Who Is Russell Brand's Wife? All About Laura Gallacher

Russell Brand might be well-known for his rockstar image, but these days, he's living a simple, quiet life with his wife of six years, Laura Brand (née Gallacher).

The pair wed in 2017, 10 years after they first met. In fact, the two briefly dated before Russell’s high-profile marriage to pop star Katy Perry. When they reconnected eight years later, their love story was reignited.

"I hadn't seen Russell for years,” Laura said on the podcast, Made by Mammas. “He was so different,” she continued, adding, “We both immediately knew it was going to be serious.”

She went on to share that the second time around, they developed a deeper connection. “You have to rebuild your foundations and trust again, we did it the right way," she said. "It was very slow, it was getting to know each other and going out on day trips together.”

Russell and Laura share two children together. The couple welcomed their daughter, Mabel, in 2016. Two years later, they welcomed another daughter, Peggy. In June 2023, Russell revealed that he and Laura were expecting their third child while appearing on the podcast The Diary of a CEO.

Elsewhere in the episode, he opened up about fatherhood and shared, "It's taught me there is a lot more important in this world than me."

So, who is Russell Brand’s wife? Here’s everything to know about Laura Brand and her relationship with the comedian.

She comes from a famous family

Although not a household name, Laura comes from a relatively famous family. Her father is the Scottish golfer Bernard Gallacher, who was a Ryder Cup captain for multiple European teams. She grew up in Surrey, England, and lived on the Wentworth Estate, one of the most exclusive private estates in the U.K. In fact, one of her neighbors was the late entertainer Sir Bruce Forsyth.

She also has a celebrity sibling. Her older sister is Kirsty Gallacher, a well-known model and television presenter from the U.K.

She and Brand met in 2007

Russell and Laura were first introduced in 2007 by her sister, Kirsty.

“We met when she was 19 and I was 30. She fully loves me for what I am,” Russell told Stylist. “She’s not interested in the famous person at all.”

The pair dated briefly, but Russell wasn’t ready for a commitment at the time. Appearing on The Wendy Williams Show, the comedian explained, “We went out with each other, we loved each other very much, but I was [in a phase where] I thought the world was an amusement park made out of orgasms.”

In 2010, Russell famously married Katy Perry in India before splitting 14 months later. Perry later said the star, who she called a “beautiful mind, tortured soul,” ended their marriage via text message.

For his part, Russell only has good things to say about his ex-wife. “She’s such a lovely person,” he said on The Wendy Williams Show. “I’ve got nothing but love for her.”

She studied art 

When they first met, Laura was an art student in college while Russell was a TV presenter. “I really fell in love,” she told You magazine of their initial romance. “I’d never experienced love like that before.”

Ultimately, the pair split and Laura went on to work in London, where she managed restaurants and nightclubs. Eventually, she decided to switch career paths and started a lifestyle blog.

“I’d hit a wall of tiredness,” she said. “I wanted to go back and find my creative side.”

She and Brand reconnected by chance 

In 2015, the couple reconnected thanks to a chance encounter. 

“My ex had literally moved out of our flat that day and I was heartbroken, with mascara running down my face,” she told Grazia. “A friend dragged me out on a walk to the canal in east London, where I’d never been in my life, and as we came on to the footpath Russell was standing there, like he’d organized it.”

Russell and Laura began dating again, but this time they were able to make it work. Speaking to You magazine, Laura explained that they were both different at this point in their lives.

“I remember him saying, ‘I think I want a quiet life and a family,’ and it was exactly what I wanted. So, then it was about seeing if we could build a foundation to make that happen," she said.

She and Brand got married in 2017

Russell and Laura tied the knot in August 2017 in England, marrying in an intimate church ceremony near their home in Henley-on-Thames, Oxon.

The nuptials were attended by just friends and family, as well as their then-9-month-old daughter Mabel, and the newlyweds were pictured embracing aboard a steamboat.

She and Brand have two children and are expecting a third

In November 2016, Russell and Laura welcomed their first child together, daughter Mabel Brand. Their second daughter, Peggy, was born in July 2018.

“A lot of the clichés have been really true,” Russell told Men’s Health in March 2021 about being a father. “It’s really joyful and exhausting. And when they’re asleep, it’s magic, man.”

He went on to say, “I now have no doubt what the most important things are. I would have to make a really deliberate choice now to care about other stuff.”

The couple have been very private when it comes to their children, but the comedian has been candid about how much he enjoys parenting. “I love being a new father,” he said on Today. “She’s so beautiful and so glorious and so full of joy and love,” he told host Megyn Kelly of his daughter Mabel.

He went on to joke, “she’s a vicious, vindictive, villainous little character,” before sharing that she has a habit of grabbing onto his chest hair and pulling. “Her first word was ‘Ow’ because it’s what she hears me saying all the time,” he said.

According to Laura, he’s also a very doting dad. Speaking to You magazine, she shared, “Russell’s energy is unbelievable. In a way, it’s fantastic because he’s so playful and involved.”

In June 2023, Russell shared that their family would be growing by one more while appearing on The Diary of a CEO. "You fell in love and you've got two children. You've got a third on the way, around the corner. That's a very special love you have found," host Steven Bartlett said, which Russell then confirmed.

She’s an author

Laura is an author and illustrator with several bestselling books, including The Joy Journal for Magical Everyday Play: Easy Activities & Creative Craft for Kids and Their Grown-ups, which features 50 easy crafts and activities that both kids and parents can enjoy.

During the pandemic, Russell and Laura tackled several crafts from the book together and posted the videos on Laura's Instagram.

In March 2022, Russell shared an Instagram tribute celebrating her latest book Slow Down and Be Here Now. “You might not know that my wife @thejoyjournal writes children books thats because I only talk about myself !!!!” he wrote in the caption. “But this book she wrote teaching children to be present in the moments and appreciate nature, is fantastic. And god knows if you are a parent you need it!!! 💜”

They run a charity together

Russell and Laura run a charity together, The Stay Free Foundation, which helps people with addiction and mental health issues. The couple also created Community, a three-day camping event “about personal awakening and social change,” according to Russell’s website.

The event features musical events, yoga and meditation and all profits go toward the Stay Free Foundation.

They live a quiet life in England   

Russell is now a family man, living a quiet life in England with Laura and their daughters.

“I’ve never had domesticity before. Most of my life has been an extension of the grandiose idea of what glamour would look like if it had to have a kitchen,” he told The Guardian in 2017, adding of Laura: “I feel sometimes like a refugee in my house with this woman, this calm, beautiful woman, who in the most beautiful way possible doesn’t care about what I do.”

He continued, “She’s not interested, in the most delightful way.”

The couple live in the countryside, where they have bees and chickens, along with several pets. Speaking to Stylist, he shared that he prefers a more low-key existence these days. “When I’m with my wife, I have bursts of being really annoying to her on purpose, but mostly I just want to sit still and watch a film, read something or look at the baby, or walk the dog,” he said.