Christopher Stokowski is famous as the son of Gloria Vanderbilt and Leopold Anthony Stokowski. Other than that, he also appears in the media limelight as his name is linked with CNN anchor Anderson Cooper time and again. Anderson is Christopher’s half-brother from his mother’s remarriage. He is an American broadcast journalist and primary anchor of CNN news.
Regardless, all the near ones of Christopher are in media coverage except for Chris himself. Since he is so private, people are more curious to find out who Christopher Stokowski is.
So why is there obscurity? Explore what could be the possible reasons for his solidarity. In addition, let’s uncover everything about Christopher’s personal life.
Christopher Stokowski Early life and Education
Christopher Stokowski was born on January 31, 1952. Hence, as of 2022, he is 70 years old. Growing up, Chris was a shy child and he absolutely loved his privacy. From a young age, Chris led a solitary life.
As for his education, he graduated from Bard College.
Nationality and Ethnicity
Christopher’s mother Gloria was an American Citizen. However, his father Leopold was British and was born & raised in London. Furthermore, his grandfather Kopernik Joseph Boleslaw Stokowski was of Polish heritage. So, one can say that Christopher belongs to mixed ethnicity.
Moreover, Christopher holds dual citizenship in both US and the Great Britain. Although his father was from Britain, he later gained American citizenship.
Who are Christopher Stokowski Parents?
Christopher is the second child of his parents. His father, Leopold Anthony Stokowski, was one of the leading English conductors of the mid 20th century. He was most famous for his longtime alliance with Philadelphia Orchestra as a Director. Furthermore, he also appeared in Disney Film Fantasia.
Likewise, his mother Gloria Vanderbilt was a fashion icon. She was a theatre artist, painter, fashion model, and successful entrepreneur of her company GV Ltd.
Christopher’s parents fell in love when his mother was going through a divorce with Pat DiCicco. In fact, they married some weeks after Gloria was divorced. The former couple tied the knot in April 1945 despite the 42 years of age gap they had. At the time of the wedding, his mom was 21 and his dad was 63.
Sadly, the marriage ended with a divorce in October 1955 only 3 years after their son Christopher was born.
Christopher Stokowski Relied on Music in His Teenage Years
Chris as a child was very shy. He loved his solidarity and hated being in public eyes. As a person who hates being in the public eye, his mom was a public figure. He despised his mother’s newfound stardom. So, as a way to forget about it, he relied on music and wanted to be a musician.
Soon after divorcing Christopher’s father, his mother married again in 1956. While Christopher was living with his mother’s new family, he used a fake name and played in a band at New York’s fabled Max’s Kansas City.
Why Was Chris Stokowski Estranged From His Mother?
Many are eager to know what exactly happened between Christopher and his mother Gloria. Sources mention that the mother-son duo hadn’t seen each other for around 40 years. So what led Christopher Stokowski estranged from his mother?
While not much information is revealed to the public, it seems Christopher left his home in 1978 and cut off himself with his family. The reason behind it seemed to be Christopher’s mom’s psychiatrist.
At the time, Christopher was engaged to his fiancee April Sandmeyer. However, his mom’s psychiatrist Dr. Christ L. Zois had a hand over Gloria. So, it reportedly affected Chris’ relationship with his ex-fiancee.
Furthermore, in an interview with Page Six, Christopher’s ex-fiancee April Sandmeyer revealed:
“It’s a sensitive topic. [Zois’] relationship with Mrs. Cooper . . . wasn’t a normal doctor-patient relationship. She was too much under his influence.”
Moreover, April added that Christopher and his mom were best friends prior to leaving his home.
Who is Christopher Stokowski’s Wife?
As we can see, Christopher is a very private person. So there is not much on whether or not, he has a wife. However, Chris used to have a fiancee. In 1974, Chris met socialite April Sandmeyer and fell in love. Shortly after, the couple was planning for marriage. However, Chris’s father suddenly fell. So, they moved to Europe.
Sometime later, she found out about Dr. Zois and was in utter shock to hear that he was interfering in her relationship. The shock led to April breaking up with Christopher.
She revealed to Daily Mail:
Christopher was the love of my life. But I was so devastated when I discovered what Zois had done that I felt I had no choice but to break things off with Christopher. I can’t tell you what Zois said, it is just too personal. But I was heartbroken.
Christopher who was just 26 at the time cut off any relation with his family & moved into an apartment on East 44th Street.
So Where Is Christopher Now?
Ever since estranging from his own family, Christopher went ahead & became a recluse. After cutting off with family, Chris first went to his father’s old farm in Nether Wallop. In addition, he then kept changing his location from sometimes Massachusetts or New Hampshire, then Vermont.
His ex-fiancee April disclosed that she constantly was in touch with Chris through a mutual friend. Furthermore, his half-brother Anderson Cooperson also said he reunited with Chris in his mother’s documentary “Nothing Left Unsaid.”
After the short movie was resealed, a source close to his half-brother Anderson said that Christopher also appeared with his now-late-mother Gloria a few times. So, it looks like the son and a mother duo were on good terms although it was for a short time before her passing.
Did Gloria Vanderbilt Leave Any Assets to Christopher?
Christopher Stokowski’s mother Gloria passed away at the age of 95 on June 17, 2019, leaving behind a net worth of $200 million estates.
However, her son Christopher didn’t receive anything. Most of her fortune was inherited by her youngest son Anderson Cooper.
Moreover, the house Gloria lived in was inherited by Chris’ elder brother Leopold Stanislaus Stokowski. Today the value of a two-bedroom apartment is worth $1.2 million.
Even though he didn’t inherit any property from his mother’s side, Chris has inherited his part from his fathers’ assets.
