Rod Stewart, the rock legend who has been announced as the first star to perform at next year’s Glastonbury Festival, has had a tumultuous love life.
Despite recent rumours of discord in his marriage to Loose Women panellist and model Penny Lancaster, Celtic-daft Rod took to Instagram to reassure fans that they “could not be more in love with each other”.
The couple, who have been together for over two decades, experienced a brief split that left Rod heartbroken. However, he always knew it was meant to be with Penny, his third wife.
Rod’s romantic history includes marriages to Alana Stewart (1979-1984) and Rachel Hunter (1990-2006), and relationships with Kelly Emberg and Susanna Boffey. He has eight children with five different mothers, including sons Alastair, 17, and Aiden, 11, with Penny.
Rod 79, and Penny, 52, have a love story that began in the late ’90s when Rod hired Penny, then an aspiring photographer, to capture his tour moments. Their romance blossomed gradually, leading to a proposal atop the Eiffel Tower in 2005, with Penny happily accepting.
The couple exchanged vows in 2007 during a lavish Italian wedding attended by 100 guests. A decade later, they reaffirmed their commitment in a heartfelt vow renewal at their Essex home.
Reflecting on their journey, Penny shared with Hello! magazine: “Being able to reflect on those 10 years, and say those words to one another and still know we mean them is important. This felt more special. You get married with the hope that you’ll be together; when we renewed our vows, we said them not with just hope, but with reassurance. Along with hope, there is also faith, love and bringing all the family together.”
Rod expressed his deep affection, saying: “Penny is my whole world. What a girl. Love means many things to many people but to me, it’s wanting to share everything with the one you love and I love Penny more now than ever, if that is at all possible. It was a beautifully romantic thing to do. We’re not proving anything, just sharing our love with our friends and family.”
Rock legend Rod Stewart opened up about a heart-wrenching period in his marriage with Penny Lancaster. The couple experienced a significant rough patch that led to a temporary break-up, which inspired the star to include an emotionally charged cover on his album ‘Time’.
Reflecting on those tense times, Stewart shared: “I cover Tom Waits’ Picture In A Frame.”
“Penny and I broke up for two weeks and the song is about that time. I asked her for a photo of herself in a frame so that I could see her when I went to bed and when I woke up.”
Throughout the years, Stewart confessed he’s learnt hard-earned lessons about love and relationships. He’s advocated honesty, noted a dislike for smoking and gambling among women, and has offered advice gleaned from personal experience: “My relationship rule is ‘Don’t argue after a glass of wine’ leave debating until the morning,'”.
In a candid revelation to Life magazine in 2013, the ‘Sailing’ singer discussed how becoming a better person and attentive listener was crucial for a long-lasting bond. “I met Penny in my 50s and if I had not learnt by that point in my life I was never going to.”
More recently, in a heartfelt 2021 interview with People magazine, Rod elaborated on what has kept his romance with Penny so strong over the years. “Intimacy is the most important thing in a relationship.’ Don’t take it for granted,” he advised, emphasizing the significance of physical affection beyond the bedroom.
“I’m not talking about sex, but a kiss and a cuddle and a hold,” he articulated.
“I cover Tom Waits’ Picture In A Frame. Penny and I broke up for two weeks and the song is about that time. I asked her for a photo of herself in a frame so that I could see her when I went to bed and when I woke up.”
“My relationship rule is ‘Don’t argue after a glass of wine’ leave debating until the morning. Intimacy is the most important thing in a relationship.’ Don’t take it for granted,”.
“I’m not talking about sex, but a kiss and a cuddle and a hold. Penny and I do that every morning. We hug each other – sometimes in bed, sometimes out of bed, all throughout the day. It’s a wonderful relationship. Lucky geezer, aren’t I?”, shared the famous singer with a smile, reflecting on the strong bond he has with his wife Penny and how their affection is a daily ritual.
“It’s about caring for my husband as much as our children,” Penny explained during her panel discussion on Loose Women, giving some insight into her approach to family life.
She also quipped to the Mirror: “I try and split my time between my eldest child – Rod – and my other two boys,” acknowledging the delicate balance with humour. Delving deeper into balancing her relationships at home, Penny remarked, “Most men are still needy, especially when you have been in a long relationship before children arrive, and then children do take up a big part of your time and men feel they are left out a bit.”
She added: “So I make a very conscious effort to dedicate time – the two of us going out for dinner or having breakfast together. Just a moment amongst the madness, he still needs attention.”
Despite the challenges, including Penny’s heartbreaking miscarriages and turning to IVF for their youngest, the couple’s enduring love is evident. Reportedly, just last year, according to Woman’s Day magazine, they renewed their vows once more while Rod was on tour in Australia, organising his schedule, “so his children could attend the ceremony,” further solidifying their unwavering commitment to each other and their family.
A pal close to the couple revealed: “There’s a very good reason why Rod’s insisted he space out his tour dates – it’s the perfect place and the perfect time to renew their wedding vows.”
The source disclosed that Penny and Rod have been keen on reaffirming their commitment for some time, noting: “Now they can’t wait and are using this chance to do something special while here.”
Reflecting on their enduring romance after their initial vow renewal, Penny expressed: “Our honeymoon period seems to have lasted forever, we still have a connection like we just met.”
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