Who are Wallis Annenberg’s children? All about Lauren Bon, Charles Annenberg, Gregory, and Roger Weingarten

The death of billionaire philanthropist Wallis Annenberg at the age of 86 has cast her four children and would-be heirs, Lauren Bon, Gregory Weingarten, Charles Annenberg Weingarten, and Roger Weingarten, as the stewards of her $1.5 billion charitable legacy.

A 2025 Guggenheim Fellow, Lauren Bon is an artist-activist who uses her Metabolic Studio to conceive epic environmental projects such as Bending the River (redirecting LA River water to urban farms) and 100 Mules Walking the Los Angeles Aqueduct.

As VP of the Annenberg Foundation, Gregory Weingarten leads GRoW @ Annenberg, which funds hospitals in Bangladesh, the repatriation of sacred Native American artifacts, and college access for LA students.

 

 

 

 

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According to a report by the USC, he is a Knight of France’s Order of Arts and Letters, a bridge between Franco-American cultural relations, and serves on the boards of The Met, Getty Center, and USC Annenberg.

Charles Annenberg, on the other hand, is known as the founder of Explore. Org created a nature livestream service with 200+ feeds around the world. His Dog Bless You program matches service dogs with veterans, and his documentaries shine a light on unsung heroes.

He is a USC film school graduate and has also run wildfire relief operations. His major credits include Let Them Be Naked (2024), The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (2014), and Artbound (2012).

A poet and editor, Roger Weingarten works as an academic. His work centers on language and ecology, with installations at MASS MoCA and the Hirshhorn Museum.

A look into Wallis Annenberg's philanthropy and legacy

As the Annenberg Foundation’s longtime leader, Wallis Annenberg channeled nearly 3,000 initiatives totaling $1.5 billion, focusing on innovation, accessibility, and community empowerment.

According to CBS News, Annenberg transformed philanthropy by investing in what worked and scaled, not temporary Band-Aids. Among her dream projects were the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, the Annenberg Space for Photography, and Wallis Annenberg GenSpace.

Wallis Annenberg, the philanthropist behind more than $1B in L.A. civic projects, has died at 86. Her name lives on across the city—from theaters to wildlife crossings.

🕊 Read more about her extraordinary life and impact from @ChrisNicholsLA ⬇️https://t.co/koxLUXGKoj pic.twitter.com/GnBN3PosvY

— Los Angeles Magazine (@LAmag) July 28, 2025

Wallis Annenberg, an advocate of education and free press, had long been associated with USC. She gave $50 million to establish the Wallis Annenberg Hall, a state-of-the-art media center, and her family gifts to USC totaled more than $350 million.

She also held leadership positions, such as the directorship of LACMA and bankrolled arts, healthcare, and environmental conservation initiatives all over the country.

Bestowed with the National Humanities Medal by President Biden, Annenberg believed that philanthropy should be a “two-way street.” It’s about building community, not just writing checks. "I can’t keep [wealth] unless I can give it away," she famously said.