Sir Rod Stewart marked a major milestone in his love story with Penny Lancaster by sharing a heartfelt message dedicated to his wife as the couple celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary.
The music legend, 81, took to Instagram on Tuesday to post a touching throwback picture from their 2007 wedding day, paying tribute to Penny, 55, after almost three decades together.
Alongside the romantic snap, Rod wrote: “27 years of my life spent with this stunning Lady, happy 19th wedding anniversary my darling Penny, some guys have all the luck.”
The sweet message came after Penny recently joked that she deserved “a medal” for their enduring relationship.
Speaking earlier this year, the television presenter opened up about the secrets behind their lasting romance and insisted they have never taken each other for granted.
She said: “Yes, 26 years! I deserve a medal, don’t I? Only joking.”
Penny explained that regular date nights, romantic walks and simply spending everyday moments together have helped keep their relationship strong.
“We don’t take each other for granted and make sure we have date nights together – dinner, the theatre or whatever, doing the school run together and having an ‘a deux’ coffee on the way home, long romantic walks together…” she said.
She added: “We flirt with each other and make each other laugh.”
According to Penny, celebrating anniversaries has always been an important part of their marriage.
“We’re big on celebrating our anniversaries and really spoil each other,” she revealed.
The couple’s previous anniversary saw them enjoy a romantic train journey from Paris to Portofino — two locations with special meaning in their relationship, as Rod proposed in Paris and the pair later married in Portofino.
“We love reminiscing about our life together and also making plans for the future – more romantic trips,” Penny said.
She also revealed that spending time apart has helped keep the spark alive over the years, admitting she and Rod had recently spent three weeks apart and were eagerly awaiting their reunion.
“We’re desperately missing each other and have been counting down the days,” she said.
Penny first met Rod in 1999 while studying photography at Barking College. Although they exchanged numbers, it wasn’t until nine months later that the singer finally reached out.
The delay was partly down to Rod’s close friend and band leader Carmine Appice, who believed the star needed time to recover emotionally following his divorce from Rachel Hunter.
Reflecting on the unusual beginning to their romance, Rod recalled: “He didn’t think I was in the right position because I had just got a divorce and didn’t know if I was coming or going, and he said I will give it to you when I think you are ready.”
Laughing about the situation, he added: “I should have fired him, but I couldn’t!”
Penny became emotional when remembering the period, admitting she believed she would never hear from Rod again.
“I really thought that was the last I would see of Rod. I remember processing those photos I took of Rod and thinking, what a lovely memory, and that was that,” she said.
After welcoming son Alastair in 2005, the couple tied the knot in 2007 and later welcomed their second son, Aiden, in 2011.
Nearly three decades after first meeting, Sir Rod and Penny continue to prove that their romance remains as strong as ever.
