Rod Stewart and his wife Penny Lancaster are sharing the secrets behind their successful marriage after recently celebrating their 17th wedding anniversary.
In a joint interview with HELLO! magazine, the 79-year-old rock icon and 53-year-old model, who tied the knot in June 2007, explained how they make spending quality time together a priority and approach instances when they do not see eye to eye.
“We love life and make date nights for one another, among touring and family time,” Stewart said.
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Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster opened up about their 17-year marriage. ( Greg Doherty/Getty Images for Haute Living)
“We listen to each other and try to resolve all our disagreements, the dirty laundry as Penny says, right away, and before we go to bed,” the Grammy Award winner added.
Lancaster told the outlet that having a “healthy attraction” to each other was an important part of their relationship.
“Rod and I can have dinner in a crowded room or just the two of us – we always have eyes for each other,” the British model said. “There’s this look, this connection, this message without words.”
Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster have been married since 2007 and have two sons together. (Dave Bennett)
Stewart and Lancaster are parents to sons Alastair Wallace, 18, and Aiden Patrick, 13. When the pair married, Stewart was already a father of six.
Stewart shares his oldest child, daughter Sarah Streeter, 60, with his ex-girlfriend Susannah Boffey. Sarah was raised by adoptive parents, only connecting with her father as an adult.
In April 1979, the rock star married his first wife, Alana Stewart, and they welcomed daughter Kimberly, 44, in August of that year. The former couple, who also share son Sean, 43, divorced in 1984.
Stewart and model Kelly Emberg are parents to daughter Ruby, 36. The two were together for seven years before calling it quits in 1990.
In December 1990, Stewart married Rachel Hunter. The singer and the model share daughter Renee, 32, and son Liam, 29. Stewart and Hunter divorced in 2006.
The Grammy Award winner is a father of eight children. (Kimberly Stewart Instagram)
While speaking with HELLO!, Lancaster reflected on how she bonded with her stepchildren after she first began dating Stewart in 1999.
“I knew that I had to be honest with them, too, so that they would accept me,” she said. “I couldn’t pretend to please every single one of them, so I was just myself. It took a while, but they came to trust me.”
Lancaster went on to say that their big blended family enjoys coming together for big celebrations. In June, the couple traveled to Dubrovnik, Croatia, for Liam’s wedding. Stewart’s other seven children and Hunter also attended the nuptials.
“We like to take every opportunity to bring the family, children, and grandchildren together,” Lancaster said. “Part of the family lives in America, part in England, so it requires a lot of planning, but at least two or three times a year, the whole clan comes together.”
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Though the Stewart “clan” is very close, Lancaster explained that they still have to navigate the “usual family ups and downs.”
“You have to use a lot of diplomacy, be patient and understanding,” she said. “In the end it’s worth it because you experience this wonderful bond that only a family can have.
“The epicenter of it is ultimately Rod: he’s the Rodfather,” Lancaster added.
Penny Lancaster said that their big blended family takes “every opportunity” to come together. (Rod Stewart/Instagram)
While reflecting on fatherhood, Stewart explained how his priorities have shifted over the years.
“I used to be much more preoccupied with myself and my career,” he said. “But I’ve learnt from my mistakes and am more present.”
However, as the two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee nears his 80th birthday, he has dismissed the possibility that he has plans to retire in the near future.
“I don’t see any possibility of slowing down anytime soon,” Stewart told HELLO!. “And as I get older, I only really want to do things that give me great pleasure.”
“He loves what he does so much and will never retire,” Lancaster agreed. “He’s a workaholic and constantly on the move. I struggle to keep up with his training schedule. He works out three or four times a week – even on tour.”
Rod Stewart said that he has no plans to retire anytime soon. ( Don Arnold/WireImage)
Over 60 years into his career, Stewart is reinventing himself with forays into new musical genres. He recently teamed up with Jools Holland and the bandleader’s Rhythm & Blues Orchestra to create a new swing album titled “Swing Fever,” which claimed the number one spot on the Official U.K. Album Charts in March.
“Swing Fever” marked Stewart’s first number one album in five years, following 2019’s “You’re In My Heart” and Holland’s first-ever release to top the charts.
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The album’s success also marked another milestone for Stewart. The singer took the 10th spot on the U.K.’s list of artists with the most career number one albums. He’s the fifth solo artist with that achievement.
In addition to venturing into swing, Stewart confirmed in March that he also has a country album in the works.
“I plan on doing it. We actually started it. We started making a country album. And I went off and made another solo album, but yeah, it’s in the pipeline,” he said during an interview with the Associated Press.
“The record company would like me to do it,” he added. “They don’t push me to do it. You know, there will come a time.”
The U.K. native also shared his thoughts on why the country music genre appealed to him.
“Once again, it’s what I grew up with,” he said. “You know, not so much country music, but folk music. You know, the likes of Woody Guthrie and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and Bob Dylan.”
Penny Lancaster said Rod Stewart’s family gives him “strength and drive.” (Dave Benett/Getty Images for Annabels)
He continued, “Of course, I loved all that stuff. That’s all. That’s why I learned how to play guitar, because I wanted to sing the songs.”
While speaking with HELLO!, Lancaster shared her thoughts on what keeps Stewart going strong at 79.
“I think it’s family,” she said. “Especially the younger generation. They give him strength and drive.”
“He’s not your average 79-year-old man,” she added. “He can’t sit still and is always on the go. I like to treat myself to a facial or a massage. He can’t do that. He can’t have a massage for more than half an hour; he gets up and leaves.”