Lionel Richie was a heart throb in the height of his fame, with the crooner marrying twice before settling with his new found love.
Lionel Richie ‘s music has been an aphrodisiac for many couples over his long-running career.
From his days in The Commodores to his life as a solo artist, the crooner, 73, has been awash with hits for the lovers, such as Penny Love, Say You Say Me, All Night Long and Still.
His global appeal has allowed fans across the world to enjoy the sweet sound of his voice and make certain songs their “chosen relationship tune”.
On Sunday evening he is set to take to the stage for the Coronation Concert for King Charles III as viewers from around the world, and the 20,000 in attendance, get to dance – not on the ceiling unfortunately – to his biggest and best hits from over the years
King Charles III with Lionel Richie and Lisa Parigi ( Image: PA)
It’s set to be an experience to remember for the American Idol judge as he serenades the new King and Queen.
However, over the years, he has had a number of times to forget, including two failed marriages. Thankfully, he now appears to have sailed on and found his endless love.
Here, we take a look inside the dad-of-three’s romantic past, of which he has previously said there have been many “ups and downs”.
Lionel Richie with first wife Brenda Harvey ( Image: Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Lionel’s first marriage was to Brenda Harvey. The couple tied the knot in 1975 and were together for 18 years before a messy divorce in 1993.
The pair were college sweethearts and spent many happy years together, but all that changed duo to Lionel’s unfaithful ways.
In happier times, they adopted Nicole Richie when the tot was nine years old. Speaking about her adoption, Lionel told Piers Morgan in 2015 how her parents were “having difficulties” with their relationship.
“So it took about maybe a year for me to just fall in love, and she was a little button, and of course, by that time I was Dad,” the singer told the former GMB man.
“So I said, ‘Okay, here is what we are going to do: You’re going to make everyone wish that they had adopted you. You are going to make everyone in your family wish they actually had a chance to get you back,’ and that’s when I said, ‘Let’s adopt her.”
Later, it’s said the singer started a relationship with Diane Alexander in 1986 while he was still married.
In 1988 the couple are said to have parted ways and Brenda allegedly discovered her husband and Diane together in a Beverly Hills hotel room after claiming she saying she was “room service.”
The hitmaker from Tuskegee in Alabama continued his relationship with Diane, who had previously appeared in his Dancing on the Ceiling video, and eventually made her his second wife in 1995, two years after his divorce to Brenda was finalised.
Nine years later, however the pair’s time came to an end and divorce was once again on the cards due to “irreconcilable differences”.
During Lionel and Diane’s marriage, they had two kids together: daughter Sofia and son Miles Richie, who was born in 1994 before his parents were legally wed.
Lisa Parigi
Lionel is now happily in love once more with a Swiss native named Lisa Parigi, who is 40 years his junior.
The pair were first introduced by mutual friends and it’s thought they’ve been together since 2014. Lionel often gushes over his belle on social media and labelled her “extremely beautiful in a 2019 chat with PEOPLE.
Lisa Parigi and Lionel Richie have been together almost a decade ( Image: Variety via Getty Images)
He praised her for “helping me deal with my crazy world” and the duo are often spotted on the red carpet of glitzy bashes together.
While the age gap has raised eyebrows from some corners, it’s said that those closest to the singer are very happy with the pairing.
In fact, the duo often share snaps of them with his kids and Lisa uploaded a number of sweet images from his daughter Sofia’s wedding.
She captioned one upload: “We are celebrating – To a lifetime of love and happiness,” to which Sofia responded: “STUNNING ! I love you.”
It remains to be seen whether Lisa will be by Lionel’s side at the Coronation event.
Source: Mirror
