WWW.OK.CO.UK 59came on to the pitch after the
last game of this season. They
loved it out there!How do you juggle childcare
between you?
Henri: Most days off I’ll come
back home, because I stay in
Birmingham when I’m playing.
But we get quite a lot of help
from both our parents too.What’s been the hardest part
of parenthood for you both?
Natalie: Finding a balance, so I
can still spend quality time with
Marley. It was a big change for
her. She had me all to herself,
then Henri came along and then
Mila. But Marley is amazing and
has adjusted so well. With Henri
being away, although I have a
great support network, it’s hard
sometimes. Especially because
Marley still goes to school in
London, so I have to drive
her every morning. But we’ve
figured it all out now.
Henri: For me, it’s just being
away. I’m always on FaceTime
and, when I come back, I see how
much Mila’s grown. I did have a
pop at my manager [jokingly],
when I said: ‘Thanks for this trip
away, I missed my daughter’s
first steps!’ Missing them both
growing up can be hard. You and Marley seem to have
a great relationship, Henri...
Yeah, it’s really nice. Because
she’s not my own, it’s a different
kind of bond and love that we
have. We’re like best mates. Does Marley see her dad?
Natalie: Yeah, we’re good
friends. We broke up when
Marley was one and a half, so
now we’re cool. We’re all family.
We still do things like her sports
days together.How did you two meet?
Henri: We met through mutual
friends in Nando’s!
Natalie: That was 11 years ago!
I had just moved to London. He
asked me out there and then
but he was too young for me,
he was 17. I said: ‘Come back in
a few years,’ and he did.
Henri: I actually turned to my
friend at the time and said:
‘I’m going to marry that girl.’ I
played the very long game!How did you get together?
Natalie: We’d see each other
now and then as we lived near
each other. Then we went our
separate ways and it wasn’t until
2016 that we bumped into each
other randomly in Barcelona. It
was fate. He called me the next
day and it went from there.How did you know things
could be serious?
Natalie: Me and Marley went
to Dubai over Valentine’s Day
a month or so later. When we
came back from a day out,
there were two huge bouquets
of roses outside our door.
They said: ’To my girls, Happy
Valentine’s Day, lots of love
Henri.’ Because he sent them to
Marley too, I knew then. h i h f h D M lhdd?‘MARLEYHADMEALL
TOHERSELFTHEN
HENRICAMEALONG
ANDTHENMILA’
WWWOKCOUK 59The summer house
is going to be
Henri’s man cave!Henri has lived in the
house for four years,
while Natalie moved
in two years ago