Thanks to starring roles in rom-coms like Notting Hill, Nine Months, and Four Weddings and a Funeral, Hugh Grant has been the object of public affection for many fans since the late 1980s.
The actor has famously been in a few high-profile relationships during his time in the spotlight, including his 13-year relationship with actress Elizabeth Hurley, but often chooses to remain tight-lipped about his personal life.
Given that he seemed to be anti-marriage throughout most of his career, the actor surprised fans when he tied the knot in 2018, marrying his girlfriend and the wife of three of his children, Anna Eberstein.
Born in Sweden, Eberstein is the co-founder of Scandinavian sock company Ace Slippers, which is based in Grant’s hometown of London.
Formerly a producer for ESPN, Eberstein and Grant met sometime before 2012, when they welcomed their first child John Mungo.
But how did the two meet? Keep reading to find out.
The History Of Hugh Grant’s Love Life
Having been the star of several rom-coms over the ‘90s and early 2000s, Hugh Grant has traditionally experienced global interest in his love life.
The actor was typecast as the bumbling English gentleman early on in his career, enticing audiences around the world to fall in love with him. Yet, Grant tends to keep his love life as private as possible, saying he's nothing like his on-screen personas.
Perhaps his most famous relationship is the one he shared with Elizabeth Hurley. The two A-listers met in 1987 and were together until 2000. The two remained close friends and Grant even became godfather to Hurley’s son Damian, who was born in 2002.
Grant began dating Jemima Khan, the ex-wife of cricketer Imran Khan, in 2004. The two were together until 2007 when they called it quits.
In 2011, Grant welcomed his first child, Tabitha, with Tinglan Hong, a Chinese restaurant receptionist with whom he had reportedly had a fleeting love affair.
How Hugh Grant Felt About Marriage Before He Met Anna Eberstein
Over the years, Grant has commented on the idea of marriage. For a while, he seemed to be in the anti-marriage camp. In 2012, he told the Irish Independent that he’s “not a massive believer in marriage.”
In 2016, he told Howard Stern that he believed the secret to a happy marriage was an open marriage: “Do I think human beings are meant to be in 40-year-long monogamous, faithful relationships ... No," the actor admitted (via Mamamia).
"Whoever said they were? Only the Bible or something. No one's ever said that that's a good idea."
Grant then added, “I think there’s something unromantic about marriage. You’re closing yourself off.”
Where Did Hugh Grant And Anna Eberstein Meet?
Things seemed to change for Hugh Grant when he met his current wife, Anna Eberstein. According to the Mirror, the actor met the Swedish TV executive at a party in London.
The source reports that she pitched him a film idea and the two hit it off.
Soon after, the two went on several dates, and Grant was said to be smitten with the former producer for ESPN. The Mirror also reveals that, at the time, Grant made it clear he did not want to settle down with one woman.
Hugh Grant And Anna Eberstein Became Parents In 2012
The actual date that Hugh Grant and Anna Eberstein met isn’t known.
But Bustle reports that they welcomed their first child, John Mungo, in September 2012, a year after Grant welcomed his daughter Tabitha.
Fast-forward to December 2015, and Grant and Eberstein became parents for a second time, welcoming another child.
Their Private 2018 Wedding
Both Grant and Eberstein choose to keep their relationship out of the public eye, but it was confirmed that the two tied the knot in 2018. Very few details are known about their wedding ceremony.
The Telegraph reports that the couple wed at the Chelsea registry office with just their close family members in attendance.
What Hugh Grant Has Said About Marriage Since
Since getting married, Grant has spoken out about married life, revealing on the Today Show that marriage is “really nice.”
“I can’t pretend it isn’t, I should have done it before,” he told the hosts of the show. “I'm just lucky. I've got a great wife. I love her."
Then talking to USA Today, the About a Boy actor revealed, “'My wife agrees with me that marriage is a pretty preposterous social construct, but when you've got three children, it's a nice thing to do, adding, “I didn't like going through immigration into countries where they'd say, 'Everyone with a Grant passport, over here, and all the others through there.' She went through with the nannies. That seemed all wrong.”
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