Rod Stewart: Heartbreak and Happiness in His Personal Journey

Rod Stewart Spills Tea on His High-Profile Splits: 'It Tore Me to Shreds'

The legendary singer, Rod Stewart, is opening up like never before about his tumultuous past relationships, particularly with his ex-wife Rachel Hunter. In a candid interview with The Times, the 80-year-old rocker revealed how his split from the stunning New Zealand model left him heartbroken and questioning his own judgment.

It all began when Rod met Rachel at the Roxbury Club in Los Angeles back in 1989. The chemistry was undeniable, and they quickly fell deeply in love. "There was a connection straight away," Rod shared in his 2012 autobiography. "She was extremely beautiful, but there was something no-nonsense about her as well... It was there in her New Zealand accent, but also in her face, which was open and smart."

The two tied the knot just three months later in December 1990, but their marriage wasn't without its challenges. The 24-year age gap between them often raised eyebrows, with Rod's sister even warning him that Rachel was "too young" for him.

However, it seems that Rod ignored his sister's concerns and went on to have two beautiful children with Rachel - daughter Renee (33) and son Liam (30). But their marriage eventually came to an end in 1999, seven years before they officially divorced in 2006. Rachel left Rod heartbroken, citing their age difference as the reason for their split.

Fast-forward to six months later, and Rod was already on the dating scene again! This time, he met Penny Lancaster (now his wife) through a mutual friend, who conveniently had her number but refused to hand it over to Rod. "He said, 'All you're going to do now is shag around,'" Rod quipped. "And he was right: I had a splendid time in those six months!"

But what really caught our attention was when Penny revealed that she and Rachel have become close friends over the years, despite their complicated pasts. In an interview with Loose Women back in 2017, Penny gushed about her relationship with Rachel: "We sit and chat, and we've got over that silly period 10, 15 years ago... It's about being adults."

Rod, too, has nothing but praise for his ex-wife Rachel, admitting that they now get along great. "Penny gets on great with Rachel," he said in an interview with The Scholarly Note (TSN). "In fact all the exes get on so I think I must have done something right!"

As we dug deeper into Rod's love life, it became clear that the singer has had his fair share of high-profile romances over the years. With eight children from five different mothers and three marriages under his belt (including two to Rachel and Penny), we can't help but wonder what other secrets lie hidden in the shadows.

Rod welcomed his oldest child, daughter Sarah Streeter (61), with his ex-girlfriend Susannah Boffey when he was just 18 years old. But their love story didn't end there - they gave her up for adoption, only to reconnect later in life after her adoptive mother's passing.

The rocker has also had children with two other women: daughter Kimberly (45) and son Sean (44), both from his marriage to Alana Stewart; Ruby (37) with Kelly Emberg; and Renee and Liam with Rachel. And let's not forget about his youngest two - Alastair (19) and Aiden (14) - whom he shares with Penny.

Last week, Rod took the stage at Glastonbury Festival as a headliner in the Legends slot, with his sons proudly cheering him on from the crowd. Aidan even sat on his brother's shoulders for the set, while Alastair sported a Celtics shirt around his neck - a nod to their dad's beloved football team.

As Rod shared a heartwarming photo of his boys giving him support, he captioned it: "Two of my precious children at @glastofest giving their old dad support. Alastair and Aiden Love ya boys!!"

There you have it - the untold story of Rod Stewart's love life, with all its highs and lows. Will we ever get a glimpse into his current relationship with Penny? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: Rod's got a lot to say about love, family, and growing up (or rather, not growing up at all)!