Thanks to a surrogate mother 56-year-old Grace Hightower De Niro and her Hollywood royalty husband Robert De Niro (68) have a brand new baby girl! Helen Grace weighed 7 lb., 2 oz. at birth, and is the couple’s 2nd child and Robert’s 6th. Grace and Robert’s 14-year-old son is named Eliot.
Robert also has two children with his first wife Diahnne Abbott: Drena De Niro (40), an actress and proder, was Diahnne’s daughter but Robert adopted her in 1976 when she was 5 years old; and son Raphael, an actor-turned-real estate mogul.
Robert then had twin boys Julian Henry and Aaron Kendrik (now 16) who were also born via surrogate with girlfriend Toukie Smith in 1995.
He married Grace Hightower in 1997, ten years after they originally met, but Robert filed for divorce by 1999. They never actually finalized the divorce, and renewed their vows in 2004.
Before the birth of Helen, Robert talked with The Daily Mail about his “fractionalized” family:
“One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in my years as a father is to keep the lines of communication open with my kids. I have five of them, ranging in age from 14 to their 30s, by three mothers, so I guess you could call it a fractionalized family of sorts. But I care deeply about all of them, and I have made a conscious effort to talk to and to listen to them.”
Congratulations to Robert and Grace! This is an extra-special Holiday present!
