By Faye James
Sir Rod Stewart has never been one to shy away from matters of the heart, and in a candid new interview, the legendary musician has opened up about the highs and lows of love, heartbreak, and finding lasting happiness with his wife Penny Lancaster.
Speaking to The Times, the 80-year-old opened up about the pivotal moments in his romantic life, beginning with how he met Penny shortly after the painful end of his marriage to New Zealand model Rachel Hunter.
The couple had wed in 1990, when Rachel was just 21 and Rod, 45. Their age difference, he admits, played a significant role in their eventual split.
“Rachel left me because she was too young — my sister said I should never have married her in the first place — but it tore me to shreds,” Rod shared.
“There were six months between Rachel and Penny because my bass player, who had Penny’s number, wouldn’t give it to me. He said, ‘All you’re going to do now is shag around.’ And he was right: I had a splendid time in those six months.”
Rod was already twice married when he met Penny. His first wife, Alana Stewart, was by his side from 1979 to 1984, and together they share daughter Kimberly and son Sean. His second marriage, to Rachel, produced two children: daughter Renee and son Liam.
Despite the rocky end to his previous relationships, Rod described meeting Penny as a turning point in his life. The pair first crossed paths in a bar in 1999, not long after his split from Rachel. Penny, then a stunning 6ft tall in heels, approached him for an autograph. “So I said, ‘Do you like dancing?'” Rod recalled. “She was an incredible dancer, gorgeous, 6ft 4in in heels, ai-yi-yi.”
Although it took a few months for them to properly connect, Penny’s presence proved to be a balm for the singer’s heart. In 2007, after nearly a decade together, Rod and Penny tied the knot in a romantic ceremony in Italy. The couple now share two sons, Alastair, 18, and Aiden, 13, and have become one of the UK’s most enduring celebrity couples.
“Now I’m with Penny and she’s got everything I could possibly want,” Rod said. “She’s mended my heart in more ways than one.”
The Maggie May singer, known for his charisma and larger-than-life stage presence, revealed a softer side as he spoke about the quiet intimacy that defines his relationship with Penny. “I’m not talking about sex, but a kiss and a cuddle and a hold,” he said. “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?”
Rod has also been vocal about the lessons he’s learned from a life lived in the spotlight and the importance of self-respect and independence. “I always tell the girls in my band and my daughters, ‘A woman has so much living to do.’ It’s your life! Forget men,” he added.
“It’s a perfect relationship,” he said.