Chris de Burgh Biography: Wife, Lady in Red, and 2025 Tour

Few love songs have held their place at weddings and slow dances quite like The Lady in Red, the 1986 hit Chris de Burgh wrote for his wife Diane. Now 76 and marking 50 years in music, the Irish singer-songwriter is embarking on an intimate anniversary tour that strips his sound back to guitar and piano.

Born: 15 October 1948 (age 76) ·
Spouse: Diane Davison (m. 1977) ·
Children: 3 (including Rosanna Davison) ·
Years active: 1974–present ·
Signature song: “The Lady in Red”

Seven key facts at a glance, from his full name to his best-known work.

What is Chris de Burgh doing these days?

Chris de Burgh is back on the road in 2025 with a solo 50th anniversary tour that trades the full band for just guitar and piano. According to London’s Cadogan Hall, the show runs approximately 2 hours 30 minutes with no support act and no interval — a return to the stripped-down format that launched his career in the 1970s.

Ticket aggregator Hypebot (industry aggregator) lists 20 shows spanning 13 cities between October 2025 and April 2026, with stops in Germany and Canada. Songkick (concert database) also confirms multiple international dates. He stays connected with fans through Instagram and Facebook, where he posts tour announcements and behind-the-scenes content.

Is Chris de Burgh still married to Diane?

Yes — Chris de Burgh has been married to Diane Davison since 1977, a union that has lasted more than 45 years. The couple lives in Ireland and raised three children together. Their daughter Rosanna Davison won Miss World in 2003, and the family has remained close-knit despite the singer’s touring schedule.

How old is Chris de Burgh’s wife?

• Diane Davison’s exact birth date is not published in any verified source.
• What is known: she married de Burgh in 1977 and has been his partner for more than five decades.

The pattern: The de Burghs are among the longest-married couples in popular music, and the family has largely stayed out of the tabloid spotlight — a rarity for a household tied to a global hit and a Miss World title.

What is Chris de Burgh’s most famous song?

The Lady in Red is widely considered Chris de Burgh’s signature track. Released on 20 June 1986 as the second single from the album Into the Light, it reached No. 1 in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and several other countries, according to YouTube (official music video). The song remains a staple of his live shows and continues to appear on wedding playlists decades after its release.

Why this matters: A single song can define an entire career, and for de Burgh, The Lady in Red is both a blessing and a burden — it brought him global fame but also overshadowed a catalogue of more than 20 studio albums.

Who was Lady in Red written about?

Chris de Burgh wrote The Lady in Red for his wife, Diane Davison. The song was inspired by the moment he saw her at a party early in their relationship. The lyrics capture his lasting admiration for her.

The trade-off: What started as a deeply personal gesture became one of the most licensed wedding songs of the 1980s and 1990s — proof that private emotion, when captured well, can resonate far beyond the couple it was written for.

Where does Chris de Burgh live now?

Chris de Burgh resides in Ireland, primarily in County Wicklow or the Dublin area. He has lived in Ireland for much of his adult life and raised his family there, though he travels extensively for tours. His home base remains in Ireland, where he values the relative privacy it affords compared to major music capitals like London or Los Angeles.

What this means: De Burgh’s choice to stay in Ireland kept him rooted away from the intensity of the celebrity scene — a decision that likely contributed to both his long marriage and his steady, decades-long career.

Timeline

• 1948 – Born in Argentina to British parents.
• 1974 – Released debut album Far Beyond These Castle Walls.
• 1977 – Married Diane Davison.
• 1986 – Released The Lady in Red from the album Into the Light.
• 2003 – Daughter Rosanna Davison wins Miss World.
• 2025 – Announces 50th anniversary solo tour in Canada and Europe.

Clarity section

Confirmed facts

• Chris de Burgh is still married to Diane Davison (since 1977).
• He is actively touring in 2025 for his 50th anniversary.
• The Lady in Red was written about his wife.
• The song reached No. 1 in the UK and Ireland in 1986.
• He has three children, including Miss World 2003 Rosanna Davison.

What’s unclear

• Exact net worth is not publicly verified.
• Whether he plans to retire after the anniversary tour.
• Diane Davison’s exact age.

“The song was inspired by his wife, Diane.”

— Chris de Burgh, as recorded by Wikipedia (open encyclopedia)

“A solo show featuring Chris de Burgh with guitar and piano and storytelling about song origins.”

— Description from Cadogan Hall (tier-1 London venue)

At 76, with five decades of touring behind him, Chris de Burgh faces a natural question: how long can a solo artist keep filling halls with just a guitar and a catalogue of ballads? For the 2025 tour, his answer is clear — strip away the production, let the songs speak, and trust that audiences still want to hear the story of a man who saw his wife in a red dress at a party and turned it into one of the most recognised love songs of the 1980s. For fans, the choice is either catch this intimate chapter while it lasts, or wait and see if another anniversary comes around.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading: Neil Diamond: Health, Personal Life, and Famous Songs · Iggy Pop: Health, Biggest Hit, and Relationship with David Bowie