Socialite Lauren Cowell has shared a sweet tribute to her fiancé Simon Cowell on his 67th birthday after nearly 15 unpredictable years together.
The 49-year-old mother-of-two took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a series of snaps featuring the business mogul to mark his milestone day.
The photo collection included a picture of the couple kissing, along with a shirtless photo of Simon holding their two dogs.
She also shared family pictures featuring their 12-year-old son Eric and her eldest son Adam, 20, whom she shares with her ex-husband Andrew Silverman.
Writing alongside the images, Lauren dedicated a message to her partner: "Happy Birthday to my love."
"Nearly 15 years together and you still manage to surprise me, make me laugh and keep life anything but predictable (and that might be the understatement of the century)," she wrote.
"Through all of life’s ups, downs and everything in between, there is so much to be grateful for. But nothing makes me happier than watching you and Eric together," she added.
"Here’s to another trip around the sun, more adventures, more laughter, and most importantly, good health, happiness and all the things that really matter," Lauren continued, concluding her message with: "We all love you so much."
Scandal fallout and public backlash
The affectionate birthday message follows recent candid comments from Lauren, who revealed she felt embarrassed and ashamed by her affair with the television executive after struggling to endure fierce public backlash.
The affair began in 2013 while Lauren was still married to real-estate entrepreneur Andrew Silverman. She subsequently became pregnant with her son Eric, born to the Britain's Got Talent judge.
Upon discovering that Lauren was expecting Simon's child, Andrew filed for divorce, citing adultery as the cause for separation.
Lauren has shared that she carried heavy shame from the way her relationship with Simon began and felt defined by the public reaction at the time.
Following years of therapy and a complete lifestyle overhaul, the campaigner refuses to let the fallout of the past scandal define her life.
Her relationship with Simon, a veteran music mogul known for creating global entertainment franchises, has defied expectations, and she confirmed they hope to marry in the future.
Speaking to The Sun's Fabulous Magazine, Lauren, who now uses the surname Cowell, reflected on the intense scrutiny: "I felt ashamed and embarrassed, like I had a scarlet letter on my chest."
"For a long time I struggled a lot with it. I get why people had that opinion of me. I would feel exactly the same way if I was looking in as an outsider," she explained.
"I'm not trying to evade accountability or say that what I did was correct, but I'm human, and it happened. What am I supposed to do for the rest of my life? F**king beat myself up over it? I don't think that's fair," she added.
Expressing empathy for her past actions, she noted: "I feel a lot of compassion for that girl."
"It makes me want to hug my former self. I beat myself up so much and allowed what other people were saying about me to define me," she said.
Rebuilding relationships and Miami family trip
Lauren previously expressed that she is really proud of how she rebuilt her relationship with her former husband Andrew.
The former couple spent a parents weekend together at their son Adam's college campus last month.
Adam is currently in his third year of studies at the University of Miami, a private institution in Florida. Lauren regularly travels from the London home she shares with Simon and Eric to visit her eldest son.
Sharing pictures from her recent trip, Lauren, whose parents and sister reside in Miami, detailed the family gathering.
"Parents Weekend was basically all of my favourite things rolled into one: family dinners, football, beach walks, dolphin sightings, lots of laughter… and yes, a fraternity party," she wrote.
"Definitely not my natural habitat although I always love watching some of the parents fully relive their university days," she remarked.
Highlighting the harmony between her past and present family life, Lauren added: "One of the things I felt especially grateful for was being together with Adam’s dad, his wife and their children. Families evolve in all sorts of ways, and I’m really proud of the relationship we’ve all built and how far we’ve come."
She added that "most of all, I’m so proud of Adam. He’s happy, thriving and becoming such a great young man."
Online safety campaigning and phone habits
As a campaigner advocating for stronger protections for children online, including age-based restrictions on social media for children under 16, Lauren highlighted her son's studying habits.
She expressed pride that her eldest son had bought himself a Brick device for his phone to maintain focus on his academic work.
"He can block distracting apps during the day and focus on studying, which obviously made this online-safety mum very happy," she said.
Concluding her reflections on the trip, she wrote: "Miami will always feel like home to me, and I’m so happy Adam chose it for these university years. A very full heart after a very special weekend."
Barbados origins and past statements
The romance between Lauren and Simon originally sparked rumours while they were on holiday together with her then-husband Andrew in Barbados.
Reflecting on the situation in 2013, Simon addressed the controversial start of their relationship.
"I let down a friend and I feel bad about that. But the good thing is I’m having a baby and never thought I would," the television judge stated at the time.
A year later, in 2014, Andrew discussed the painful fallout of losing his wife to the entertainment executive, calling it a very difficult time in his life while noting that he learned a lot from the experience.
Speaking to the New York Observer, the real-estate developer shared his perspective on being thrust into tabloid headlines.
"I am a regular person, not a tabloid thing. It was a fascinating experience, unexpected and shocking," Andrew told the publication.
"Being in the public spotlight is not something I envy. It’s never been my way. I learned a lot about myself... the importance of family. My focus has been on my son throughout the whole ordeal," he said.
