Nicole Richie has been spotted in public for the first time since her teenage daughter, Harlow, revealed she is now using her middle name, Kate. The sighting occurred at a high-profile beauty event in Los Angeles.
First Appearance Since Family News
The Simple Life star attended the Nude by Nature US Launch Party at Ardor in The Edition Hotel, Los Angeles, on Wednesday. Photographs obtained by the Daily Mail showed the 44-year-old looking happy and relaxed as she mingled with guests.
Richie chose a sophisticated black suit paired with an ivory blouse, wearing her hair pulled back. She was seen chatting with Kathy Hilton, mother of her close friend Paris Hilton, and Malika Haqq, a best friend of Khloe Kardashian.
The cocktail-style evening celebrated the official US debut of the Australian clean beauty brand, Nude by Nature. The launch also marked the start of the brand's new 'Nothing Cleaner Than Nude' campaign, which features Richie as the Global Brand Ambassador.
A source told the Daily Mail, "She looked happy and was very friendly. She said her family was doing great and they had a wonderful holiday season. They seem like a very close family."
Addressing Her Daughter's New Identity
The appearance comes just after Richie publicly addressed her eldest child's name change for the first time. The teen, who turned 18 recently, revealed her new identity on her birthday, showing she now prefers to be called Kate, her middle name.
When asked about the change by People magazine on Wednesday, Richie stated simply, "Yeah, she goes by her middle name. She has her whole life." Regarding the social media reaction to the revelation, she added, "I didn't look, but it makes sense... she goes by her middle name."
Richie shares her daughter Kate, and son Sparrow, 16, with her husband, Good Charlotte vocalist Joel Madden. To mark the milestone birthday, the TV personality posted a sweet tribute on Instagram, sharing a carousel of throwback photos. When she tagged her daughter, it showed the username @katemaddennn, confirming the switch from Harlow.
The birthday post was captioned, "18 years of you @katemaddennn," followed by heart and cake emojis. Richie also shared a photo on her Instagram Stories, showing Kate with newly jet-black hair, writing, "My favourite person in the world is now 18."
Embracing the Teenage Years
Richie has previously spoken candidly about the joys and challenges of parenting teenagers. In a 2024 interview with Glamour, she expressed her approach to transparency with her children.
"I just so clearly remember what it's like to be a teenager. It feels like it happened yesterday for me. And they know everything I did," she said. "I knew before I had them that I was going to have to be transparent with them about who I was. And I've actually found freedom in that."
She told Today magazine that her "favourite stage" of parenting so far has been raising teenagers, enjoying the ability to relate to their experiences. Alongside family life, Richie remains busy in entertainment, having recently reunited with Paris Hilton for a special series and starring in a remake of 'Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead'.
Reflecting on her current chapter in an Interview Magazine chat, Richie declared being in her 40s is "the absolute most fun decade."
