Who was Elle MacPherson married to? Relationship history and all about her kids as supermodel opens up on cancer diagnosis

Supermodel Elle Macpherson recently revealed that she was given a breast cancer diagnosis seven years ago. However, she also said that she chose not to have chemotherapy or get any other conventional medical care.

In an interview with The Australian Women's Weekly on Tuesday, September 2, Macpherson mentioned that her cancer diagnosis came as "a shock". Elle, who was married twice and has two sons, further said that “it was unexpected, it was confusing, it was daunting in so many ways".

Mcpherson has been married twice. In 2013, Elle Macpherson married billionaire Jeffrey Soffer, however, the couple got divorced in 2017. Prior to this she was married to Gilles Bensimon from 1986 to 1989.

Elle Macpherson also dated several celebrities throughout the years, such as Billy Joel, Norm Macdonald, and Kevin Costner. She also has two kids with French banker Arpad Busson, with whom she was in a long-term relationship.

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Elle MacPherson was married twice and has two sons

MacPherson's sons are both adults now (Image via Felix Hörhager/picture alliance via Getty Images)

As per Ranker, Elle MacPherson married Gilles Bensimon when she was 21 years old. Bensimon, a French fashion photographer, served as Elle magazine's former International Creative Director.

Additionally, as per IMDb, he worked as the photographer for the America's Next Top Model reality television series. Macpherson was also named the long-term face of the upscale French skincare brand Biotherm in 1985.

Bensimon is a renowned model and celebrity photographer, who is also well-known for his work with Uma Thurman, Madonna, Gisele Bündchen, and Beyoncé. Additionally, he has collaborated with Maybelline, Clarins, Kohl's, Saks Fifth Avenue, and other cosmetic brands.

However, MacPherson and Bensimon called it quits after three years. Then MacPherson began dating Jeffrey Soffer in 2009, and in 2013 they were married in a small ceremony held in Fiji. However, in 2017, Macpherson and Soffer made the decision to call off their marriage.

Forbes reported that Jeffrey Soffer is well-known in the world of business and real estate. As the heir apparent of Turnberry Associates, a Miami-based company, Jeffrey has supervised the construction of multiple upscale homes and resorts. Soffer is one of the few top billionaires in the United States.

From 1996 to 2005, Macpherson was also in a relationship with investor Arpad Busson. Later, they had two sons: Arpad Flynn Alexander Busson, who was born February 14, 1998, and Aurelius Cy Andrea Busson, who was born February 4, 2003.

Not much is known regarding her firstborn, but Elle and Flynn were frequently spotted together, including on Monday, July 4, 2022, at the Christian Dior Haute Couture 2022/2023 show in Paris.

Aurelius, however, turned to modeling. As per South China Morning Post's June 2022 story, in 2019, while still a student at Babson College in Massachusetts, Busson posed with Elle and Flynn for Elle France and Vogue Australia.

In the same year, he had an appearance in Architectural Digest as well. Afterward, Busson and Elle were featured on Elle France's cover in 2020, with photos by Gilles Bensimon.

After joining Next Model Management, Busson appeared in editorials for InStyle's Hungarian version, Glamour Man's Russian edition, and the online magazine Vanity Teen. The photo shoots were modeled after iconic Hollywood movies including Bonnie and Clyde, Dirty Dancing, and Romeo and Juliet.

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Elle MacPherson is now in remission

After being diagnosed with cancer seven years ago and rejecting some components of conventional care, the supermodel claims to be in remission now. Her diagnosis was for estrogen-receptive intraductal carcinoma that is HER2-positive. It is a kind of breast cancer.

Elle MacPherson is all set for her new book (Image via James D. Morgan/Getty Images)

Her doctor recommended a mastectomy along with hormone therapy, radiation, chemotherapy, and breast reconstruction. However, she declined to have chemotherapy.

The supermodel and actor from Australia is releasing a memoir titled Elle: Life, Lessons, and Learning to Trust Yourself. In it, she described how she approached her condition holistically, defying the recommendations of 32 doctors.

She further disclosed her illness and treatment plan in the chapter Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, explaining that she withheld the health diagnosis for seven years. She also talked more about her choice to trust her gut on September 2 in an interview with Women's Weekly.