Naomi Campbell, 50, is ‘honoured and humbled’ after becoming a mother

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Naomi Campbell has broken her silence on motherhood after announcing she had welcomed a baby girl Tuesday. 

Shortly after sharing a picture of her baby’s feet, the 50-year-old supermodel told fans she was ‘honoured and humbled’, amid claims she’s set to raise her daughter with her ‘secret American boyfriend’.

The model is said to have welcomed her baby via a surrogate, with unearthed pictures of the star taken three weeks before her baby’s arrival showing her out in New York City – where she now lives. 

Naomi spoke about motherhood as she interviewed fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, 74, on her YouTube show No Filter with Naomi.  

Interacting with fans as her YouTube recording aired, Naomi wrote on the live stream chat: ‘Hello my darlings, thank you so much for the pre birthday wishes… and for my new chapter as a mother I’m honoured and humbled.’

The fashion icon was inundated with well wishes from fans in the comment section of the video, which she also shared on Instagram. 

In the interview itself, Naomi told how she used lockdown as a period of ‘reflection’ and agreed with close friend Diane when she said the pandemic had given us the opportunity to ‘think about what matters most.’ 

The British supermodel is living in New York and is understood to have a new boyfriend with whom she will raise the child.

Friends yesterday told Daily Mail that they believe Naomi – who never knew her father and was raised largely by her grandmother – used a surrogate. 

Sources close to the model added to The Sun that Naomi is in a ‘wonderful place’ and how it finally felt like the ‘perfect time’ to become a parent. 

The insider said: ‘Naomi has really mellowed in the past year and is in a wonderful place in life.

‘She has been living in America with her boyfriend and is really happy. It finally felt like the ­perfect time to become a mother and she is over the moon.

‘The first lockdown allowed her to stop and take stock of the important things and she decided now was the time to properly look into starting a family.’

Naomi reportedly recently told her team that she wants to quit working over weekends, just weeks before making her baby announcement. 

Naomi kept her baby news a secret from the public, but a handful of friends, family and fashion insiders were in the know. 

The Vogue cover girl was pictured going about her daily business in New York while clad in a tracksuit on April 22 – her last official sighting before becoming a mother.

Just two days prior the model had made headlines when she walked in the Michael Kors runway show for Fashion Week, with audience members none the wiser that she was set to become a parent just weeks later. 

Naomi announced the news on Instagram on Tuesday as she shared a picture of her newborn’s feet alongside the caption: ‘A beautiful little blessing has chosen me to be her mother.

‘So honoured to have this gentle soul in my life there are no words to describe the lifelong bond that I now share with you, my angel. There is no greater love.’

Congratulations poured in from friends including British Vogue editor Edward Enninful and fashion designer Marc Jacobs, who wrote: ‘How lucky she is and how lucky you are! What a wonderful mother you will be.’

Naomi’s best model pal Kate Moss also shared her well wishes, posting: ‘Congratulations mama @naomi’. 

Naomi’s mother, Valerie Morris-Campbell, who was 19 when she gave birth to the model, wrote: ‘Congratulations to my daughter Naomi on the birth of her daughter, I’m beyond thrilled as I’ve waited a long time to be grandmother.’

The model has more than a dozen godchildren, to whom she is close.

One is the son of Kweku Mandela, Nelson Mandela’s grandson.  In March last year, she shared pictures of herself bottle feeding him and taking him for a walk in New York. 

She was devastated by the drug-related death of her godson Harry Brant in January – he was the son of model Stephanie Seymour. A friend said: ‘I know that she was very deeply in grief for him earlier this year.’

She also calls other youngsters whom she mentors her ‘children’, referring to them as her ‘chosen family’. 

They include actress Ryan Destiny, whom she calls her daughter, and model Adut Akech, who calls her ‘Mama’.

In 2019, she posted a picture of herself cradling a newborn at an orphanage in Lagos and her publicists had to explain that she had not adopted the infant. 

Naomi has undertaken charitable work in orphanages for more than a decade and was very keen to have children with her long-term boyfriend, Russian businessman Vladislav Doronin, whom she dated from 2008 to 2013, but Doronin was married. 

A friend said: ‘She was devastated not to have a baby with Doronin and he was her great love, but he didn’t want to commit, so in a way this is no surprise.

‘She has talked a lot about having children, and feeling very maternal, but did say that it just was not going to happen for her.’ 

The friend added: ‘She has always been very maternal and always cries when she visits orphanages. She has close ties to one in Kenya, where they called a baby Naomi after her. 

