Olivia Jean files to end four-year marriage to Jack White, cites 'inappropriate marital conduct'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Singer Jack White has been served divorce papers by his estranged wife, Olivia Jean, who alleged that he engaged in conduct she described as “inappropriate” by marital standards, according to court records reviewed by TMZ.
Jean filed legal documents in Tennessee on June 3, listing the same date as the couple’s separation, bringing an end to a marriage that began with a surprise onstage proposal and wedding in 2022 and was frequently celebrated publicly by both singers.
Olivia Jean cites marital conduct in divorce
According to court records, Jean's attorneys wrote in the filing, “Wife would show that Husband is guilty of inappropriate marital conduct, which makes further cohabitation unsafe and improper.” She has also requested spousal support and asked to remain listed on his life insurance policy.
The couple’s split follows their most recent public appearance together in New York City two months ago and comes more than three years after their surprise onstage wedding at Detroit’s Masonic Temple in April 2022.
White proposed to her on stage during a performance of the band's 2001 song 'Hotel Yorba,' and the two immediately exchanged vows. His mother and her father were present for the ceremony, while their respective bassists served as best man and maid of honor.
Speaking to The New York Times in July 2022, Jean reflected on the unexpected wedding and said it was “the best experience of my life.”
“You could plan a wedding for five years and it wouldn't compare to that,” she added.
She later acknowledged the attention the wedding generated, saying she felt as though she'd had a “spotlight” put on her after the surprise ceremony. Despite the attention, she maintained a positive view of the experience.
“It makes me happy to know that other people approve of it, and appreciate how cool that was,” she said, adding, “So it's positive, but strange. Very strange.”
Jack White frequently praised wife Olivia Jean
White also spoke positively about the wedding in a 2022 interview with Variety, saying that he was “proud” of how the ceremony had come together. Later that year, he publicly recognized Jean during The White Stripes' induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
During his acceptance speech, he thanked members of his family and paid tribute to his wife.
“I myself thank all my brothers and sisters and parents for adding pieces to my life and to help push me forward, and for letting me make all that noise in the house all the time growing up,” he said.
He continued, “And I thank my children, Scarlett, Henry Lee, and my wife, Olivia Jean, for also pushing me to make all that noise in the house nowadays.”
The duo, first became connected through the music industry when she signed with his independent label, Third Man Records, in 2009. After serving as the lead singer of The Black Belles, she later established herself as a solo artist.
White also reflected on personal changes brought about during the Covid-19 pandemic in a 2022 interview with Rolling Stone. “There’s been a complete rebirth on all levels of my life throughout the pandemic,” he told the publication adding, “I made a goal to myself that no matter how long it lasted I was going to come out of it with a totally different scenario of looking at life.”
