In football, there’s normally a winning side and a losing side. But when it comes to Manchester City player Kyle Walker, and his mistakes and misdemeanours off the pitch, there are only losers. And no one has borne the brunt of all that defeat more than his long-suffering wife Annie Kilner.
Over the past month, we’ve heard the ever-developing story of Kyle’s betrayal, which reached a new peak last week when the footballer sat down with The Sun to seemingly issue a mea culpa to Annie and their three sons, Roman, 11, Riaan, seven, and five- year-old Reign, after it emerged that he’d fathered a second child with influencer Lauryn Goodman. Admitting that he’d made “idiot choices and idiot decisions”, he apologised to his “soulmate” Annie for all the “pain and hurt” he’d caused, and lamented, “The man that’s meant to love, care and be there for her did this”.
But while he took “full responsibility” for his betrayals, he also painted himself as something of a victim. He claimed he’d slept with Lauryn, 32, in October 2022 while under a lot of pressure, and apparently for only the second time ever, after their first one-night stand produced son Kairo, now three.
He explained, “A lot was going on. It’s not an excuse. I’d ruptured my groin. I had a World Cup to get fighting fit for.” Kyle then described himself as being held over a barrel by Lauryn for over a year, as she threatened to reveal her second pregnancy to his wife, and made more demands of him once their daughter, known as KW, was born in July.
“I went into survival mode,” he said, explaining why he had tried to appease Lauryn, while keeping his second family a secret from his wife.
“I was like, ‘What can I do now, every day, to make sure that I go home to Annie and the boys?’” He also stressed that he and Lauryn had never had a relationship, arguing that they barely knew each other and that the influencer “couldn’t tell you” how he takes his coffee.
But while Kyle, 33 – who stressed he wasn’t paid for the interview – said he was speaking out to “explain myself and enable my wife and children to have the privacy they so desperately need and deserve”, we’re told his efforts to atone didn’t go down so well with his estranged wife.
According to insiders, Annie, who is seven months pregnant with their fourth child, is tired of his excuses, having forgiven him in the past for former infidelities. She’s worked tirelessly to keep the family intact, saying after their last reconciliation in 2020, “My kids want their daddy”. But now, she’s finally coming to terms with life away from her former teenage sweetheart, who she first met when she was 15. And the more that Kyle and Lauryn speak out, the more convinced she is that her marriage is over.
“Annie was already feeling fragile, but Kyle’s interview has made her furious,” says an insider close to the 31 year old, who announced she was taking “time away from Kyle” last month, and has since instructed Coleen Rooney’s Wagatha Christie lawyer, Paul Lunt, though has yet to file for divorce.
“She can’t believe that he put on such a sob story, and she’s so sick of hearing all his excuses. As far as she’s concerned, he’s the one who wrecked the home and caused her and the kids pain. She is barely sleeping, and feels exhausted and low. Kyle is trying to call her non-stop and keeps leaving messages, but she’s not talking to him, apart from things to do with the kids. She feels like she’s seen him for who he really is – no one who loved her would put her and their family through this.”
It’s been a torturous time for the mum of three, ever since Lauryn contacted her just after Christmas and showed her a DNA test to prove Kyle’s paternity of both her children. Annie promptly kicked Kyle out of their family home in Cheshire, and it’s not the first time Annie’s asked him to leave – with the couple separating in the wake of his four-month affair with reality star Laura Brown in 2019.
During this separation, he publicly apologised for being involved in a Covid lockdown party with two sex workers, and he also conceived baby number one with Lauryn – something Annie didn’t find out until after she had taken him back.
Despite everything, Annie and Kyle got married in 2022, with Annie’s primary focus being maintaining stability for her kids, but now we’re told she’s passed the point of no return. And Lauryn’s refusal to stay silent, publicly lashing out again after Kyle’s interview last week, and even posting on Instagram, “Flat white, no sugars please” in response to his claim about his coffee, are apparently fuelling her resolve. Plus, considering his cheating and reports that he allegedly had another affair with a “mystery model” before his wedding, we’re told Annie can’t help but fear more may come out.
“Annie can never forgive or believe him again,” says our source. “She dreads what else may be lurking. There are rumours there may be more girls, so she has to brace herself for that. Her family think he’s a monster for the pain he’s inflicting on her and the kids.”
And while Annie’s been quiet since she announced the separation on social media, her sister Sian lashed out last week. Taking to Instagram, she tagged Lauryn and wrote, “When does your torment end? My sister, who is now seven months pregnant, has faced your cruelty for five years now. What’s your goal? To see how much stress you can put on a pregnant woman? To create a false victim narrative around what you did? You clearly lack empathy, but this level of evil is out of control and harms everyone – especially the children.”
As for Kyle’s coffee order, she jibed, “Also, he has one sugar, Nestle Coffee Mate and semi-skimmed milk. But that’s the coffee you get at home… Not the ones in hotels or Air B&Bs”. Then, posting a photo of her and Annie, she wrote the caption, “A queen doesn’t let her crown slip”, apparently supporting her sister’s resolve to cut her losses and move on for good.