‘But she said at the time, ‘I will be in this child’s life for ever but I am not going to adopt her’.

‘She is a religious person and always said that it wasn’t God’s will for her and that she accepted that a baby was not in her path. Obviously she has changed her mind.’  

Naomi was last in a relationship with rapper Skepta in 2018 but enjoyed a fling with Liam Payne the following year. 

She has also enjoyed high-profile relationships with the likes of Diddy, Robert De Niro, Mike Tyson and Russian billionaire Vladislav Doronin over the years.

Although she is notoriously private about her love life, Naomi has previously stated she is ‘on good terms’ with her exes and is not believed to be dating anyone new at present. 

Naomi hinted at the joy to come in an interview with i-D magazine this spring. 

She said: ‘2021 is going to be a great year, we’ve just got a few more bumps to get through first. I believe that this is going to be an amazing year. 

‘Actually, I don’t just believe it will be – I feel it will be.’ 

In 2017 she told ES magazine: ‘I think about having children all the time. But now with the way science is I think I can do it when I want.’

Asked if she would have the child herself rather than adopt, she replied, ‘Maybe’, but she went on to add: ‘I do want a father figure. I think it’s important.’

In 2018, she said: ‘I’d love to have kids. I don’t discount anything in life. I love kids and always will.

‘When I’m around children, I become a child myself. That’s the little girl I don’t ever want to lose.’ 

Naomi wept as she told Oprah Winfrey in a 2010 television interview that she had felt ‘abandoned’ by her mother, who worked as a dancer when she was a child.

Her mother apologised to her, saying: ‘I just wanted to give her the best life. I wanted the best for her as she is my princess. I do feel that I abandoned her.’

They are good friends now and Miss Campbell says she has found peace at last after drug addiction and convictions for assault.

She was accused of beating her assistant Georgina Galanis in a fit of rage while they were in Toronto to shoot the film Prisoner Of Love in 1998.

A Canadian judge discharged her without a criminal record for the offence, saying she had ‘learned her lesson and demonstrated her remorse’.

She went to rehab in 1999 and later explained: ‘I took on my s*** and learned from it. I try to move on, but there are certain times when people try to use your past to blackmail you, to benefit them. That s*** I’m not going to allow.’

Another personal assistant, Vanessa Frisbee, came forward in 2000, accusing Miss Campbell of assault, saying she was attacked during an argument. It never came to court.

In 2006, housekeeper Ana Scolavino needed four stitches after being hit in the head by a BlackBerry phone. 

Naomi pleaded guilty to assault and was ordered to complete community service and anger management classes.

In 2008, she was ejected from a BA flight following a dispute over baggage.

She pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer, disorderly conduct and using threatening words or behaviour.

A dalliance with Leonard DiCaprio, four years with Flavio Briatore and THAT Liam Payne fling… a look back at Naomi Campbell’s torrid love life as she surprises fans with news she’s a mother 

Naomi Campbell has surprised her fans with the news that she’s become a mother.

The model, 50, who shared a snap of the newborn on Monday, has had her fair share of famous suitors ranging from Hollywood stars to oil tycoons and even a couple of hitmakers.

So as fans mull over the news that Naomi has welcomed her baby despite being thought to be single, here’s a look-back at her colourful and illustrious romantic history. 

2019: Liam Payne 

Naomi was linked to One Direction star Liam Payne, 23 years her junior, following her break-up from Skepta and his break-up from Cheryl. 

They are said to have enjoyed a few dates but it was ultimately short-lived.

It began with a seemingly harmless flirtation on Instagram, liking and commenting on one another’s steamy posts. 

Liam described her as ‘perfection in a person’, with her branding him ‘a beautiful soul’. They were then spotted at the concert of musician Davido at The O2 in London.

There were reports about Liam bragging about the couple’s ‘mind-blowing’ sex, but when Naomi was asked outright about the tryst on The Jonathan Ross Show she said the rumours were ‘humorous’. Any romance appeared to end shortly after this.  

2018: Skepta

Their raunchy cover of GQ magazine, in only their underwear, sent fans wild. 

But rapper Skepta and Naomi’s tryst appeared to be done and dusted before too long.

Of the shoot, Naomi said afterwards: ‘We basically did that shoot on our own, it wasn’t for any publication, and once I saw the pictures I was like “no, no, no we should come out…”

‘And so then I started making some calls. It wasn’t like I was going to wait months for it to come out – it’s either got to come out in the next few or it ain’t coming out at all.’ 

