Peaches Geldof dies at the age of 25

Daughter of Bob Geldof and the late Paula Yates found dead at her home in Kent

Peaches Geldof pictured earlier this year at the Brit Awards. She was found dead at her home in Kent today. Photograph:  Ian West/PA Wire
Peaches Geldof pictured earlier this year at the Brit Awards. She was found dead at her home in Kent today. Photograph: Ian West/PA Wire

Peaches Geldof, the daughter of Bob Geldof and the late Paula Yates has died at the age of 25. She was the mother of two young sons and worked as a DJ, model and television personality.

Her body was found at her home in Wrotham, Kent, earlier today. Police are treating the death as a non-suspicious, but unexplained, sudden death.

Kent Police said : “Police were called at 1.35pm on April 7, 2014 to an address near Wrotham following a report of concern for the welfare of a woman. A woman aged 25 was pronounced dead by South East Coast Ambulance Service... The local coroner has been informed and a post-mortem is expected to be carried out in the next few days.”

Ms Geldof was a prolific tweeter and the final message that she sent yesterday was a picture of her as a child with her mother.

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Her mother, Paula Yates, died aged 41 from a heroin overdose in 2000.

Peaches Geldof had two young sons, 23-month-old Astala and 11-month-old Phaedra who was born on what would have been her mother Paula Yates’ 54th birthday.

She was 19 when she married US musician Max Drummey at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas in August 2008.

The couple announced that they had amicably decided to split in February 2009 before divorcing in 2011.

Ms Geldof married Thomas Cohen, lead singer of south east London band S.C.U.M, in September 2012 at the same church in Davington, Kent, where her parents married 26 years earlier. It was also where her mother’s funeral was held in 2000.

In a statement this evening, Bob Geldof said he and his family were “beyond pain.”

“Peaches has died. We are beyond pain. She was the wildest, funniest, cleverest, wittiest and the most bonkers of all of us. Writing ‘was’ destroys me afresh. What a beautiful child. How is this possible that we will not see her again? How is that bearable? We loved her and will cherish her forever. How sad that sentence is. Tom and her sons Astala and Phaedra will always belong in our family, fractured so often, but never broken. Bob, Jeanne, Fifi, Pixie and Tiger Geldof.”

Ms Geldof’s husband Tom Cohen said he and his two sons would love her forever.

“My beloved wife Peaches was adored by myself and her two sons Astala and Phaedra and I shall bring them up with their mother in their hearts every day. We shall love her forever.”

Ms Geldof was a young girl when her mother died tragically from an overdose in 2000 after splitting with Bob Geldof and forming a relationship with INXS frontman Michael Hutchence. Hutchence killed himself in 1997.

Many television personalities and celebrities paid tribute to Peaches Geldof this evening.

RTÉ presenter Ryan Tubridy interviewed her for Tubridy Tonight in 2008. He said tonight he was deeply saddened at the news.

“I met and interviewed Peaches once, she was smart, quirky and I felt she was lucky to have Bob for her dad as he adored his kids. My thoughts are with Bob who has known enough sorrow already. No father should bury his daughter and what has happened to Bob and his family is unimaginable.”

Mr Geldof’s father Bob Snr and his sister Cleo both died in the autumn of 2010.

Many television personalities and celebrities paid tribute to Peaches Geldof last night. The

X-Factor’s Simon Cowell tweeted: “So sad to hear about Peaches. Rest in peace.” He said later: “The few times I met Peaches she was a sweet, funny warm person. Much love to her family she has left behind.”

X-Factor judge Sharon Osborne wrote: “Devastated about peaches_g. Sending condolences & respect to the Geldof family. It’s unimaginable what they must be going through right now.”

Author Irvine Welsh added: “Very sad to hear of the tragic, untimely death of Peaches Geldof. Thoughts with Bob G and the family.”

Philip Schofield, who appeared with Ms Geldof on theThis Morning ITV show, wrote: “Utterly stunned at the terrible news of the death of Peaches Geldof! The dreadful loss of a really lovely woman.”

Singer Ellie Goulding said: “Even if you think you’ve got it all figured out, some things still can’t be explained or understood. Two beautiful children. RIP Peaches.”

Additional reporting: PA

Alison Healy

Alison Healy

Alison Healy is a contributor to The Irish Times