Kate Ferdinand has paid tribute to Rio's late first wife, Rebecca Ellison, as the family celebrated stepson Tate's 18th birthday. The former TOWIE star ensured that Tate's mother, who died from breast cancer in 2015, was honoured throughout the day.
Taking to Instagram, Kate shared a string of snaps from the party, including four framed photographs displayed on a shelf. One picture showed Rebecca smiling alongside her two sons, Lorenz and Tate. Kate captioned the post: 'A night for Tate.'
Fans praised Kate's gesture, with one commenting: 'The pictures with their mum. Honestly no one better could have come into their lives and taken on the shoes of mum.' Another added: 'Aww honouring their mum is so beautiful.'
Kate serves as stepmother to Rio's three children from his first marriage, as well as mother to their two children together. She has previously spoken about her role, revealing that her stepchildren are comfortable with her referring to herself as 'Mummy'.
In a podcast appearance, Kate recalled feeling upset on her first Mother's Day after moving in, when she received no card. She said: 'I felt like a mum... I went in my room and sobbed my heart out.'