Come out indeed it did, with the duo taking part in a joint interview at the time, playing coy about any romance. To this day it’s still unclear, but Skepta seemingly mentioned Naomi on one of his tracks in 2020. They are thought to still be close. 

2017: Louis C. Camilleri

It was claimed in 2017 that Naomi was dating Egyptian multimillionaire Louis C. Camilleri, who was 66 at the time.

The supermodel was said to be enjoying a string of London dinners with the businessman, who was worth over £150 million.

Naomi reportedly met Louis through their shared love of Formula One as they frequented the same races and are said to have met and bonded at the events.

2016: Hassan Jameel

In July 2016, Naomi was pictured looking cosy with billionaire businessman Hassan Jameel when they attended the British Summer Time Festival together in London – although their romance was never confirmed.

In 2017, it was claimed that the supermodel had fallen out with singer Rihanna after she was spotted putting on a steamy display with Hassan, 32, in Ibiza.

The Sun reported at the time that Naomi was disgruntled that the singer and Hassan, who split in early 2020, had fallen so hard – as she hates feeling ‘second best’. 

2009-2013: Vladislav Doronin 

Thought to be her longest relationship, Naomi dated Russian billionaire Vladislav Doronin for five years.

They enjoyed lavish trips to the topics together and appeared to have a solid romance, but it ended in 2013. 

2008: Marcus Elias

This dalliance was brief, but Naomi and Brazilian equity magnate Marcus Elias were said to be engaged at one point.

Their relationship both began and ended in 2008, however. 

2007: Gerard Butler

Naomi and the Scots action star were rumoured to be an item in 2007 when they were seen hanging out together on multiple occasions.

Seemingly a friendly ex to many, Naomi has since been seen socialising with him at events, despite their alleged romance fizzling out.

2005-2006: Badr Jafar 

Naomi and oil heir Badr Jafar were reportedly a couple for 10 months.

Apparently, for Naomi’s 35th birthday, he hired out eight floors of the Burj al Arab hotel in Dubai to throw her a £1 million party. He himself has an estimated worth of £2 billion.

2002: P Diddy 

It’s still unclear how romantic Naomi and music star P Diddy were, but they were linked in 2002.

Since, they have been very close friends and are thought to consider one another more as siblings. 

1998-2002: Flavio Briatore

Flavio Briatore – the boss of Benetton – was with Naomi from 1998 until they parted ways in 2002.

The Italian – who is 21 years Naomi’s senior and worth £258 million – famously said after their split: ‘She’s great but better as a friend than a girlfriend!’

Naomi later told Marie Claire: ‘I’m not going to be a trophy. If you expect me to be in the kitchen cooking breakfast in high heels, looking as though I just stepped out of a fashion magazine, it’s not going to happen.’

1995: Leonardo DiCaprio 

Known for a revolving door of romances, a penchant for models and being seemingly disinterested in settling down, Leonardo DiCaprio was perhaps a kindred spirit for Naomi when they were linked in 1995. 

The couple’s dalliance was fleeting, however. They appeared to have remained pally ever since, seen chatting at events on many an occasion since. 

While she has never been married, Naomi was previously engaged to U2 bass player Adam Clayton after getting together in 1993 and despite their split in 1994, the stunner has always spoken fondly of the musician.  

In a 2015 interview with the Irish Independent, she mused: ‘I’m friends with the whole [of U2]. The whole band were great. Their kids are all grown up.

‘It’s nice to know people for so long and still have a relationship… I only have very positive things to say about him. I am very proud of Adam.’ 

In the early 90s, Naomi was also briefly linked to Hollywood star Robert De Niro.

But, addressing her dating life at the time, she told WSJ: ‘For me, privacy is important to know each other, and I always worry that my job will not allow that.

‘But I have ways. I was taught that by Robert De Niro. Being alone doesn’t mean you are lonely. I don’t have time to be bored, and I don’t have time to be lonely.’

Last year, in an interview with Times Weekend magazine, Naomi said she is on good terms with all her previous ex-boyfriends, but admitted she isn’t friends with her ‘last’ ex.

Discussing who she has dated, she said: ‘Why don’t you say it the other way round? Surely it was their privilege just as much as mine to be with them? But yes, I had some wild and exciting times until I changed my life aged 29.

‘Whatever they say about me, I have remained friends with all my exes… except the last one.’

Asked if she means Skepta, she simply said: ‘A lady never discusses the details of her private life.’