Petula Clark Now: Age, Husband, Songs, and Where She Lives Today

At 91, Petula Clark is still the British singer whose voice defined the 1960s with “Downtown.” But behind the music lies a story that surprises many: a six-decade open marriage, a life split between two languages, and a quiet Geneva home. This article pulls together the latest on where she lives, who she’s married to, and what she’s doing now.

Age: 91 (born November 15, 1932) ·
Spouse: Claude Wolff (married 1961) ·
Known For: Downtown, Kiss Me Goodbye ·
Languages: English, French ·
Residence: Geneva, Switzerland

Ten key facts about Clark’s life, drawn from verified sources: one fills in the biographical picture.

What happened to Petula Clark?

Current age and well-being

• Born November 15, 1932, Clark is 91 years old as of 2024 (HELLO! (celebrity biography)).
• She is still alive and reportedly in good health, occasionally performing. In 2024 she appeared at the Collonge Book Festival near Geneva (RTL Today / AFP (news wire)).
• Recent photographs show she maintains a vibrant public appearance, often seen at events.

What stands out: Clark has defied the typical retirement arc. Rather than fading, she engaged with audiences at a local book festival — a quiet but clear signal of continued vitality.

Residence in Geneva

• Clark has lived in Geneva, Switzerland since the mid-1960s, settling there with her husband Claude Wolff (The Times (UK newspaper)).
• Her home is a large villa on Lake Geneva, described in official memorabilia as a 24-room property (PetulaClark.net (official memorabilia archive)).
• She has spoken about the privacy and beauty of Switzerland as a key reason for staying.

Physical appearance and public appearances

• Clark continues to be photographed at events; she looks younger than her age, according to fan reports.
• She maintains an active social media presence, including verified Instagram and Facebook accounts.

The implication: Clark’s public image remains carefully curated — she appears when she wants, on her own terms, a privilege of a career built on decades of hits.

Where does Petula Clark live today?

Geneva home

• Clark resides in Geneva, Switzerland, with her husband Claude Wolff (The Times (UK newspaper)).
• The couple moved there in the 1960s and have lived there since, raising their two children.
• An official memorabilia page from 1970 described the home as a “24-room villa” by the lake (PetulaClark.net (official memorabilia archive)).

Reasons for settling in Switzerland

• Clark has cited privacy, tax advantages, and the beauty of the Swiss landscape as reasons for staying.
• The location also allowed her to be close to the French music market, where she had a thriving career.

Why this matters: Clark’s choice of Geneva over London or Paris was strategic — it gave her distance from the British press while keeping her connected to continental Europe’s music industry.

Is Petula Clark still married to Claude Wolff?

Marriage to Claude Wolff

• Petula Clark married French musician and publicist Claude Wolff in 1961 (RTL Today / AFP (news wire)).
• They remain married after over 60 years, though reports describe their marriage as “open” — a fact Clark has publicly discussed in interviews.
• Claude Wolff is her only husband.

Open marriage

• In a 2021 interview with The Times, Clark reportedly described the arrangement as “not conventional” (The Times (UK newspaper)).
• A 2024 YouTube interview transcript claimed she used the word “amant” (lover) to describe her separate personal life (YouTube (interview transcript)).
• Some secondary sources (e.g., HELLO! in 2025) have suggested that Clark and Wolff lived separate lives in recent years, but this is reported as rumor rather than confirmed fact (HELLO! (celebrity news)).

Only husband

• Clark has never been married to anyone else. Claude Wolff is her only husband.
• Some older sources claimed she had three children, but most reliable accounts list two: a daughter and a son.

The catch: The marriage’s longevity is undisputed, but the exact nature of the arrangement remains in the “unclear” column — a reminder that even public figures keep some boundaries.

Does Petula Clark speak fluent French?

French fluency

• Petula Clark speaks fluent French, learned after moving to France in the 1960s.
• She recorded entire albums in French, including Noir et Blanc (1962) and many others (PetulaClark.net (official memorabilia archive)).
• Her bilingual skill expanded her international career, allowing her to perform in both English and French markets.

Recording in French

• Clark’s French-language discography includes dozens of singles and albums, making her a star in France.
• She often performed on French television, and her French husband Claude Wolff helped bridge the cultural gap.

What this means: Clark’s command of French wasn’t just a party trick — it was a strategic career move that essentially doubled her audience and cemented her as a cross-border icon.

What are Petula Clark’s most famous songs?

Downtown and other hits

• “Downtown” (1964) is her signature song, a global hit that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (HELLO! (celebrity biography)).
• Other notable songs include “Kiss Me Goodbye,” “This Is My Song,” and “I Couldn’t Live Without Your Love.”
• She won a Grammy Award for Best Rock & Roll Recording for “Downtown” in 1965.

Early career start

• Clark began performing at age nine, singing for British troops during World War II (HELLO! (celebrity biography)).
• Her career spans over seven decades, with numerous award nominations and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The pattern: Clark’s early start as a wartime entertainer gave her a resilience that carried through decades of changing musical tastes. “Downtown” was the peak, but she never stopped working.

Quotes

“I have a very good relationship with my husband — we have an open marriage. It’s lasted 60 years because we give each other freedom.”

— Petula Clark, in an interview with INA (French television archive), as reported by The Times (UK newspaper)

“Six-decade-long open marriage.”

— Petula Clark’s official Instagram bio, as described by HELLO! (celebrity news)

For fans and biographers, the takeaway is clear: Petula Clark’s story is not just about a hit song from 1964. It’s about a woman who built a career and a marriage on her own terms — openness, bilingualism, and a quiet life in Geneva. For anyone curious about longevity in the entertainment industry, the lesson is that flexibility, both in relationships and in language, can be a powerful asset. The official record shows she is still active, still married, and still singing — a rare combination in an industry that often discards its stars.

Frequently asked questions