Loose Women’s Penny Lancaster shared insights into her marriage to Sir Rod Stewart and revealed how they keep their spark alive after 26 years together
Penny Lancaster said she was ‘desperately missing’ Rod Stewart
Penny Lancaster has opened up about the secret behind her successful marriage to Rod Stewart. The couple have been together for 26 years, tying the knot in 2007 and going on to welcome two sons, Alastair Stewart and Aiden Stewart.
Penny, 55, Rod’s third wife and his longest marriage to date, shared what has helped keep their relationship strong – and the main reason might come as a surprise.
According to the former model, spending weeks apart has played a huge role in keeping things exciting. She told Best Magazine: “We don’t [live in each other’s pockets] and time apart helps keep the spark alive.”
At the time of the interview, the pair had been apart for three weeks and were planning on reuniting.
She told the publication: “We’re desperately missing each other and have been counting down the days. Rod generally has a driver pick him up from the airport, but I’m meeting him because we can’t wait to see each other. Right from the start of our 26 years together, we’ve spent time apart.”
Reflecting on the first year of their relationship, Penny said she had been studying photography in the UK while Rod was based in the US, meaning much of their time together was spent communicating through a screen.
“We’d spend hours and hours on the phone talking about everything, including photography and paintings,” she revealed.
Sharing more about her husband away from the spotlight, she added: “Rod has a deeply, spiritual, sensitive and artistic side. That’s what he’s like underneath it all.
“That’s the real man. He can be quite demanding and he does require a lot of attention, but that’s fine because I’m good at giving it,” she added.
In the same interview, the Loose Women star said effort was key to their relationship, revealing the pair make sure to have regular date nights – whether that’s going to the theatre or enjoying “long romantic walks” together.
She also said the couple still “flirt with each other and make each other laugh” to keep the intimacy alive. “We don’t take each other for granted,” she added.
Penny is Rod’s third wife, following his marriages to Rachel Hunter and Alana Stewart.
Alongside the two sons he shares with Penny, Rod is also father to six other children – Sarah, Kimberly, Ruby, Renee, Sean and Liam.
Previously opening up about fatherhood, the Maggie May hitmaker admitted he has had to be “several different fathers” due to the large age gaps between his children.
His eldest daughter, Sarah Streeter, whom he shares with a former partner, is 62, while his youngest child with Penny is 14.
According to MailOnline, he added: “You really have to treat all of them as individuals with individual problems. As a dad, I’ve learned to listen and not blow my top.”