Martin Hirigoyen Kelly was a respected British plastic and craniofacial surgeon known for his work in facial reconstruction, rhinoplasty, and humanitarian medicine. His name also became widely known because of his marriage to British actress Natascha McElhone, star of The Truman Show, Ronin, and Californication.
Kelly built a medical career that combined private aesthetic surgery with demanding reconstructive work for the National Health Service. He also helped establish Facing the World, a charity created to provide specialist treatment for children with severe facial conditions who could not easily access advanced care in their home countries.
His life ended unexpectedly in 2008 at only 43. This biography looks at Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s early life, parents, education, medical career, marriage, children, humanitarian work, death, net worth, and legacy. Where reliable public information is unavailable, that is made clear rather than replaced with speculation.
Martin Hirigoyen Kelly at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
| Full name | Martin Bernard Hirigoyen Kelly |
| Date of birth | May 7, 1965 |
| Birthplace | London, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Age at death | 43 |
| Profession | Plastic and craniofacial surgeon |
| Education | Winchester College; St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical School |
| Father | Bernard Hirigoyen |
| Mother | Diane Kelly |
| Siblings | Four sisters |
| Wife | Natascha McElhone |
| Children | Theodore, Otis, and Rex Kelly |
| Major hospitals | Chelsea and Westminster Hospital; Royal Marsden Hospital |
| Charity | Co-founder of Facing the World |
| Date of death | May 20, 2008 |
| Cause of death | Dilated cardiomyopathy |
| Net worth | No reliable publicly verified figure |
Contemporary obituaries identify his full professional name as Martin Bernard Hirigoyen Kelly and record his birth in London on May 7, 1965, and death on May 20, 2008.
Early Life and Family Background
Martin was born in London to Bernard Hirigoyen, a French industrialist with a Basque background, and Diane Kelly, who came from an Irish family. He spent part of his early childhood in France. After his parents separated, his mother moved back to London with Martin and his four sisters.
Interestingly, he was born Martin Hirigoyen and later became professionally known as Martin Kelly. According to an obituary written by his colleague Norman Waterhouse, he chose to use Kelly because patients sometimes found Hirigoyen difficult to pronounce and spell.
Much of his childhood remained private. Reliable sources provide little information about the names or later lives of his four sisters, so claims circulating online about them should be treated cautiously.
Education and Medical Training
Kelly attended Winchester College before entering St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical School in London. He graduated in medicine in 1989. During his student years, he reportedly did some modeling work to help finance his studies, but medicine was clearly his long-term focus.
After graduating, he completed surgical training in Oxford and London and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1993. He then developed a stronger interest in plastic surgery, particularly facial reconstruction.
A travelling fellowship took him to Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, where he spent two years studying microsurgery and craniofacial reconstruction. His research contributed to a doctoral thesis, and London University awarded him a doctorate in medicine in 1997. He later trained in Paris and at Great Ormond Street Hospital, gaining experience from specialists in facial reconstruction and rhinoplasty.
Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s Career as a Plastic Surgeon
Martin Hirigoyen Kelly developed a reputation as one of Britain’s notable plastic surgeons of his generation. In 2001, he became a consultant in the craniofacial plastic surgery unit at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. He was also appointed to the Royal Marsden Hospital, where his work included reconstructing patients’ faces after cancer surgery.
His career covered both reconstructive and aesthetic procedures. Rhinoplasty became one of his best-known specialties, and press coverage sometimes called him the “king of rhinoplasty.” However, obituaries written by colleagues stressed that focusing only on celebrity cosmetic surgery overlooked his much broader NHS, research, and humanitarian work.
Kelly also maintained a private aesthetic practice and supervised research. UK Companies House records show that he served as a director of My Aesthetics Limited and of Facing the World before his death.
His Work in Craniofacial and Reconstructive Surgery
Craniofacial surgery deals with complex conditions affecting the skull, face, and related structures. Kelly worked on difficult cases involving facial deformity, trauma, reconstruction after cancer surgery, and other conditions requiring careful rebuilding of facial structures.
