Introduction

When people talk about Jane Goodall, they speak of groundbreaking primate discoveries, lifelong advocacy, and global inspiration. But her family — especially the next generation — quietly carries her legacy forward. Merlin, Angel, and Nick van Lawick are her grandchildren, and though they each walk their own paths, their lives are woven with the lessons and spirit of their grandmother. This article profiles what is known of their journeys, their values, and their roles in the ongoing story of nature and conservation.

Early Life and Background

Jane Goodall’s only son, Hugo “Grub” Eric Louis van Lawick, was born in 1967 and raised partly in Tanzania and England.
Hugo and his wife Maria van Lawick raised their children in Tanzania, in the environment that shaped Jane’s work and perspective.

Their children — Merlin, Angel, and Nick — grew up surrounded by forests, wildlife, field projects, and the enduring presence of their grandmother’s influence.

They spent childhood years alternating between Tanzania and their family homes abroad, forming roots in the land and learning the meaning of conservation from a young age.

Family, Parents, and Siblings

 

• Father: Hugo Eric Louis van Lawick (“Grub”)

• Mother: Maria van Lawick

• Siblings: Merlin, Angel, Nick

In the van Lawick family, the connection to Jane is both personal and professional. Their grandmother’s work was not just a distant project — it was part of their daily landscape.

As grandchildren, they also assume an inheritor role: they are among the immediate survivors mentioned in remembrances of Jane.

Education

Of the three, Merlin van Lawick has more visible educational credentials: he studied for an MBA at Arden University, UK, while also deepening his work in conservation.

He balances formal study with field work and communications roles in conservation.

Information on Angel and Nick’s formal schooling is more limited in public sources. They are younger, and their paths are still emerging.

Career or Profession

Merlin van Lawick is actively engaged in conservation and public communications. He works with the Jane Goodall Institute in roles connecting Africa programs and science communications.
He also sits on the board of the Earth Species Project (ESP), which uses artificial intelligence to understand and conserve nature.

Angel van Lawick expressed a passion for wildlife rescue early on. At age 19, she volunteered at the Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue in California, helping orphaned barn owls and small creatures.
She said her grandmother never pressured them — only encouraged them to follow their own hearts.

Nick van Lawick works in creative media: he is a filmmaker, photographer, and visual director, co-founding the magazine Kids These Days.
His roles indicate a blending of storytelling and visual art, perhaps echoing the legacy of his grandfather Hugo van Lawick (a nature filmmaker).

Relationship or Personal Life

Public sources offer few intimate details about their romantic lives, which is understandable, they are younger and less in the spotlight.
Merlin does speak publicly about his relationships to nature, his values, and his identity in interviews.

Angel has occasionally been interviewed regarding her volunteer work or conservation interests, but no confirmed public relationships are widely covered.

Nick’s professional presence is more visible than his personal, though he is establishing his brand in creative media.

Net Worth

There are no credible, verified public estimations of net worth for Merlin, Angel, or Nick van Lawick.
Given their youth, emerging careers, and hereditary legacy, their financial status is likely modest compared to major public figures.
Any future wealth would stem from their work in conservation, media, or creative enterprises.

Interesting Facts

• Merlin has said that as a child, Jane would read to her grandchildren at their vacation home in England.

• Merlin officially joined the youth program Roots & Shoots and later moved into leadership roles within the Jane Goodall Institute.

• Angel rescued owlets, squirrels, skunks — often starting scared but growing compassionate through hands-on work.

• Nick channels visual storytelling, co-founding Kids These Days, blending creative media and activism.

• Though Jane’s death in 2025 marks the closing of her life’s chapter, her grandchildren now stand as part of her ongoing legacy.

 

Social Media Presence

• Merlin van Lawick appears in news interviews and institutional pages (e.g., JGI, media features) but I did not locate a widely verified personal social media account in the top public bios.

• Angel’s public presence is partly through volunteer or rescue work articles — she maintains lower visibility.

• Nick has a professional creative portfolio or media presence, likely on platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn, though exact verified handles are not prominent in these sources.

 

Recent News or Updates

• With Jane Goodall’s passing on October 1, 2025, the grandchildren are now formally recognized as part of her legacy as heirs and bearers of her work

• In recent articles, Merlin is quoted reflecting on how his grandmother “sixty years on” still inspires him to connect humans and nature.

• Media coverage after Jane’s death frequently cites her grandchildren in survivor lists, acknowledging their roles in her family story.

 

Why Merlin, Angel & Nick Van Lawick Matter

They represent the next generation of a conservation legacy. Jane Goodall changed how we see chimpanzees — but she also left behind a family who breathe her mission.
Merlin, Angel, and Nick are not simply heirs to her name — each holds potential to contribute, to tell story, to bridge science and art. Their lives remind us that legacy is not static — it’s living, evolving, and carried forward by those who embrace it.

FAQ

Q: Who are Merlin, Angel, and Nick van Lawick?
A: They are the three grandchildren of Jane Goodall, children of her only son Hugo “Grub” van Lawick.

Q: What do they do now?
A: Merlin works in conservation and communications (Jane Goodall Institute, Earth Species Project). Angel engages in wildlife rescue and volunteerism. Nick is a filmmaker, photographer, and cofounder of Kids These Days.

Q: Where were they raised?
A: Primarily in Tanzania with family time in England; their upbringing was deeply embedded in conservation environments.

Q: Are they socially active?
A: Merlin has public interviews and institutional presence, Angel occasionally appears in rescue stories, Nick in creative media — but none are massively public-facing.

Q: How does Jane Goodall’s passing affect them?
A: They are now recognized as living connectors to her legacy. Their roles and voices are likely to gain more attention in honoring her mission.