All About Anna Nicole Smith and Larry Birkhead's Daughter, Dannielynn Birkhead

Anna Nicole Smith and Larry Birkhead welcomed their daughter, Dannielynn Birkhead, in 2006

No Kentucky Derby is complete without Dannielynn Birkhead, 17, and her father, photographer Larry Birkhead, smiling in their race day finery. The two attend the event every year, travel the world together and share their adventures on their joint Instagram account.

Dannielynn's supermodel mother, Anna Nicole Smith, died from an accidental drug overdose in 2007, just five months after Dannielynn was born in September 2006. At the time of Dannielynn's birth, Smith claimed that Dannielynn's father was Howard K. Stern, the Playboy model's attorney and romantic partner. However, a court battle to establish paternity determined that Birkhead was Dannielynn's biological father. Birkhead was then awarded custody of his daughter.

Ever since, the father-daughter duo has traveled everywhere from Dollywood to Hawaii with, of course, stops in Louisville, Kentucky, for the famous horse race.

On Dannielynn's 17th birthday in September 2023, Birkhead paid tribute to his daughter on Instagram.

"You are funny, crazy smart, pretty and just about everything I could ever imagine," he wrote. "Your Mom would be so proud of you, I sure am."

But who is Dannielynn Birkhead? Read on to learn about Anna Nicole Smith and Larry Birkhead's daughter and how she's staying connected to her mother's legacy.

She was born in the Bahamas in 2006

Dannielynn was born Sept. 7, 2006, in Nassau, Bahamas, as Dannielynn Hope Marshall Stern. Smith initially said that Stern was the father of her daughter, but Birkhead contested that claim and demanded a DNA test.

Smith passed away on Feb. 8, 2007, of an accidental drug overdose at age 39. In April 2007, a DNA test confirmed that Birkhead was Dannielynn's biological father. "I'm the father," he said. "Thank you for your support. Thank you for the people who got me this far. Thank you very much. My baby's gonna be coming home pretty soon. Things are moving quickly here, and we'll see what happens."

When the results came in, Stern was cooperative, hugging Birkhead outside the courthouse. "We're gonna do what we can to make sure that the best interests of Dannielynn are carried out," Stern said. "And I'm going to do whatever I can to make sure that he gets sole custody. Larry can come over to the house and spend as much time with [Dannielynn] as he wants to right now."

She had a brother

Prior to welcoming Dannielynn, Smith had one son named Daniel Wayne Smith. Three days after Dannielynn was born, 20-year-old Daniel died in Smith's hospital room of an accidental drug overdose. He had arrived that same day to visit his mother and meet his newborn sister.

She stays connected to her late mother

In February 2021, Birkhead and Dannielynn appeared in a 20/20 special, in which they traveled to Smith's hometown of Mexia, Texas. "When we talk about Anna Nicole, there were a lot of happy moments for her," Birkhead said. "There were a lot of highs before there were a lot of lows."

The special aired on the 14th anniversary of Smith's death. Dannielynn met her mother's childhood friends, who shared memories of the supermodel before she was famous, and Birkhead gave her some of Smith's belongings, including the wedding dress she wore to marry J. Howard Marshall II in 1994.

"Anna should be remembered as this larger than life figure that was really a caring, giving person," Birkhead said. "A beautiful lady who loved her fans and loved her family."

Her dad says Dannielynn reminds him of Smith

"Today, I remember your heart, your soul and your beauty, both inside and out," Birkhead wrote on the 15th anniversary of Smith's death. "Your love is alive still to this day, in the form of a truly one of a kind teenager with her Mom's smile, beauty and courage."

Birkhead and Smith's relationship was the subject of an episode of Lifetime's Hopelessly in Love in 2020. In January 2022, Netflix announced an upcoming documentary about Smith's life featuring never-before-seen footage.

"She inspired a lot of people. I think she changed a lot of lives," Birkhead said on 20/20. "That's why I think, to this day, there's still a fascination about Anna Nicole, and I think there will be for a long time."

She and her father spend lots of quality time together

Birkhead and Dannielynn make regular appearances at the Kentucky Derby — where Birkhead and Smith first met. They always attend the Barnstable Brown Gala the night before the race. At the 2022 gala, Dannielynn wore an outfit purchased at a charity auction that Janet Jackson wore to the same event in 2003.

The pair are huge Jackson fans and attended Jackson's concert after the derby and in Cincinnati in July 2022. "Heading out to Dannielynn's second Janet Jackson concert (my millionth 😂) in Cincinnati as we sit here arguing which one of us is the bigger Janet fan," Birkhead posted on Instagram. "It's going to be 'Nasty' outside in the 100 degrees weather, but we are looking forward to it." After the show, they got to meet the iconic singer.

The father-daughter duo are also big Duran Duran fans, as they spent Father's Day 2023 at one of their concerts.

Birkhead shared a photo on Instagram of the two smiling at the venue as well as a throwback photo of the pair sharing a set of earbuds. "Having a great Father’s Day with Dannielynn at the @duranduran concert," the proud dad wrote in the caption. "I’ve been trying to school her on good music way back since she was a baby."

In January 2024, the pair took a trip to Disneyland in California — a place they've visited several times since Dannielynn was a little girl. Birkhead reminisced about "great" visits past on Instagram.

Birkhead saved Smith's clothes for her

Birkhead put all of Smith's clothing in storage after she died — anticipating that Dannielynn would eventually want to wear items from her mom's wardrobe.

While chatting with PEOPLE in May 2023, Birkhead revealed that Dannielynn has already pulled a few items from the archive.

"There's some T-shirts and different things she fits in, but there's also some things that she'll say, 'Dad, no thanks, that's not my style,' " he said. "There's also some things that would have to wait till later. Some things are a bit more revealing and low-cut."

She and Birkhead attend the Kentucky Derby every year

Dannielynn and Birkhead never miss the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

In May 2023, the father-daughter duo attended the 149th annual Derby. Dannielynn dazzled in a sunflower-print ball gown and jewelry from Smith's archives.

"To be honest, the dress was so big I had to drive it from Florida. It was too big to go on the plane and check it in. This was a full-on production," Birkhead told PEOPLE.

At the 150th annual horse race in May 2024, Dannielynn wore a red gown "inspired by her favorite character Hino Eiji, Kamen Rider OOO TaJaDor combo."

She paid tribute to Smith at the 2023 Barnstable Brown Gala

At the 34th annual Barnstable Brown Kentucky Derby Eve Gala, Dannielynn paid tribute to Smith by wearing a blouse featuring photographs from her mom's famous Guess campaign. Birkhead accompanied his daughter to the event and wore a tie that matched her blouse.

The Barnstable Brown Gala was where Smith and Birkhead first met in 2003.

"It's funny how one event can change your life. And that's what this party did for me. If I had not been there that night and had that connection, how different my life would have been if I hadn't met Anna and had our daughter," he told PEOPLE.

She's an excellent student

Dannielynn's senior year of high school is right around the corner. And with plans to attend college, she's taken her studies seriously.

In June 2023, Birkhead bragged about his daughter on Instagram after she made the honor roll, yet again.

"Dannielynn finished 11th grade and maintained honor roll through some challenging times we had taking care of my Mom before she passed away," the doting dad wrote. "I am so proud!"

During a previous interview with PEOPLE, Birkhead said Dannielynn is considering a career in forensics.

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