Elizabeth Hurley has been in several high-profile relationships over the years, but the most important man in her life is her son, Damian.
The Austin Powers actress gave birth to her only child in 2002 following her split from ex Steve Bing. Though the businessman — whom Hurley dated for 18 months in the early 2000s — initially denied that he was the father of her child, a DNA test later confirmed Bing’s paternity.
That same year, Hurley named her ex-boyfriend Hugh Grant as one of Damian’s many godfathers. She also began dating Arun Nayar in 2002, and the pair went on to tie the knot in two separate wedding ceremonies — one in an English castle and the other at a palace in Jodhpur, India.
After three years of marriage, the Royals alum revealed that she and Nayar had called it quits. “Not a great day. For the record, my husband Arun and I separated a few months ago,” she tweeted in December 2010, adding, “Our close family & friends were aware of this.” Their divorce was finalized one year later.
Despite their split, Nayar stayed close with his former stepson, supporting him at his college graduation in July 2022. “Mama and Daddyo at graduation with mee❤️,” Damian captioned a sweet family photo of himself posing with Hurley and the entrepreneur.
The Serving Sara actress moved on with Australian athlete Shane Warne and the two got engaged in October 2011 before splitting in 2013.
Tragedy struck the family in June 2020 when Bing died by suicide in Los Angeles. “I am saddened beyond belief that my ex Steve is no longer with us. It is a terrible end,” Hurley wrote via Instagram at the time. “Our time together was very happy and I’m posting these pictures because although we went through some tough times, it’s the good, wonderful memories of a sweet, kind man that matter.”
Damian, for his part, thanked fans for their support in an Instagram post of his own: “I’m trying to reply to as many of you as I can, but please know I will always remember your kindness. This is a very strange and confusing time and I’m immensely grateful to be surrounded by my phenomenal family and friends.”
Later that year, Hurley got candid about her struggles balancing her work life and role as a mother. “It’s ludicrously hard to try and do,” the Gossip Girl alum exclusively told Us. “We all try. We all succeed in places, and we often feel like we failed in places.”
She went on to note that upon giving birth to her son, she vowed to put him “above work, above a social life, above anything,” adding, “He was going to be my No. 1, which has been and remains so. When you’ve got a clear vision ahead, you’ll do whatever you can to try to make that happen.”
Damian has since followed in his mother’s entertainment footsteps, appearing alongside Hurley in several episodes of The Royals and launching a modeling career. He’s also dabbled in directing, as Hurley starred in his 2022 short film, The Boy on the Beach. In June 2023, it was revealed that the Bedazzled actress would take on a sexier role in his second film, Strictly Confidential.
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Scroll below to see Hurley’s sweetest moments with her son:
