodyguard, linking the marriage announcement with his professional role beside the singer.
Public Appearances With Grace Jones
Archived photographs document Altaunbay attending public events with Jones during their marriage. A Getty Images photograph by Rose Hartman identifies them at the Made in Italy awards ceremony at Cipriani on 42nd Street in New York City in 2000. Its caption explicitly identifies Altaunbay as her husband.
Another Getty-credited photograph, reproduced by AmoMama, places them with Prince Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia at Cipriani on December 9, 2000. Together, these images provide dated examples of the couple appearing at social gatherings during their marriage. They also preserve a visual record of Altaunbay accompanying Jones within her public social circle.
Children and His Connection to Paulo Goude
Published biographies report that Jones and Altaunbay did not have children together. Jones’s son, Paulo Goude, was born in 1979 from her earlier relationship with French artist and designer Jean-Paul Goude. His family background therefore predates her 1996 marriage to Altaunbay, who was not his biological father.
Paulo was already a teenager when his mother married Altaunbay, creating a family connection through marriage. He later developed his own work as a singer-songwriter and producer. The available biographical accounts do not give a detailed picture of his personal relationship with Altaunbay or their everyday family life.
Their Separation and Jones’s 2015 Divorce Comments
Later biographies place the couple’s separation around 2004, approximately eight years after their marriage. In 2015, Jones told The Guardian that she could not locate Altaunbay to finalize a divorce, although they considered themselves divorced personally.
Royal Albert Hall’s archival biography also describes the couple as separated but still legally married. This distinguishes the end of their relationship from the completion of a divorce. Its record does not supply a final divorce date, so the reported 2004 separation should not be labelled a confirmed legal divorce in biographical timelines.
His Reported Return to Belgium and Charity Involvement
Later biographies report that Altaunbay returned to Belgium after separating from Jones and lived in Antwerp. Legit.ng associates him with Helping Hand Belgium, describing him as its chairman and linking his work to efforts against poverty and inequality. These details come from the publication’s account of his later life.
Jones’s Wikipedia biography documents their marriage, while information about this later Belgian chapter comes from secondary biographies. Those accounts provide limited detail about appointment dates, named projects, or the duration of his charity role. His precise responsibilities and the chronology of his return to Belgium consequently remain unclear.
Reports of His Death in 2021
Legit.ng reports that Altaunbay died in 2021, with an announcement appearing on Helping Hand Belgium’s Facebook page in October. The publication describes the message as a tribute to the organization’s chairman, recognizing his service against poverty and inequality. It also gives his age as 45.
The article does not establish a cause of death or provide an official death record. Its reported age of 45 depends on the disputed 1976 birth year, which conflicts with newspaper coverage describing him as 21 in 1996. The year 2021 therefore remains a reported death date, while his exact age and circumstances require qualification.
Career Income and Published Net Worth Estimates
Some biography websites publish an estimated net worth of around $800,000 for Atila Altaunbay. Net Worth TV repeats that figure while acknowledging the lack of supporting financial documentation. It provides no asset breakdown or sourced earnings calculation, leaving the amount speculative rather than a verified valuation of his personal wealth.
His clearest documented occupation was bodyguard work, as recorded in contemporary coverage of his marriage. Later biographies mention singing and charity involvement, but do not establish income from those activities. Available reporting does not provide enough information about earnings, assets, and debts to support a reliable calculation of his net worth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Atila Altaunbay?
He is best known as Grace Jones’s Turkish husband and former bodyguard. Their marriage in 1996 brought him into international entertainment coverage.
Where was Atila Altaunbay from?
Contemporary reporting describes him as Turkish. Later biographies identify Turkey as his birthplace and connect him with Belgium, including reported residence in Antwerp.
How old was Atila Altaunbay when he married Grace Jones?
The Irish Times described him as 21 in February 1996. Later biographies give conflicting birth information, so his exact age and birth year remain uncertain.
What did Atila Altaunbay do for a living?
His clearest documented occupation was working as Jones’s bodyguard. Contemporary wedding coverage identifies that role without providing a detailed account of his wider employment history.
When did Atila Altaunbay marry Grace Jones?
Contemporary reporting places their wedding in Rio de Janeiro in February 1996. Later biographies give the specific date as February 24, 1996.
Did Atila Altaunbay and Grace Jones have children?
Published biographies report no children together. Jones’s son, Paulo Goude, was born in 1979 from her earlier relationship with French artist and designer Jean-Paul Goude.
Did Atila Altaunbay and Grace Jones legally divorce?
In 2015, Jones said she could not locate Altaunbay to finalize a divorce. They had separated, but a confirmed final divorce date is not established.
Was Atila Altaunbay involved with Helping Hand Belgium?
According to Legit.ng, he served as chairman of Helping Hand Belgium. The publication links him with anti-poverty work, but independent confirmation of his role is limited.
What do reports say about Atila Altaunbay’s death?
Legit.ng reports that he died in 2021, citing an October charity Facebook announcement. The available reporting does not establish a verified cause of death.
What is Atila Altaunbay’s estimated net worth?
Net Worth TV repeats an estimate of about $800,000. It provides no supporting financial records or clear calculation, so the figure remains speculative.
Conclusion: Atila Altaunbay’s Bodyguard Career and Marriage to Grace Jones
Altaunbay’s clearest public record concerns his work as Grace Jones’s bodyguard and their 1996 marriage in Rio de Janeiro. Contemporary newspaper coverage establishes that connection, and archival references later describe them as separated. His place in entertainment history therefore comes primarily through Jones and their relationship.
Later accounts add reports of Belgian residence, singing interests, and charity involvement, but provide less direct documentation. Conflicting birth information, the reported 2021 death, and the $800,000 wealth estimate all require qualification. These remain published claims with varying support, alongside the more firmly documented marriage and security work that first brought him public attention.
