Public accounts show a relationship that has moved toward reconciliation, but they do not tell the whole private story. Lily Collins wrote in 2017 that she felt hurt by her father’s absence, while also saying she forgave him and wanted to move forward. In 2026, Phil Collins described their relationship as “wonderful” and recalled a family Christmas in 2024.
Who are Lily Collins’s parents?
Lily Collins is the daughter of musician Phil Collins and Jill Tavelman. CBS/AP reported that her parents divorced in 1996, when Lily was seven. That family milestone provides context, but it does not by itself explain the later ups and downs in their relationship.
What Lily Collins said about her father in 2017
In her memoir Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me, Lily included an open letter to her father. ABC News reported on the letter in March 2017, reproducing her description of hurt alongside her decision to forgive him: “I forgive you for not always being there when I needed and for not being the dad I expected. I forgive the mistakes you made.”
Her letter acknowledged that the past could not be rewritten and invited her father to move forward with her. It is a first-person account of her feelings and an expression of forgiveness—not evidence that every past difficulty had been resolved. Readers who want Lily’s fuller account can find it in ABC News’s report on the letter.
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How Phil Collins reflected on his time away
Phil’s 2016 memoir, Not Dead Yet, offered his retrospective perspective. In a Los Angeles Times interview about the book, he called it “an open, honest account of my life the way I remember it.” His phrasing matters: it describes his recollection, not an independently verified account of every family experience.
In a March 2017 report, CBS/AP quoted a passage from the memoir in which he connected his career and family regrets: “I carry guilt over each of my kids all the time I was away. Music made me, but also it un-made me.” This is Phil’s own reflection on time away from his children; it should not be treated as a complete explanation of Lily’s experience. His memoir provides complementary context, rather than a substitute for her account.
What Phil Collins said about their relationship in 2026
In August 2026, El País reported that Phil described his relationship with Lily as “Ahora tengo una relación maravillosa con Lily”—translated from the Spanish report as “Now I have a wonderful relationship with Lily.” The newspaper also said he recalled the family spending Christmas 2024 together. These are Phil’s reported comments about their more recent relationship and a family gathering; they do not establish what every private conversation involved or mean that family relationships are uncomplicated.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Are Phil and Lily Collins estranged now?
The public record cited here does not support calling them permanently estranged. Lily’s 2017 letter expressed both hurt and a wish to move forward, and Phil’s later comments, as reported by El País, described a close relationship. Taken together, those accounts suggest movement toward reconciliation. They do not reveal the full private history or prove that every issue was settled.
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