Martin Hirigoyen Kelly: Everything You Need to Know About Natascha McElhone’s Husband

Martin Hirigoyen Kelly was a brilliant British craniofacial plastic surgeon whose life combined medical excellence, charity work and deep family devotion. Professionally known as Martin Kelly, he became respected for complex facial reconstruction, nasal surgery and his role in helping children with severe facial differences. Many people also know him as the late husband of British actress Natascha McElhone, but his own story is powerful and inspiring. He worked at major London hospitals, co-founded the children’s medical charity Facing the World, and left behind a legacy that continues to be remembered. His sudden death in 2008 shocked his family, colleagues and patients, yet his contribution to medicine and humanitarian care remains deeply meaningful today.

Quick Facts About Martin Hirigoyen Kelly

Who Is Martin Hirigoyen Kelly?

Martin Hirigoyen Kelly was a highly regarded plastic and reconstructive surgeon from Britain. His work focused on the face, skull and nose, making his field one of the most delicate areas of modern surgery.

He was not only known for private or high-profile work. His most respected contribution came through reconstructive surgery for people facing serious medical challenges. Colleagues described him as talented, focused and deeply committed to improving patients’ lives.

Professionally, he often used the shorter name Martin Kelly. According to The Guardian, he dropped “Hirigoyen” in his professional life because patients found it difficult to pronounce and spell.

Early Life and Background

Martin Hirigoyen Kelly was born in London on 7 May 1965. He came from a mixed European family background. His father, Bernard Hirigoyen, was a French industrialist with Basque roots, while his mother, Diane Kelly, came from an Irish family.

He spent part of his early childhood in France before moving to London with his mother and sisters after his parents separated. This international upbringing gave him a broad outlook and likely helped shape his confidence in working across different cultures later in life.

Martin attended Winchester College before going on to study medicine at St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical School in London. He graduated in 1989 and soon began building a serious career in plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s Age and Physical Features

Martin Hirigoyen Kelly was 43 years old when he died in May 2008. He was still in the prime of his career, with many years of medical work, teaching and charity service ahead of him.

There are no widely verified public records giving his exact height, weight or body measurements. However, contemporary profiles and photographs show him as a well-presented, confident and professional man. The Independent also noted that his appearance earned him modelling work while he was a medical student, which helped support his studies.

Medical Career of Martin Hirigoyen Kelly

Start of His Surgical Journey

Martin’s interest in plastic surgery began early in his medical life. After graduating from St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical School, he trained in reconstructive plastic surgery in London and developed a strong reputation among colleagues.

He later spent two years in New York researching microsurgery. He also trained in Paris with Darina Krastinova, a recognised figure in facial reconstruction. These experiences strengthened his technical knowledge and helped him become a leading name in craniofacial surgery.

Specialist Work in Craniofacial Surgery

Craniofacial surgery is a highly specialised medical field. It deals with the structure of the skull, face, jaw and related tissues. Patients may need this surgery because of birth conditions, trauma, cancer or severe facial deformity.

Martin Hirigoyen Kelly became especially known for facial reconstruction and rhinoplasty. His work required both scientific precision and artistic judgement. Surgeons in this field must think about function, symmetry, breathing, appearance and emotional recovery.

Work at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital

In 2001, Martin joined the craniofacial plastic surgery unit at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital as a consultant. This appointment placed him in one of the key centres for advanced facial surgery in London.

At Chelsea and Westminster, he worked with complex cases and built strong professional relationships with other leading surgeons. His colleague Norman Waterhouse remembered him as a surgeon with mature judgement, careful planning and outstanding technical skill.

Work at the Royal Marsden Hospital

Martin also worked at the Royal Marsden Hospital, where he reconstructed the faces of patients after cancer surgery. This part of his career showed the serious medical value of his skills. Facial reconstruction after cancer can help restore both physical function and emotional confidence.

Facing the World: His Charity Work

One of the most important parts of Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s life was his charity work. In 2002, he co-founded Facing the World with fellow craniofacial surgeon Norman Waterhouse. The charity was created to help children with severe facial differences who could not access advanced treatment in their own countries.

The idea grew from Martin’s experience working in difficult medical environments, including Afghanistan. He and Norman Waterhouse realised that some children needed complex surgery and intensive care that could not easily be provided locally.

Facing the World originally helped bring children to the UK for surgery. Later, the charity also became connected with training doctors abroad and building stronger local medical services. A BAPRAS document notes that the charity’s work included countries such as Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Ghana, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, with continued support for training in Vietnam.

Relationship with Natascha McElhone

Martin Hirigoyen Kelly is also widely known because of his marriage to Natascha McElhone. She is a British actress recognised for film and television work, including roles in The Truman Show, Ronin and Californication.

Their relationship was not simply a celebrity story. Friends and family described their bond as close, warm and deeply loving. According to The Guardian, they had first met when McElhone was young but became a couple later in life.

Martin lived mostly outside the entertainment spotlight. While Natascha worked in film and television, he built his identity through medicine, family and humanitarian work.

Marriage and Family Life

Martin married Natascha McElhone in 1998. The couple shared a family life in London and had two sons together during Martin’s lifetime: Theodore and Otis. Their third son, Rex, was born after Martin’s death.

At the time of Martin’s sudden passing, Natascha was pregnant with their third child and was away filming in Los Angeles. Penguin’s description of her book After You explains that she began writing letters to Martin after his death as a way of processing grief and describing how she and their children were adapting to life without him.

Their family story is one reason many readers still search for Martin today. His death was a public tragedy because of McElhone’s fame, but at its heart it was a private family loss.

Does Martin Hirigoyen Kelly Have Children?

