Julian Assange, 55, set to become a father again as wife Stella shares pregnancy news
- See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source
By CAITLIN POWELL - NEWS REPORTER
Published: | Updated:
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and his wife, Stella Assange, have announced they are expecting their third child.
'HAPPY NEWS! This new life would not have been possible without all those who fought to bring [Julian Assange] home,' former lawyer Stella said on Monday.
The social media post included a glowing photo of the couple, who share two children, Gabriel and Max.
Mr Assange shared his wife's photo with the caption: 'October surprise. This new life is thanks to everyone who fought for my freedom.'
The couple have maintained a low public profile since Mr Assange walked free from prison in June 2024.
He faced 175-years in jail until pleading guilty to one count of breaching the Espionage Act and being allowed to return to his native Australia.
However, just over a week before announcing their baby news, Mr Assange returned to social media with a photo posted to Wikileaks' and his accounts.
'I'm back,' he wrote in the caption on September 17.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and his wife, Stella Assange, have announced they are expecting their third child
Mr Assange, Stella and their children are pictured after his return to Australia in 2024
A plea deal with American prosecutors paved the way for Mr Assange to return home in 2024 without fear of arrest after 14 years as a wanted criminal suspect
A plea deal with American prosecutors paved the way for Mr Assange to return home in 2024 without fear of arrest after 14 years as a wanted criminal suspect.
He had been wanted for espionage since 2010 after WikiLeaks released thousands of classified US military documents, and for unrelated rape charges in Sweden.
He fled to the Ecuadorian embassy in London in June 2012 when he lost his appeal against extradition to Sweden, and spent seven years hiding there.
While living inside the embassy, Mr Assange and his wife secretly conceived Gabriel and Max.
In 2019, he was kicked out and locked up in London's HM Belmarsh Prison from April 2019 to to June 2024 while the US tried to extradite him to America to face conspiracy charges over leaked secret military data.
Under a plea deal with US prosecutors, he pleaded guilty to an Espionage Act charge of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified U.S. national defence documents, and returned to Australia on June 26, 2024.
Before his return, Assange had essentially been confined for 12 years, since he sought asylum in London's Ecuadorian embassy while separately charged with sexual assault in Sweden.
Judge Ramona V Manglona then accepted Mr Assange's guilty plea and debated whether to fine Assange up to US$150,000 or order probation or supervised release.
Just over a week before announcing their baby news, Mr Assange returned to social media with a photo posted to Wikileaks' and his accounts
After discussion with his lawyer Barry Pollack and US Attorney Matthew McKenzie, she decided against either and let him walk out a free man.
Mr Assange was released without probation or supervision after a hearing in a US federal court on the Pacific island of Saipan.
However, he is banned from entering the US ever again without permission from American authorities.
Since he walked free, Mr Assange has been spotted a handful of time, including a rare public appearance at the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican in April 2025.
He also shared a rare photo in December 2024 as he celebrated his first Christmas in Australia after his release.
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.