It’s official – Kate and Rio Ferdinand have relocated to Dubai, the place where their love story began almost 10 years ago.
But while Kate has told fans she’s embracing ‘a new chapter’ and ‘a fresh start’, insiders tell heat that behind the scenes, the former reality star feels guilty about leaving her husband’s two eldest children – Lorenz, 19, and Tate, 17 – back in the UK.
‘She knows moving is a great opportunity and thinks the other three kids will thrive out there, but there’s part of her that doesn’t feel comfortable leaving Lorenz and Tate behind,’ our source reveals. ‘Rio isn’t as emotional, but Kate has been in tears about it. She doesn’t want the boys to resent them leaving.’
In April, heat reported that the couple – who have kids Cree, four, and Shae, two, together, as well as Tate, Lorenz, and Tia, 14, Rio’s children with late wife Rebecca Ellison, who died of cancer in 2015 – were eyeing up properties and schools in the Middle East. ‘Lorenz has moved out, Tate is doing his exams, and the younger kids aren’t too settled, so they feel it’s time to try life in the sun,’ said a source.
Sources say the star is heartbroken after their move to Dubai split up the family at the time. And former Manchester United footballer Rio, 46, could also see the financial benefits. ‘Rio has a lot of business opportunities in the Middle East, and he can appreciate how lucrative it could be for them,’ the source added.
Since then, Lorenz has signed his first professional contract with Premier League club Brighton – where younger brother Tate plays for the Under 18s team – and the dream of living abroad has become a reality for the couple. ‘Moving was all Rio’s idea, as Kate was quite happy in Kent and going to their holiday home in Portugal, as well as visiting the Maldives and Dubai. But Rio was fed up in the UK. He felt he’d hit a wall with his career,’ says our insider.
Now, despite her guilt at the family split, Kate is determined to make the most of the situation. Last week, the former TOWIE star, 34, shared a peek into their new life in the sunny Gulf state on Instagram. In one photo, Kate and Rio – who met on holiday in Dubai in 2016, after being introduced out there by mutual friends – were looking at the famous Burj Khalifa building with their three youngest children, while other snaps show the family enjoying time around the pool and the interior of their new home. Kate captioned the post, ‘A new chapter, a fresh start, because if we don’t try, we’ll never know.’
The Blended podcast host was then inundated with support, as fellow TOWIE alumni Georgia Kousoulou wrote, ‘So so excited for you all’, while Love Islander Laura Anderson said, ‘The best decision you’ll ever make. I’m very jealous, I miss it so much.’ Kate added that the couple had ‘talked about this for so long’ but was ‘missing some of our specials already’.
Kate has also told Rio there always needs to be a home for his eldest boys in Dubai. ‘Rio has said Lorenz and Tate are young men and need to find a way for themselves in the world. They both want to be successful footballers and have a life in the UK,’ says our source. ‘But Lorenz has just signed with Brighton, and it will be hard for him not to have his dad and stepmum watching every game.’
And there’s no doubt Kate will be supporting her stepsons from afar. Last week, she posted a sweet tribute to Tate on GCSE results day, saying, ‘Super proud today and every day, well done for putting in that work. Always knew you could. Love you loads.’
Our insider adds, ‘On the surface of it, Dubai is very much Kate’s place – she likes looking good, spending lots of money on things, and loves the warm weather. But she would like to split their time more between there and the UK, while Rio has made his mind up and wants a fresh start. Kate has made it clear they must have a house big enough for all seven of them in case Lorenz and Tate want to move in with them later on.’