Yes, Martin Hirigoyen Kelly had three children with Natascha McElhone. Their sons are Theodore, Otis and Rex.

Theodore and Otis were born before Martin’s death. Rex was born later, after Natascha had lost her husband. This made the family’s story especially emotional for the public, as McElhone had to face grief while preparing for the birth of their third child.

Social Media Presence

Martin Hirigoyen Kelly did not have a known public social media presence. This is understandable because he died in 2008, before social media became as central to public life as it is today.

He also appeared to value a more private lifestyle. Unlike many people connected to celebrity circles, Martin’s public reputation came mainly through his professional work, charity service and marriage to Natascha McElhone.

Personality and Interests

Martin was remembered as more than a gifted surgeon. Friends and colleagues described him as creative, modest, determined and highly disciplined. He had the personality of someone who wanted to do everything properly, whether in medicine, family life or personal interests.

Outside surgery, he painted, made music and enjoyed sport. The Independent reported that he played drums and bass guitar and was part of a band of plastic surgeons called “Tuck That”. He also enjoyed tennis, horse riding and skiing, especially when these activities gave him time with his sons.

The Guardian described him as a “renaissance” type of person: a surgeon, artist, musician and sportsman with a perfectionist nature.

Net Worth and Income

There is no reliable, verified public figure for Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s net worth. Any exact online estimate should be treated carefully unless it comes from a credible financial or legal source.

What can be said with confidence is that he had a successful medical career. He worked as a consultant plastic surgeon at respected London hospitals and also had recognised expertise in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery.

However, Martin’s legacy is not best measured through money. His most meaningful “wealth” was the impact he made on patients, children, colleagues and the charity he helped build.

Death of Martin Hirigoyen Kelly

Martin Hirigoyen Kelly died suddenly on 20 May 2008. He collapsed at his family home in Fulham, London, and could not be revived. His death came one day after his tenth wedding anniversary with Natascha McElhone.

Reports stated that the cause of death was dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart becomes enlarged and weakened. The Irish Examiner reported that a postmortem found he died from this heart condition.

His death shocked the medical community because he was only 43 and still highly active in his career. It also deeply affected those who knew his charity work and admired his surgical skill.

Public Image and Legacy

The public image of Martin Hirigoyen Kelly has two sides. To some readers, he is remembered as Natascha McElhone’s husband. To the medical world, he is remembered as a leading craniofacial surgeon and humanitarian.

His professional legacy is especially strong because of Facing the World. The charity’s mission reflected his belief that advanced surgery should not only be available to people with money or access. Children with severe facial differences deserved dignity, treatment and hope.

His personal legacy also continues through Natascha McElhone’s book After You: Letters of Love, and Loss, to a Husband and Father. The book preserved his memory as a husband and father, not only as a surgeon. Penguin describes it as a moving tribute to their sons and to Martin.

Future Plans Linked to His Legacy

Because Martin Hirigoyen Kelly passed away in 2008, he did not have future plans in the usual sense. However, the work connected to his name has continued through the medical and charity communities.

Facing the World continued supporting children and training doctors after his death. Reports from Vietnam have described the charity’s ongoing work with hospitals and doctors, showing how Martin’s original mission developed into longer-term medical support.

In that sense, his future is found in his legacy. Every child helped, every surgeon trained and every life improved through craniofacial care adds another chapter to the work he helped begin.

Why Martin Hirigoyen Kelly Still Matters

Martin’s story still matters because it combines achievement with compassion. He reached the top of a difficult surgical field, but he also used his skill to serve people who needed help the most.

His life also reminds readers that people connected to celebrities often have powerful stories of their own. Martin was not only “Natascha McElhone’s husband”. He was a doctor, father, charity founder, artist and respected colleague.

For searchers looking to understand Martin Hirigoyen Kelly, the most important point is this: he lived a short life, but it was full of purpose. His work gave children new chances, helped patients recover after serious illness and inspired those around him.

Conclusion

Martin Hirigoyen Kelly was a remarkable man whose life deserves to be remembered with respect. Born in London and shaped by a European family background, he became one of Britain’s respected craniofacial plastic surgeons. His work at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and the Royal Marsden Hospital showed his technical brilliance, while his charity Facing the World showed his humanity.

His marriage to Natascha McElhone brought public attention to his name, especially after his tragic death in 2008. Yet his true legacy goes far beyond fame. He helped children with severe facial differences, supported medical progress and left behind a family story filled with love, grief and strength.

Martin’s life was short, but his impact continues. That is why people still search for Martin Hirigoyen Kelly today.

FAQs About Martin Hirigoyen Kelly

Who was Martin Hirigoyen Kelly?

Martin Hirigoyen Kelly was a British craniofacial plastic surgeon known for facial reconstruction, rhinoplasty and humanitarian charity work.

Why was Martin Hirigoyen Kelly famous?

He was famous for his work as a leading reconstructive surgeon, for co-founding Facing the World and for being the husband of actress Natascha McElhone.

Who was Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s wife?

His wife was British actress Natascha McElhone. They married in 1998 and had three sons together.

How many children did Martin Hirigoyen Kelly have?

He had three sons with Natascha McElhone: Theodore, Otis and Rex.

How did Martin Hirigoyen Kelly die?

He died suddenly in 2008 from dilated cardiomyopathy, a serious heart muscle condition.

What charity did Martin Hirigoyen Kelly co-found?

He co-founded Facing the World, a charity created to help children with severe facial differences access specialist surgery.

What was Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s net worth?

There is no verified public figure for his net worth. His career was successful, but reliable financial details are not publicly available.

What is Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s legacy?

His legacy lives through his surgical work, his charity Facing the World, his patients, his family and the medical professionals inspired by his standards.