Introduction
Rod Stewart Opens Up About Marriage, Music, and a Life of Lessons
Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster have shared over two decades of love, laughter, and the occasional challenge. While the couple has built a strong and enduring relationship since they began dating in 1999 and marrying in 2007, their love story hasn’t been without its complexities. In a revealing interview from 2013, Stewart admitted that a temporary two-week split with Penny inspired one of the most emotional tracks on his album Time.
Reflecting on that brief separation, Stewart said, “Penny and I broke up for two weeks, and during that time, I asked her for a photo of herself in a frame so I could see her every night and morning.” That moment of longing led him to cover Tom Waits’ “Picture in a Frame,” a song that captured the vulnerability and devotion that lingered even in distance.
Penny Lancaster, a former model and now a familiar face on British television, recently appeared on BBC’s Celebrity MasterChef. Her charm and resilience shone through as she advanced into the semi-finals. With a dash of humor, she quipped on the show, “I like to take on a challenge—that’s why I married my husband.”
Their romance began in the late ’90s when Lancaster, then pursuing a career in photography, was hired to capture Stewart on tour. That professional opportunity blossomed into a romance that led to a fairytale proposal atop the Eiffel Tower in 2006. They’ve since raised two sons together, Alastair and Aiden.
Despite his rockstar persona and colorful past, Stewart now reflects with wisdom. “I’ve taken risks in love,” he once said, “but I’ve always tried to be honest. Women don’t like games—they prefer someone who listens.” He credits Penny with grounding him, saying he finally learned how to truly love in his 50s.
Now in his later years, Stewart admits more children are off the table, cheekily remarking, “The banana is back in the fruit bowl.” Still, with humor, honesty, and harmony, Rod and Penny continue to prove that love—like music—gets better with time.