Former TOWIE star Kate Ferdinand has shared candid thoughts about her family's potential long-term future in Dubai, three months after making the dramatic relocation from south-east London to the United Arab Emirates.
Luxury Lifestyle in the Desert
The 34-year-old reality television personality and her footballer husband Rio Ferdinand, 46, made the life-changing move in August this year, swapping their London home for a sun-soaked existence in the exclusive gated community of Al Barari. The luxury property is reportedly valued at 32.5 million dirhams, approximately £6,550,310, according to listings from April this year.
During a recent Instagram Q&A session on Thursday, Kate responded to followers' questions about their new life abroad, admitting she remains uncertain about how long the Ferdinand family will call Dubai home. "I'm really not sure," she confessed when asked about long-term plans. "We took the leap by moving here and thought we would try something new & I'm so glad we did."
Family Adjustments and Emotional Challenges
The mother of three revealed that while their younger children have adapted well to their new environment, the separation from her stepsons has proven emotionally challenging. Kate shares son Cree, four, and two-year-old daughter Shae with Rio, while also serving as stepmother to his three teenage children from his previous marriage to Rebecca Ellison, who tragically passed away in 2015.
Lorenz, 19, and Tate, 17, have remained in England as they pursue football careers with Brighton & Hove Albion, while 14-year-old Tia has joined the family in the UAE. The geographical divide has taken an emotional toll on Kate, who recently experienced what she described as a "complete emotional spiral" after a visit from stepson Tate.
"A memory I'll cherish forever," Kate wrote alongside a video of Tate's surprise visit. "I love surprising people - honestly, I think I'm pretty good at it lol! So knowing that Tate went to all that effort to surprise us just feels so special. I've had the best two days, and now that he's left I'm on a complete emotional spiral."
Cultural Adaptation and Language Learning
The Ferdinand family's transition to Middle Eastern life includes efforts to embrace local culture and language. Kate revealed she has learned four basic Arabic phrases so far: "Hello, Thank you, let's go, my love."
"Cree & Tia have been learning it in school & are teaching me," she explained. "Rio & I have both said we would like lessons but life has been very busy recently. That's not the best but I feel like my brain is really struggling to retain information recently. Anyone else? Is it being a busy mum in your 30s thing?"
Despite the challenges of adapting to a new culture and being separated from part of their family, Kate expressed gratitude for their current situation. "We're having the most amazing time in Dubai. The kids are happy, thriving, and safe, and that truly feels like such a blessing."
The couple's move coincides with recent tax changes in the UK, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves announcing £40 billion of tax rises on businesses and high earners in her 2024 Budget. While Rio hasn't explicitly cited taxation as the reason for their relocation, he recently criticised the UK tax system during an appearance on LBC Radio.
"If things like the health service, for example, was absolutely flying and working perfectly well then I think people wouldn't mind paying tax," the former Manchester United defender stated. "But when there's things that are falling apart and going wrong in the country, then I sit there and go, we pay towards tax and is it really going towards the things that are actually benefiting the people that live here?"
Rio emphasised that the move has allowed him to spend more quality time with his family. "My family are seeing me so much more and I'm spending some quality time with them and I think that's just been a great thing for me," he said. "I love England and I'm a patriotic guy in that sense, but a new journey, a new chapter, something different, I think is a refreshing new chapter in my life."
As the Ferdinand family navigates their new life between two continents, Kate's reflections highlight the complex emotions that accompany major lifestyle changes, balancing the excitement of new opportunities with the emotional weight of family separations and cultural adjustments.