His training in microsurgery, nasal reconstruction, and craniofacial techniques helped shape this part of his career. He also became involved with the team planning what was intended to become the UK’s first facial transplantation procedure.
Colleagues particularly remembered his careful planning and attention to detail. His reconstructive work was important because it combined medical function with appearance, helping patients after serious illness or severe facial conditions.
Facing the World and Humanitarian Work
One of Martin Kelly’s most important achievements was his involvement in creating Facing the World with fellow craniofacial surgeon Norman Waterhouse.
The idea developed partly from Kelly’s humanitarian experience in Afghanistan, where he encountered children living with serious facial deformities and very limited access to specialist surgery. An Afghan girl with a congenital facial condition became closely linked to the inspiration behind the charity’s early work.
Sources differ slightly on whether to describe the organization’s establishment as 2002 or 2003. Facing the World’s own website states that it was founded in 2002, while an Independent obituary describes Kelly and Waterhouse as jointly founding it in 2003. UK corporate records show Kelly became a director in April 2002.
Kelly’s humanitarian legacy continues. As of 2026, Facing the World remains an active UK medical charity, now placing major emphasis on training medical teams and expanding craniofacial care in Vietnam.
Marriage to Natascha McElhone
Martin Kelly’s marriage to Natascha McElhone is another reason people continue to search for his biography.
The two had known each other since they were young. According to Norman Waterhouse’s account, they first met when McElhone was about 15 but did not begin their adult relationship until she was in her mid-20s.
They married in May 1998. Public biographical records give the date as May 19, 1998. Kelly died on May 20, 2008, shortly after the couple reached their tenth wedding anniversary.
There is no divorce history associated with the couple. Martin and Natascha remained married until his death.
Martin Hirigoyen Kelly and Natascha McElhone’s Children
Martin Kelly and Natascha McElhone had three sons: Theodore, Otis, and Rex Kelly.
At the time of Martin’s death, Theodore was eight and Otis was around four or five, depending on the timing and wording of contemporary reports. McElhone was pregnant with their third child while working in Los Angeles.
Their third son, Rex, was born later in 2008, several months after his father’s death. McElhone subsequently continued raising all three boys while maintaining her acting career. She has generally protected their privacy, meaning detailed personal information about the sons is limited.
Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s Parents and Siblings
Kelly’s father, Bernard Hirigoyen, was described as a French industrialist from a Basque family. His mother, Diane Kelly, had Irish family roots.
After his parents separated, Diane returned to London with Martin and his four sisters. Reliable contemporary sources do not publicly identify all four sisters or provide detailed accounts of their lives.
This is an area where some modern biography websites may provide additional claims without clear sourcing. Such information should not automatically be treated as confirmed.
Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s Death and Cause of Death
Martin Hirigoyen Kelly died suddenly on May 20, 2008, at the age of 43.
He collapsed at his west London home and was found by a doctor friend. He was taken to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital but could not be saved. Early reports described the incident as a suspected heart attack because the precise medical cause was not yet known.
A postmortem later found that Kelly had died from dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart becomes enlarged and weakened, reducing its ability to pump blood effectively. His death was recorded as being from natural causes.
McElhone was in Los Angeles working on Californication when she received the news. She was pregnant with Rex and had the couple’s two older sons with her. The unexpected loss dramatically changed the family’s life.
Natascha McElhone’s Life After Martin Kelly’s Death
Following Martin’s death, McElhone continued writing letters addressed to him and keeping diary entries about grief, parenting, daily life, and the arrival of their third son.
Those writings eventually became the 2010 book After You: Letters of Love, and Loss, to a Husband and Father. The book gives readers a more personal view of Kelly’s place in his family and of McElhone’s experience after losing him.
Because of McElhone’s continued public career and the book’s deeply personal subject, interest in Martin Kelly has continued long after his death.
Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s Net Worth
There is no reliable, publicly verified net-worth figure for Martin Hirigoyen Kelly.
He was a successful consultant surgeon with NHS responsibilities and a private aesthetic practice, so he clearly had an established professional career. However, career success alone cannot be converted into an accurate personal net-worth estimate.
