Christine Lampard and her husband Frank welcomed children Patricia and Freddie after getting married in 2015, expanding their blended family that includes Frank's daughters Luna and Isla with his ex, Elen Rivas.
While the Loose Women star, 46, now has a close relationship with her teenage stepdaughters, aged 19 and 17 respectively, she admitted that it was "hard" navigating their early introductions and developing their family dynamic.
"It’s hard for all parties, that’s the truth. It can be difficult when there is emotion involved," the Northern Irish presenter said in a candid interview with The Sun.
"You have to navigate everyone’s feelings and not just think about yourself in order to try to make it a happy ship."
© InstagramShe added: "I think the priority is the children – that’s all I ever cared about. I had a very good relationship with them in the role that I was in," referring to her "respectful" role as a stepmother, and not a mother.
Christine and Frank met at the Pride of Britain Awards in 2009, and they dated for over one year before she was introduced to his young children. Recalling the "natural" meeting, she said: "That was thought through, it really was.
© Getty"They were very young at that stage as well. I didn’t have children and I wasn’t desperate for marriage and babies.
"When I first met the girls, it was all done very naturally. I was never ‘Mummy’, as they had a mummy. Then it was just normal."
Christine Lampard: 5 surprising facts
© Shutterstock1. Starting out
Christine started her television career as a runner and worked her way to be a floor manager for BBC Belfast.
2. Second time lucky
Christine was engaged to restaurant owner Christian Stokes in 2004, and then she got engaged to Frank Lampard, whom she married in 2015.
3. Huge net worth
It is estimated that Christine's net worth is around £75 million.
4. Traditional baby name
Rather than choosing a trendy baby name, Christine named her daughter Patricia in 2018 as a nod to Frank's mum, who sadly passed away the year before the couple met.
5. London mansion
Christine lives in a £10 million London mansion with a modern monochrome style with her husband and her two children, Patricia and Freddie, as well as stepdaughters Isla and Luna from Frank's previous relationship with Elena Rivas.
Family dynamics
© WireImage, GettyThis is not the first time Christine has discussed her family relationships behind closed doors. The doting mother previously told Fabulous magazine that the age of her stepdaughters helped with her integration into their family dynamic, but acknowledged that it can be "very difficult" for others.
"It's been a long time. They were only two and four then. Isla always says: 'I can't believe I was even younger than Patricia,'" she said.
"It's all they've ever known, which is probably a really lucky thing. I know for a lot of people it can be very difficult – you've got to be very understanding of where the child's coming from and how they feel about whatever the set-up is."
© InstagramNow they are older, their bond has only solidified. While interviewing Kate Ferdinand, who has a similar experience with her blended family alongside Rio, she confessed that her two young children adore their older half-siblings.
"What do your two little ones think about the big ones in your household? Because I know my two little ones, their big sisters walk in, and it's like god-like female creatures have walked into the house!" she joked.
