Ben Fogle shares glimpses into his home life with his wife Marina, but on Sunday, the New Lives in the Wild star shared a moving social media message after a challenging week. The TV presenter shared that his family marked the anniversary of the loss of their son, who was sadly stillborn in 2014. "I always find this a tough week. It’s the anniversary of the loss of our little son Willem. But I try not to be sad for what we have lost but grateful for what we have," Ben wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of stars in a night sky.
"For me, it's a day of reflection. I choose to bask in the brightness of what we have rather than drown in the sorrow of what is lost. My family is so very privileged in love, and if there is one thing our loss has given me, it’s perspective," he continued. "Perspective to be thankful for each other and the friends and family we have.
"Perspective to be compassionate and thoughtful to others. But most of all perspective on the beauty and fragility of life. Loss is the one commonality that binds us all together. In a divided world, Loss transcends gender, colour, race, colour, nationality, wealth and politics," he continued. "Physical and emotional pain is a commonality among us all. Cut us and we all bleed the same blood. Pierce our hearts and we all cry the same salty tears."
He went on to mention "heroes and heroines of grief", those who are navigating bereveament every day, before sending a heartfelt plea: "Remember there is so much more that bonds us than divides us. Choose kindness and compassion.Try to smile and to always look up." He concluded: "Happy 11th Birthday little lad. Love and peace to you little Willem," before mentioning how "honoured" he and his wife feel to have worked with the baby loss charity Tommys and also Child Bereavement UK to share their story.
Who are Ben Fogle's children?
Ben and his wife Marina, whom he wed in 2006, also share two children, a son named Ludovico, born in 2009, and a daughter named Iona, born in 2011. Though the adventurer and his wife have raised their children at their home in Oxfordshire, Ben opened up earlier this year after experiencing 'empty nest syndrome' for the first time. Marina told The Times: "For the first time in nearly 15 years, I won't have any children at home during the week.
"My 13-year-old daughter has now joined her brother at a weekly boarding school," she added. Ludo and Iona will come home for school breaks such as the summer holidays. It is also likely that they will make their way home for 'exeat weekends', a period when children who attend boarding school are permitted to leave the school premises to spend time with their families.
Where does Ben Fogle live?
The family of five lives in what Ben has called an "old flint cottage" in Oxfordshire. "It is in a rural setting surrounded by woodland, fields, and nature," the father-of-two told The Metro in 2023. Their sprawling estate not only features their family home, but sits on 1.3 acres of land offering a tennis court, a swimming pool, and a pond.