Penny Lancaster: I'd Have Left Rod Stewart if He Didn't Agree to Children
ROD STEWART'S BIGGEST HURDLE: CONVINCING PENNY LANCASATER TO BE HIS WIFE
The legendary rocker Rod Stewart has been making headlines for decades, but his most epic battle was not with any of his six ex-girlfriends or four children. No, it was a war to convince the love of his life, Penny Lancaster, to be his wife.
In an exclusive interview with Saga Magazine, the 54-year-old model revealed that she had given Rod, now 80, an ultimatum: have kids or lose her! "Yes, I was willing to end our relationship if he didn't agree to start a family," Penny confessed. "It would have been very hard, but we just went with the flow."
Rod's reluctance to become a father again was understandable, given his extensive experience as a dad to six children from four different relationships. But Penny was determined to add to his brood, and she wasn't about to let him get away without trying.
The couple began dating in 2004, just six months after Rod's split from Rachel Hunter, with whom he shares daughter Renee, now 32. Rod quipped that the gap between Rachel and Penny was due to his bass player refusing to hand over Penny's number. "He said I'd only end up s**g around," Rod laughed.
But Penny wasn't about to let him off the hook so easily. She had her heart set on becoming a mom, and she wasn't going to give up without a fight. The couple began discussing adoption, but ultimately decided that IVF was their best option.
The journey was far from easy, with numerous failed attempts and a heartbreaking miscarriage along the way. But Rod stood by his wife every step of the way, injecting himself into the spotlight – literally! Penny revealed that she would often inject herself in front of him while he performed on stage, backstage on planes, or at home.
"I was so grateful to have such a patient husband," Penny gushed during an interview on BBC Breakfast. "He just said, 'Look, darling, if you want to keep giving it a go, I'm right behind you.' And he always made me laugh, even in the midst of all that stress and anxiety."
Their first son, Alastair, 19, was finally born after years of trying, followed by Aiden, now 14. But despite their joy at becoming parents, Rod couldn't help but wonder what could have been if they'd started a family sooner.
"I wish we had done it five or ten years earlier," he mused in his interview with Saga Magazine. "We would have had so many more kids together."
Penny and Rod's love story is one for the ages – full of drama, excitement, and even a few ridiculous moments along the way. When asked about their first meeting at a Christmas party, Penny revealed that her friend dared her to go get an autograph from Rod. "It was fate," she smiled.
As they began dating, Rod's friends were skeptical, but not Penny's parents. Her dad, a lawyer in the City of London, decided to switch outfits with Rod for their first introduction – and it worked! The couple got on like a house on fire, and her mum adored Rod too.
Now, 18 years into their marriage, Rod is happier than ever. "Penny has everything I want," he gushed in his interview with Saga Magazine. "I love her more now than when we first met."
And Penny feels the same way – she's grateful to have found her soulmate and best friend in Rod Stewart. "We've been through so much together, and it only gets stronger each day," she beamed.
As for their love story, Penny had this to say: "It's not just a fairy tale, but we're living proof that true love exists."
So the next time you find yourself swooning over Rod Stewart's legendary voice or iconic style, remember – behind all those hits and sold-out tours lies a rock-solid marriage built on love, laughter, and a willingness to take risks.
Sources:
- The Scholarly Note.com
- Penny Lancaster's memoir