It's an extra special, celebratory day for Gwyneth Paltrow and her family.
On Thursday, April 14, the Goop founder's firstborn, daughter Apple Martin, who just graduated from Vanderbilt University last month, rang in her 22nd trip around the sun.
In addition to the birthday girl, a budding model, the Shakespeare in Love actress also shares son Moses, 20, with ex-husband Chris Martin, to whom she was married from 2003 to 2016.
In honor of Apple's special day, Gwyneth took to Instagram and shared a stunning new photo of Apple from her recent Chloe modeling campaign.
The snap, which appears to be a photo of a polaroid, sees Apple looking incredibly bronzed, with voluminous golden hair scattered with flowers blowing in the wind, and she has a signature Chloe gold necklace on.
"Happy Birthday to my ultimate dream girl @applemartin," Gwyneth wrote. "You are the funniest, goofiest, most big hearted, knockout in the [world]. I love you so so so much [heart] mama."
© InstagramFans were then quick to take to the comments section under the post with celebratory messages, with one writing: "LOVE the vintage feel of this photo... she looks straight out of the '70s!" as others followed suit with: "Oh the babies! Wonderful to see them come into their own," and: "Happiest Birthday to your beautiful Apple," as well as: "She is your clone."
Apple has now spent four years living away from home, though Gwyneth, in the time leading up to her departure and the years since, both with Apple and her younger brother Moses, hasn't shied away from admitting how difficult her kids' leaving the family home has been for her. Moses is a rising junior at Brown University, and moreover Gwyneth's stepson Brody, her husband Brad Falchuk's son, is a freshman at Yale University, while his sister Izzy is now graduating from Cornell University.
In 2022, Gwyneth told People after dropping off Apple: "It was horrible. It was truly horrifying," adding: "I was sick to my stomach, bursting into tears." However, she did confess that seeing her enjoying her time in college and adapting well has made it all worth it. "I see her, but not as much as I'd like. I'd like to see her every day, but I'm so happy for her. She's doing great," she said.
© InstagramShe shared a similar sentiment ahead of Moses' departure in 2024, speaking with The Sunday Times. "I've been so defined and so fulfilled by motherhood. I don't even know how to articulate it. It's like the guiding force. It's what I return to," she noted, adding: "I never really go anywhere or do anything because I want to be around my kids while they live at home. You know, it's like, 'Oh, we're doing a girls' weekend here and there,' and I'm like, '[expletive] no, I have 88 days left of Moses living [with me]."
© Getty Images"It's been basically 20 years of me being beholden to a school calendar — so what will that feel like to not have that?" she continued, admitting that the thought of him leaving was very emotional.
"On the one hand, [I feel] incredible sadness. A deep sense of impending grief," she further shared, though relented: "On the other hand, this is exactly what should be happening."
