Heidi Klum Has Worked Hard to Keep Her Kids out of the Public Eye
Updated Dec. 4 2020, 12:24 p.m. ET
Sometimes it’s hard to imagine that supermodels, with all the glitz and glam in their lives, are moms too. But supermodel and former Project Runway host Heidi Klum has a family that she adores.
The 47-year-old American-German model actually has four kids, including three with her ex-husband and “Kissed By a Rose” singer, Seal. One thing that Heidi has succeeded at in addition to her modeling career and infamous Halloween costumes is making sure her children are protected and kept away from the media — until recently. It seems that Heidi’s oldest daughter, Helene (nicknamed Leni), is ready to make her own way in the modeling world.
Heidi Klum has worked to keep her children out of the spotlight.
Although Heidi worked hard to make sure she maintained her kids' privacy despite the fact that they have two celebrity parents, that hasn’t stopped them from trying to express who they are on social media and beyond. Heidi Klum has four kids: her oldest, Helene, with Flavio Briatore (although she was later adopted by Seal), and Henry, Lou, and Johan, all with ex-husband Seal.
“My oldest daughter is 13 and she wants to post her face and I always say, ‘No, you’re not allowed to,'” Heidi told People in July 2017. “Whenever she’s in it, it has to be from the back or [having her face concealed somehow].”
Heidi’s oldest daughter is interested in modeling.
The supermodel appeared on an episode of PEOPLE (the TV show!) to talk about her clothing line, and during the segment, she said that her now 16-year-old daughter Leni enjoys spending time on the set of Germany’s Next Top Model.
“She kind of comes [on set] and looks and learns not just what I do but also what all the different people are doing on a TV set. I think it's very interesting to her,” Heidi said. “When you're that age you're still trying to figure out who you are, what you want to be and kind of see for the first time what are all these different jobs to make a TV show happen. She does want to do what I do.”
Heidi has long tried to protect Leni but has also realized that she is getting older and should be allowed to branch out and try new things. “She's old enough now,” she shared. “I always thought she was too young. We always also decided to keep the children out of the public eye. But she's driving a car now, she's 16, so I figured if you can do that, you can also model now if this is what you wish to do.”
Heidi shares three children with singer Seal.
Henry, born on September 12, 2005, is the first child shared between Heidi and Seal. Though they went on to have two more children during the course of their marriage, things didn’t work out between them and Heidi filed for divorce from Seal in April 2012.
During their marriage, Heidi and Seal also welcomed their second child together, Johan, on November 22, 2006. “My boys are very sexy,” Heidi told People in 2017. “They’re very young and I probably shouldn’t say that, that they’re sexy.” She told People that Henry looks like his “very hot and very handsome” father Seal, including his infamous gap tooth.
The last of Heidi and Seal’s kids, Lou was born on October 9, 2009. During their time in lockdown together, Heidi shared on social media that she and Lou enjoy doing online schooling together.
