German model Heidi Klum split with Italian billionaire Flavio Briatore while she was pregnant with his child.
By the time she gave birth to her daughter Leni, she was dating pop star Seal, who later became Leni’s adoptive father.
When Briatore, now 73, was asked about his relationship with Leni seven years ago, he told an Italian newspaper: “It’s hard to miss a baby that you never see.”
Now, however, he seems keen to make up for lost time as Leni, 19, enjoyed a holiday with Flavio on board his yacht in Monaco.
The pair were accompanied by her half-brother Nathan Falco Briatore, 13, from Flavio’s marriage to actress Elisabetta Gregoraci.
Family: Heidi Klum split with Italian billionaire Flavio Briatore while pregnant with his child – now he seems keen to make up for lost time with 19-year-old Leni
Siblings: The couple was joined by her half-brother Nathan Falco Briatore, 13, from Flavio’s marriage to actress Elisabetta Gregoraci
The father and daughter have been photographed looking up close as they chatted and laughed together, but their relationship wasn’t always so solid.
Heidi and Italian Formula 1 manager Flavio first made their relationship public in March 2003.
The German-American model announced her pregnancy several months later in December 2003, but while she was pregnant, the couple went their separate ways.
While still pregnant, Heidi began dating musician Seal and subsequently welcomed her daughter Leni in New York in May 2004.
Flavio later recounted how in the early years of Leni’s life he lived in London while Heidi was in Los Angeles, describing the distance as “unbridgeable.”
Leni was officially adopted by Seal when she was five years old, and she changed her name to Helene Samuel – the singer’s surname.
She now goes by her mother’s surname and is known as Leni Olumi Klum in her professional modeling life and on her Instagram page.
Sweet: The father and daughter were photographed looking up close as they talked and laughed together, but their relationship hasn’t always been so solid
Flavio talked about how they all “calmly” agreed that it made sense for Seal to adopt Leni so she could “grow up in a family.”
“All three of us calmly agreed that it made the most sense for him to adopt her, because a child has to grow up in a family,” Flavio told the Italian newspaper. Corriere della Sera in 2016.
Heidi and Seal went their separate ways in 2012 and their divorce was finalized two years later.
The couple have three children – Lou, 12, Henry, 16, and Johan, 14 – and Seal has maintained a very close relationship with Leni since their divorce.
Twelve years after Heidi gave birth to Leni, Flavio said he “never” sees his daughter and said it makes it “hard” to miss her.
Former Renault F1 team manager Flavio, who has a son Nathan with his ex-wife Elisabetta Gregoraci, added: ‘Heidi, Seal and I have built a great relationship.
“It’s hard to miss a baby that you never see.” But I know Leni is not an abandoned child. Leni is part of Seal’s family and Nathan is part of me.’
He went on to explain that he talked to his daughter on the phone for two hours every day, but that was “not enough.”
‘Leni was born when Heidi and I had already separated. Heidi lived in Los Angeles and I was in London, the distance between us was unbridgeable,” he said.
‘We used to talk on the phone for two hours a day, but that wasn’t enough. She had to stay with her mother.’
While Flavio lived in London, Leni grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from Pacifica Christian High School in 2022.
She reunited with her biological father in August 2018, with it being claimed at the time that they met in Italy in late July that year.
TMZ published photos of the father and daughter spending time together at the Cala di Volpe hotel in Porto Cervo after years.
Heidi and her three other children were also reportedly present, and Leni and Flavio were seen hugging as they appeared to rebuild their relationship.
Little has been known about their relationship in recent years as they keep things relatively private, but they have been spotted together a number of times recently.
Exes: While still pregnant, Heidi started dating musician Seal and welcomed her daughter Leni in May 2004 (pictured in January 2010). They went their separate ways in 2012
Very close: Flavio shared how they all ‘calmly’ agreed that it made sense for Seal to adopt Leni so she could ‘grow up in a family’ (pictured at the 2022 US Open in New York City)
In recent weeks, Leni has been enjoying a sun-drenched holiday on her billionaire father Flavio’s luxury yacht with her boyfriend Aris Rachevsky.
She was seen spending quality time with her father as they traveled around Italy and France on the lavish ship.
The pair were photographed up close as they chatted and spent quality time together during a beach trip in Italy earlier this week.
The father and daughter appear to have rebuilt their relationship after years of absence and estrangement, and now appear to be close.