Billie Eilish mocked for hosting brother Finneas O’Connell’s wedding on ‘stolen land’

Billie Eilish mocked for hosting brother Finneas O’Connell’s wedding on ‘stolen land’



Billie Eilish is being mocked for officiating her brother’s wedding on what she may refer to as “stolen land.”

The singer, 24, hosted 29-year-old Finneas O’Connell’s marriage to longtime girlfriend Claudia Sulewski, 30, at the luxurious San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, Calif. Saturday.

But social media users were quick to point out the service took place on a region that once belonged to Native Americans.

Eilish caught heat at the Grammys in February after claiming “no one is illegal on stolen land” during an anti-ICE tirade.

Earlier this year, Billie Eilish declared “no one is illegal on stolen land” during her Grammys acceptance speech. Getty Images
Claudia Sulewski (left) and Finneas O’Connell married in Montecito, Calif. during a ceremony hosted by Eilish. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

One person wrote on X: “Was this on stolen land?” Another posted: “She is on stolen land.” Another added: “On stolen land no less.”

The Chumash historically inhabited a vast swath of California’s Central and Southern coasts, including the San Ysidro Ranch area.

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians says Chumash territory once covered roughly 7,000 square miles, stretching from Malibu to Paso Robles and inland to the western edge of the San Joaquin Valley.

Historical documentation for the Montecito area also identifies it as Chumash territory before European settlement.

Social media users are referring to Finneas O’Connell and Claudia Sulewski’s wedding at San Ysidro Ranch. X

Spanish colonization of the Santa Barbara area began in the late 18th century, with the Santa Barbara Presidio established in 1782 and Mission Santa Barbara founded in 1786.

San Ysidro Ranch itself says Franciscan monks gave the property its name in the late 1700s after Saint Isidore, the patron saint of agriculture.

Mission padres built the property’s Old Adobe in 1825 and farmed the land, according to the Santa Barbara Independent.

The property later developed into the San Ysidro Citrus Ranch. A sandstone packing house was constructed in 1889, and plans for a small hotel were drawn up several years later.

That hotel opened in 1893 and eventually became a hideaway for some of the world’s most famous names: Sir Winston Churchill stayed there with his family, while Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier married at the ranch. Additionally, John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy honeymooned there, and one of its cottages is now named the Kennedy Cottage.

Eilish was mocked for hosting her brother’s wedding at San Ysidro Ranch. Instagram/@sanysidroranch

Beanie Babies billionaire Ty Warner purchased the property in 2000 and later poured about $150 million into renovating it, according to Architectural Digest.

O’Connell and Sulewski’s wedding added another celebrity chapter to the ranch’s history.

The pair met through a dating app in 2018, according to People, and O’Connell said he was so taken with Sulewski that he began writing his song “Claudia” the same day they met. They bought a home together the following year and became engaged in September 2025 after seven years of dating.

The couple bought a home together a year after meeting and became engaged in September 2025 after seven years of dating. GC Images

Sulewski, an actress, YouTuber and founder of skincare brand Cyklar, wore four custom Oscar de la Renta looks during the wedding weekend.

The celebrity-filled guest list reportedly included Justin and Hailey Bieber, Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard, Nina Dobrev, Emma Chamberlain, Jason Sudeikis and Rachel Sennott. Eilish attended with boyfriend Nat Wolff.

During her dramatic acceptance speech for her and O’Connell’s Grammy for Song of the Year for “WILDFLOWER” in February, Eilish said: “No one is illegal on stolen land. It’s hard to know what to say and what to do, but we need to keep fighting and speaking up and protesting. Our voices really do matter.”


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Liam Redmond

As an editor at Forbes Europe, I specialize in exploring business innovations and entrepreneurial success stories. My passion lies in delivering impactful content that resonates with readers and sparks meaningful conversations.

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