At a Glance
- Paris Hilton and Carter Reum welcomed son Phoenix via surrogate on Jan. 16, 2023, and daughter London in Nov. 2023.
- Both arrivals were kept secret from family; Phoenix’s birth was disguised with Hilton in a hospital costume.
- Names honor family: Phoenix Barron after her grandfather, London Marilyn after her grandmother and favorite city.
- Why it matters: Shows how the star balanced extreme privacy with her lifelong dream of motherhood.
Paris Hilton always wanted to be a mom. After marrying entrepreneur Carter Reum in November 2021, she moved fast to build the family she’d imagined since childhood-while keeping every detail hidden from the public eye.
Two Secret Births
Phoenix Barron Hilton Reum arrived via surrogate on January 16, 2023. Hilton told News Of Los Angeles she wore a disguise to Cedars-Sinai and told no one, not even her mother, until he was more than a week old. “I’ve given my whole life to everyone for so long. This is the first time that something’s just mine,” she said in the season 2 trailer of Paris in Love.
London Marilyn Hilton Reum followed in November 2023. Hilton announced her on Thanksgiving with an Instagram photo of a pink onesie bearing the name. Family expected a magician; instead she walked into the living room carrying the newborn.
The Names She Planned a Decade Ago
Hilton settled on Phoenix ten years before his birth. “It’s the bird that flames out and then rises from the ashes to fly again,” she explained on her I Am Paris podcast. Middle name Barron honors her late grandfather, Barron Hilton, “my mentor,” she said.
London’s name pairs Hilton’s favorite city with Marilyn, her grandmother. “Paris and London sound cute together,” she told Ellen DeGeneres in January 2022.
Life as a Working Mom
By October 2023, Hilton had learned to say “no” to protect time with Phoenix. “He’s my everything, so I always put him first,” she told News Of Los Angeles. Grandmother Kathy Hilton now hosts sleepovers for both kids alongside cousin Nicky Hilton’s three children.
Milestones and Backlash
- Flying: At six months, Phoenix was “really great with flying,” Hilton said.
- First words: By November 2023 he said “Mama,” “Dada,” and what sounded like “I love you.”
- Halloween 2023: He dressed as a pilot and a mushroom for Hilton’s Britney Spears and Katy Perry costumes.
- First birthday: A backyard “Sliving Under the Sea” party featured a petting zoo and guests Lance Bass, Kelly Osbourne and Selma Blair.
Online trolls mocked Phoenix’s head size in late 2023. Hilton replied he is “perfectly healthy” and called the comments “unacceptable.”
Why She Chose Surrogacy
Hilton told Glamour UK that past abuse at Provo Canyon School left her terrified of medical exams. “The shots, the IVs … childbirth and death are the two things that scare me more than anything,” she said. Surrogacy allowed biological children without the trauma she feared.
The Family Now
Five months after London’s birth, Hilton finally shared photos of her daughter with News Of Los Angeles. “Phoenix and London are everything to me,” she said. “My life finally feels complete.”
Key Takeaways
- Hilton achieved her dream of motherhood on her own terms, guarding every moment from paparazzi.
- Both children carry family legacies in their names while marking a new, private chapter for the star.
- Balancing business and parenting, Hilton prioritizes presence over publicity, turning down work to savor milestones.