Some biography websites may publish estimated figures, but without financial records or reliable sourcing, those numbers remain speculative. The most accurate description is therefore that Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s net worth was not publicly disclosed or independently verified.
Professional Achievements and Recognition
Kelly’s professional reputation rested on much more than cosmetic surgery. He became a consultant craniofacial surgeon, performed demanding facial reconstruction, worked with cancer patients at the Royal Marsden, conducted and supervised research, and participated in planning advanced facial transplantation work.
His colleagues described him as technically skilled, focused, and highly committed to patients. His work with Facing the World also gave his career an international humanitarian dimension.
Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s Legacy
Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s legacy combines medicine, humanitarian service, and family.
Professionally, he helped advance specialist facial reconstruction in Britain and shared his skills through research and training. Through Facing the World, his concern for children without access to specialist craniofacial treatment became part of an organization that continues operating many years after his death.
Personally, his story remains closely connected with Natascha McElhone and their sons. McElhone’s later writing helped preserve a picture of him not simply as a surgeon, but as a husband and father.
Lesser-Known Facts About Martin Hirigoyen Kelly
Kelly’s life included several interests outside medicine. Contemporary accounts describe him as a painter, musician, skier, horse rider, and tennis player. He played bass guitar in a band made up of plastic surgeons and had also worked as a model while studying medicine.
Another lesser-known detail is that Martin Hirigoyen was his original name. His professional use of Kelly came later, making “Martin Hirigoyen Kelly” a combination commonly used today when people search for his complete identity.
Conclusion
Martin Hirigoyen Kelly was more than the husband of a famous actress or a surgeon associated with celebrity cosmetic procedures. His career included advanced plastic surgery, craniofacial reconstruction, cancer-related facial surgery, research, teaching, and humanitarian work.
His sudden death in 2008 ended a promising medical career when he was only 43, leaving Natascha McElhone and their three sons with a profound personal loss. Yet his influence continued through his medical colleagues, his family, and particularly Facing the World, the charity whose work remains active today.
For readers searching for Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s biography, his most lasting story is therefore not one of celebrity. It is the story of a specialist surgeon whose professional skills, charitable work, and family life continued to be remembered long after his death.
FAQs
Who was Martin Hirigoyen Kelly?
Martin Hirigoyen Kelly was a British plastic and craniofacial surgeon known for facial reconstruction, rhinoplasty, NHS work, and co-founding Facing the World.
What did Martin Hirigoyen Kelly do for a living?
He worked as a consultant plastic and craniofacial surgeon, including positions at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and the Royal Marsden Hospital.
When was Martin Hirigoyen Kelly born?
He was born in London on May 7, 1965.
How old was Martin Kelly when he died?
He was 43 years old when he died on May 20, 2008.
Who were Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s parents?
His parents were Bernard Hirigoyen and Diane Kelly.
Did Martin Hirigoyen Kelly have siblings?
Yes. Contemporary accounts state that he grew up with four sisters.
Where did Martin Kelly study medicine?
He studied at St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical School in London, graduating in 1989.
Was Martin Kelly a plastic surgeon?
Yes. He specialized in plastic, reconstructive, aesthetic, and craniofacial surgery.
Who was Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s wife?
His wife was actress Natascha McElhone.
How many children did Martin Kelly have?
He and McElhone had three sons: Theodore, Otis, and Rex.
Was Rex Kelly born after his father died?
Yes. Rex was born later in 2008, after Martin Kelly’s death.
What was Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s cause of death?
A postmortem found that he died from dilated cardiomyopathy.
What was Martin Hirigoyen Kelly’s net worth?
No reliable source has publicly verified his personal net worth.
What was Martin Kelly’s connection to Facing the World?
He helped establish the medical charity with surgeon Norman Waterhouse to improve access to specialist craniofacial treatment.
What is Natascha McElhone’s After You about?
The book is based on letters and diary entries McElhone wrote following Kelly’s sudden death, reflecting on love, grief, parenting, and family life.
