Penny Lancaster has revealed her initial reaction to meeting Rod Stewart for the first time, admitting she wasn't a fan of the singer when they crossed paths in the bar of the Dorchester Hotel in London.
Speaking with Saga in 2025, Penny recalled how a friend dared her to ask for an autograph from the Maggie May singer. At the time, she was a model and photography student from Essex.
First encounter at the Dorchester
"I wasn't a fan," she told Saga. "And I definitely wasn't thinking of a relationship because I was coming out of a long-term one, which wasn't easy."
Describing the rock star as an "unknown entity," Penny added, "There were a lot of times after that night when I thought, 'What the hell am I getting myself into?' But, Rod's world was a vortex, and I was sucked in."
How their relationship developed
On the night of their first meeting, Rod asked for Penny's number, but it wasn't until months later that he asked her out. "When we first met, I got her phone number – I had just broken up. I gave it to the bass player … and he kept it for six months," he said on Loose Women.
After finally connecting, the two eventually began dating. They confirmed they were expecting their first child, son Alastair, in 2001, and four years later, Rod proposed on the second platform of the Eiffel Tower.
Marriage milestones
By 2007, the duo had tied the knot in Italy, and in 2011, they welcomed their son, Aiden, via IVF. Penny and Rod have also renewed their vows on two separate occasions.
Their first ceremony took place at their Essex home in 2017 to mark their 10th wedding anniversary, and their second, an intimate family affair, was held in Sydney in 2023. The couple are gearing up to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in 2027.
Asked for the secret to their marriage, Penny told The Sun that they make a constant effort to be romantic with one another. "We lay it on thick. The more romantic it is, the better," she said. "We have such a great connection on every level. There's such an energy between us."
Noting that Rod "does require a lot of attention," Penny added, "He also gives me a lot of attention back, so it works both ways."
Echoing this sentiment in an interview with HELLO!, Rod mused, "We love life and make date nights for one another, among touring and family time. 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."
