Rowan Atkinson’s 3 Children: All About Ben, Lily, and Isla
- Celebrity
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- UPDATED July 22, 2025
by Kristine Bowman
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Rowan Atkinson may be best known to the world as the famously awkward Mr. Bean — but at home, he simply goes by “Dad.”
The British actor and comedian is a father of three. He shares two children, Ben and Lily, with his former wife, makeup artist Sunetra Sastry, and a daughter, Isla, with his current partner, actress and comedian Louise Ford.
While Atkinson has built a career making millions laugh through physical comedy and understated wit, his children have followed their own unique paths — from the military to music and beyond.
Here’s a closer look at Rowan Atkinson’s three children: Ben, Lily, and Isla.
Ben Atkinson, 31
Rowan and Sunetra welcomed their first child, Ben Atkinson, on September 9, 1993.
Unlike his father’s career in show business, Ben has carved out a path of public service. A graduate of Exeter University, he was accepted into the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2016 — the same military institution attended by Prince William and Prince Harry.
“Dunno what this letter is but apparently The Royal Military Academy want me to come and attend them. Sounds like fun,” he joked on Facebook at the time, according to The Telegraph.
In 2018, Ben was among the recruits present during a visit to Sandhurst by then–British Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron during the UK-France summit. The following year, he joined the famed Gurkhas regiment after an extended stay in Nepal, where he completed a 10-week cultural and language immersion program.
A lighthearted note in The Gurkha Brigade Association newsletter praised Ben’s rapid adaptation, stating, “Lt. Atkinson grasped the language remarkably quickly… or perhaps it was his urgent requirement to learn the local Nepalese ‘chat-up’ lines.” He also quickly picked up traditional dance skills, particularly a rapid squatting move known as “uthyo basyo.
Lily Sastry, 30
Born July 11, 1995, Lily is Rowan and Sunetra’s second child — and the one most closely following her father’s creative footsteps.
A multi-talented artist, Lily is a singer-songwriter, cabaret performer, and visual artist. She has performed original music at London venues such as The Pheasantry and St. James Studio, earning praise for her soulful blend of R&B, pop, and funk.
“I had always been a writer, but I was about 14 or 15 when I really started writing music,” she shared in a 2016 interview with My Theatre Mates. “I just loved writing stories and poems, coming up with melodies. I was always challenging myself.”
Lily has performed under the name Lily Sastry — adopting her mother’s maiden name — although she occasionally still references “Lily Atkinson” in hashtags and tags online. According to her Instagram profile, she’s also one half of an electronic music duo called ilivati.
In addition to her musical work, Lily is an accomplished painter, with several vibrant acrylic works showcased on her social media. Her evolving artistic identity reflects her creative upbringing — and her determination to forge her own identity, separate from the spotlight of her famous father.
Isla Atkinson, 7
Rowan’s youngest child, Isla Atkinson, was born in December 2017 — his first with partner Louise Ford.
Atkinson and Ford reportedly began their relationship in 2014 after co-starring in the stage comedy Quartermaine’s Terms. Their daughter Isla was born three years later, and the family now lives in South Oxfordshire.
Isla has been kept largely out of the public eye, with both of her parents maintaining a strict sense of privacy around their personal lives. No public photos or interviews have been shared, and Rowan has rarely spoken about fatherhood in recent years — although he reportedly took a break from work following Isla’s birth to spend more time at home.