Who Is Rod Stewart's Wife? All About Penny Lancaster

With hit songs like "Forever Young" and "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You," Rod Stewart has one of the most recognizable voices in the industry.

As a mega-star, Stewart's personal life is often of interest — and he has quite the support system. He's had eight children with various partners throughout his life, and his wife Penny Lancaster (born Penelope Claire Lancaster), has been his rock since they met.

Lancaster was dared to by a friend to ask Stewart for his autograph, then she was later asked to photograph him at a concert. "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," Stewart said in a 2015 interview with Loose Women. He finally called Lancaster and asked her out to dinner. The rest is pretty much history.

Keep reading to find out all there is to know about Rod Stewart's wife, Penny Lancaster.

She's a daytime television star and a former model

Lancaster was born and raised in the U.K. and became a model. In 2002, she inked a deal with lingerie brand Ultimo and modeled for the company for two years. At the end of her contract, Ultimo did not re-sign with Lancaster and instead enlisted Stewart's ex-wife, Rachel Hunter.

In addition to modeling, Lancaster is a well-known television star in the U.K. Not only has she made several appearances on various talk shows, but she has been a staple on the British talk show Loose Women since 2014. Lancaster has made more than a dozen television appearances, including her participation in a documentary called Famous and Fighting Crime in 2019 and a stint on Celebrity Masterchef in 2021.

She competed on Strictly Come Dancing

Lancaster joined the cast of Strictly Come Dancing — a U.K. program similar to the U.S. program Dancing With the Stars — in 2007. She was paired with dancer Ian Waite and was eliminated about mid-way through the competition. After she was sent home, the former model did a Facebook Live in which she revealed that while Stewart had been supportive, he was also a bit jealous of her dancing with another man.

"He still got jealous because 'I've lost my wife, she's in the arms of another man. She's spending five to six hours a day with another man,' " Lancaster said.

She and Stewart got married in Italy in 2007 and renewed their vows a decade later

On March 9, 2005, Stewart proposed to Lancaster at the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. "I opened the box and he had bought me the most amazing princess-cut diamond engagement. It was classic and striking. I was stunned, threw my arms around him, and burst into tears," she told The Evening Standard.

Two years later, the couple tied the knot in Italy. They "exchanged vows in the presence of 100 family and friends," according to a statement provided by Stewart's rep. The bride wore a white cocktail dress, while Stewart was in a light blue suit. The newlyweds celebrated their nuptials with dancing and fireworks before they were whisked back to their nearby yacht.

In 2017, Stewart and Lancaster renewed their vows at their 45-acre estate in Essex, England.

"Penny is my whole world. What a girl. Love means many things to many people but to me, it's wanting to share everything with the one you love and I love Penny more now than ever, if that is at all possible. It was a beautifully romantic thing to do. We're not proving anything, just sharing our love with our friends and family," Stewart told Hello! after the ceremony.

Stewart says "intimacy" is the key to his long-lasting marriage

In an interview with PEOPLE in 2021, Stewart recalled chatting about love advice with six women in his band while on a flight.

"On the plane, we were talking about how some of them are broken up and how some of them are thinking of breaking up. I told them, 'Intimacy is the most important thing in a relationship.' Don't take it for granted," the singer recalled. "I'm not talking about sex, but a kiss and a cuddle and a hold," he explained. "Penny and I do that every morning. We hug each other — sometimes in bed, sometimes out of bed, all throughout the day. It's a wonderful relationship. Lucky geezer, aren't I?"

In a 2015 interview with the Mirror, Lancaster explained how she makes her marriage work. "I try and split my time between my eldest child — Rod — and my other two boys," she said with a laugh. "Most men are still needy, especially when you have been in a long relationship before children arrive, and then children do take up a big part of your time and men feel they are left out a bit. So I make a very conscious effort to dedicate time," Lancaster continued, saying that she makes plans for date nights to ensure that she gives her husband attention.

She has two children with Stewart

Lancaster got pregnant with her first child in 2005, just after getting engaged to Stewart. "It will come as no surprise that Penny and I wanted to start a family as soon as possible," the Grammy winner told PEOPLE exclusively. "The best news of all is Penny is feeling just wonderful, is very happy and looks more radiant than ever," he added.

On Nov. 27, 2005, the couple's son Alastair was born at St. John and St. Elizabeth Hospital in London. In 2011, Lancaster and Stewart welcomed another son, Aiden. "Mother and baby are healthy and blissfully happy," a rep for the couple told PEOPLE at the time.

These days, the boys are often featured on Lancaster's Instagram page, including an April 5, 2023, post, which featured her and the boys on a boat in New Zealand. "My boys," the proud mom captioned the shot.

Later that day, she shared a pen drawing of a blue flower on her ankle, done by her Aiden, which she jokingly called a "tattoo."

In addition to two sons with Lancaster, Stewart has six other kids from previous relationships.

She became a police officer in London in 2021

Lancaster joined the police force in London in 2019 as part of the documentary, Famous and Fighting Crime — a show that follows what happens when celebrities go out on patrol.

The former model enjoyed her time on the show so much that she decided to become a police officer. She passed the test in 2021 and has been patrolling the streets of London ever since.

"When you think of policing, you think of the most violent crimes but we're out there to help the most vulnerable. At this particular time, there's a lot of incidents on the bridges and I did help someone who was very desperate on the bridge the other night. It can be rewarding in so many ways," she told Good Morning Britain.

In September 2022, it was announced that Lancaster would be on duty for Queen Elizabeth's state funeral on Sept. 19. After the funeral, she credited "great training and preparation" for helping the historic day go smoothly while speaking with Sky News.

"You can never quite predict how the crowd is [going to] react and the dangers that might lay ahead," Lancaster said. "But we've had great training and preparation, and fortunately, everybody paid their respects in the proper manner and we didn't have any incidents to speak of. So, I'm very grateful for that."

Lancaster was also on duty the day of King Charles' coronation in May 2023.

"I was honoured to have been given the opportunity to serve during this very special day. A very proud moment, I’ll never forget," she wrote on Instagram, alongside an image of the royal carriage passing by her as she stood at attention.

Stewart wrote a song about her

On his album Tears of Hercules, Stewart included a song that he wrote for his wife. However, when Lancaster first heard "I Can't Imagine," she didn't realize that it was about her. "The first time it went around it went right over her head until I said, 'you have to listen to the lyrics, my love.' Then she got it," Stewart told the Press Association, as reported by the Mirror.

Stewart went on to explain that the song conveys that he hopes his third wife is his "final wife." He joked that he "can't afford any more" before adding that Lancaster "is absolutely the most gorgeous woman I have ever had in my life."