Christmas has come early for Natalie and Zafar Rushdie. The couple are thrilled to announce they’re anticipating their second little one – and the information has introduced some much-needed pleasure to their household after a tricky time.
“It looks like a brand new chapter for us,” says Zafar, when HELLO! joins him and jazz singer Natalie for an unique photoshoot and interview at London’s Lanesborough resort.
Including to their pleasure, the couple predict one other lady – just a little sister for his or her three-year-old Rose – and she or he’s on account of arrive subsequent April.
The household’s powerful instances
“It is good to have a optimistic beautiful factor to look ahead to,” Natalie says. “The entire household have skilled turmoil during the last couple of years.”
Certainly, her being pregnant signifies gentle after a darkish interval. In August 2022, Zafar’s father, Booker Prizewinning author Sir Salman Rushdie, was left severely injured by an assault in New York, months after Natalie had change into critically sick with Covid, in addition to sadly dropping her father.
Sir Salman’s response to the infant information
“The entire household is de facto excited to welcome one other child,” says Zafar, 44, the founding father of PR and occasions firm The Inexperienced Room, with a smile.
“[Salman] was so shocked after we instructed him. He stated: ‘That is fantastic information,'” provides Natalie, 37, whose glittering profession has seen her carry out at venues from Wembley Stadium to the Royal Albert Corridor, launch a shifting charity single in honour of her late pal Dame Deborah James and rub shoulders with royalty; she loved a pleasant chat with the Princess of Wales within the royal field at Wimbledon over the summer season.
Their daughter Rose
One other individual delighted by the revelation was Rose, along with her proud mum telling us the “humorous and sassy” little lady is “actually excited that she’s getting a sister”. “She watches Frozen loads so her understanding of what it is prefer to have a sister comes from Princess Elsa and Princess Anna,” she provides.
As along with her being pregnant with Rose, Natalie suffered from unhealthy morning illness within the first 12 weeks, inflicting her to lose 16lb. “We needed to inform Rose fairly early on as she was getting upset as a result of she did not perceive why Mummy was mendacity in mattress and being sick. She began saying: ‘Mummy, I am sick too!'” she says.
Sir Salman the doting grandfather
The couple, who married in a lavish three-day celebration in New York in 2016, waited till Sir Salman was visiting the UK from his house in New York to inform him the excellent news. “My mum died once I was 20, so it is a disgrace that she’s not round,” says Zafar. “I feel he feels a little bit of an additional strain representing each grandparents.”
Sir Salman, 76, has stepped into the position of grandfather admirably, forming an in depth bond with Rose, whose center title honours Zafar’s mom Clarissa Luard. “She does not perceive that he writes books, so she at all times says: ‘Grandpa reads books,'” says Natalie with amusing. “Each time he comes over, she’ll give him a e-book to learn. He reads Princess books to her.”
The novelist’s horrific assault
The acclaimed novelist is doing remarkably properly following the horrific assault, which noticed him go on a ventilator and lose his sight in a single eye, amongst different accidents. “He is doing rather well, all issues thought-about,” Zafar says. “Clearly restoration takes time, however he is nothing if not resilient and we’re all tremendous happy with how he has completed.”
Sir Salman has written his personal account of the ordeal in his upcoming e-book Knife. The e-book’s launch in April will coincide with the delivery of the brand new child and whereas Natalie has a couple of nerves, she is feeling “fairly calm” concerning the scheduled Caesarean: “I had a extremely optimistic delivery with Rose so I am hoping to have one other optimistic expertise.”
Earlier than that, the Rushdies are planning a “relaxed” household Christmas at house and Natalie cannot wait to expertise the festive season via Rose’s eyes. “I at all times assume it is an honour to look at kids develop up,” she says. “Watching the world of a toddler is simply magical; all the pieces is thrilling. I feel we are able to study a lot from them.”
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