The Four Husbands Of Raquel Welch: Inside The Turbulent Marriages Of Hollywood's Ultimate Bombshell

The legendary Raquel Welch, who passed away in February 2023, lived a life as dramatic and captivating off-screen as her on-screen presence. The iconic actress, a global symbol of beauty and the quintessential "Hollywood Bombshell," was married four times throughout her life, each relationship spanning a different phase of her career and personal evolution. Her quest for lasting love, however, often proved more challenging than her rise to stardom, leading to a series of high-profile unions that ended in divorce. This deep dive, updated for December 2025, explores the identity of her four husbands, the timeline of their marriages, and the unique circumstances surrounding each relationship. The men in Raquel Welch’s life were a diverse group, ranging from her high school sweetheart to her personal manager, a French filmmaker, and a successful restaurateur. Despite the varying backgrounds, Welch often expressed a desire for a partner who could handle her fame and independent spirit, a challenge few were ultimately able to meet. Her candid reflections on marriage and the difficulty of maintaining a relationship under the intense spotlight of Hollywood provide a fascinating look into the private world of one of cinema's most enduring figures.

Raquel Welch's Complete Spousal and Biographical Profile

Raquel Welch (born Jo Raquel Tejada) was married four times. Her husbands and key biographical details are listed below, providing a clear timeline of her romantic life.

• Full Name: Jo Raquel Tejada (later Welch)
• Born: September 5, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois
• Died: February 15, 2023, in Los Angeles, California (Age 82)
• Children: Two (Damon Welch and Tahnee Welch), with first husband James Welch.
• Career Highlights: Golden Globe Award winner, star of *Fantastic Voyage* (1966) and *One Million Years B.C.* (1966).
• Husband 1: James Westley Welch
  • Profession: High School Sweetheart, Advertising Executive
  • Married: 1959
  • Divorced: 1964
• Husband 2: Patrick Curtis
  • Profession: Producer, Manager
  • Married: 1967
  • Divorced: 1972
• Husband 3: André Weinfeld
  • Profession: French Producer, Director, Photographer, Screenwriter
  • Married: 1980
  • Divorced: 1990
• Husband 4: Richard Palmer (Richie Palmer)
  • Profession: Restaurateur (Owner of Mulberry Street Pizzeria)
  • Married: 1999
  • Divorced: 2004 (Separated 2003)

The Early Years: From Teenage Bride to Hollywood Stardom

Raquel Welch’s first marriage was to her high school sweetheart, James Westley Welch. They met while attending La Jolla High School in San Diego. This union began in 1959 when Raquel was just 18 years old, and it was during this time that she adopted the surname "Welch," which she kept throughout her career, despite their divorce.

The marriage to James Welch produced her two children, a son, Damon Welch (born 1959), and a daughter, Latanne "Tahnee" Welch (born 1961). Damon and Tahnee Welch have both pursued careers in the entertainment industry, with Tahnee becoming an actress and model. The marriage ended in 1964, a pivotal moment that coincided with her decision to move to Los Angeles and aggressively pursue her acting career. This divorce marked the end of her pre-fame life and the beginning of her transformation into the global superstar. She consciously chose to keep the name Welch, a decision her management advised to avoid the difficulty of pronouncing her maiden name, Tejada.

• The Untouchable Privacy 7 Secrets Of Rachel Mcadams And Jamie Lindens Life Beyond The Red Carpet E820e

Her second marriage was to her manager and producer, Patrick Curtis. Curtis played a crucial role in shaping the "Raquel Welch" persona. Their relationship was a classic Hollywood pairing of a star and her ambitious handler. They married in 1967, just as her fame was skyrocketing following the success of *Fantastic Voyage* and the iconic fur bikini from *One Million Years B.C.* Curtis was instrumental in securing many of her early, high-profile roles, effectively managing her image as the ultimate sex symbol. This period saw Welch reach her peak as a global icon. However, the marriage was short-lived, ending in divorce in 1972, with the intense professional and personal overlap proving too much for the relationship to sustain.

The Quest for Stability: Marriages to a Frenchman and a Restaurateur

Raquel Welch’s third husband was the French producer and filmmaker, André Weinfeld. Their union, which began in 1980 and lasted for a decade until 1990, was her longest marriage. Weinfeld was a respected figure in the European film world, working as a producer, director, and screenwriter. The relationship was often characterized as a period of greater stability and maturity for Welch. In interviews, she reflected on their time together as one where she felt a deep connection, appreciating Weinfeld's intelligence and European sensibilities, which offered a contrast to the high-pressure environment of Hollywood. Despite the longevity, this marriage also eventually dissolved, with Welch later commenting on the difficulty of finding a partner who could truly accept her fame without feeling overshadowed or threatened by her powerful public image.

The final chapter in her marriage history began with Richard Palmer (often cited as Richie Palmer), a successful restaurateur and the owner of the popular chain Mulberry Street Pizzeria. They met in 1996 and married three years later in 1999, when Welch was 59. Palmer, who was 16 years her junior, was known for his down-to-earth personality and his successful business ventures. He once famously remarked, "My wife is a living legend. I get great seats at the Lakers game." This marriage was a departure from her previous unions with men directly involved in the film industry, suggesting a desire for a life outside the Hollywood bubble.

• The Enduring Legacy Of Haylor 5 Shocking Facts About Harry Styles And Taylor Swifts Relationship 10 Years Later Sf662

However, the marriage to Richard Palmer proved to be her shortest, lasting only four years before they separated in 2003 and officially divorced in 2004. The separation was amicable, and Welch later spoke about the challenges of marrying someone outside her profession. She felt that while the love was there, the fundamental differences in their lifestyles and worlds ultimately led to the split. Following the end of her marriage to Palmer, Raquel Welch never married again, choosing instead to focus on her career, health, and fitness advocacy, and enjoying her life as a single woman.

Raquel Welch’s Legacy: Independence and The Search for Equal Partnership

Raquel Welch's four marriages offer a poignant look into the life of a woman who was a global sex symbol but sought a simple, equal partnership. She often expressed that her fame and powerful image were a constant challenge for her partners. "I’m too much of a presence," she once stated, reflecting on the difficulty men had in establishing their own identity alongside hers.

The men in her life—James Welch, Patrick Curtis, André Weinfeld, and Richard Palmer—each represented a different attempt to balance her private desires with her public reality. Her first husband gave her a family; her second, Patrick Curtis, built her career; her third, André Weinfeld, provided a decade of European-influenced stability; and her fourth, Richard Palmer, offered a brief taste of a life outside the entertainment machine.

• The Surprise Vegas Wedding And Shared Grief 5 Shocking Details Of John Schneider And Dee Dee Sorvinos Whirlwind Romance Ohirf

In her later years, Raquel Welch became an advocate for aging gracefully and maintaining a strong sense of self, a philosophy that seemed to stem from her romantic experiences. She found contentment in her independence, concluding that her personal happiness was not dependent on being married. Her legacy is not just one of a beautiful and talented actress, but also of a strong, independent woman who navigated the complexities of love and marriage under the relentless scrutiny of the Hollywood spotlight, ultimately choosing her own path.