Neil Patrick Harris showed off his sculpted abs during a family day at sea on board musician Elton John's yacht in the South of France. The 53-year-old How I Met Your Mother star spent the sunny day with his husband David Burtka, 51, and their children during the last month of summer before school restarts.
Harris, who has been stepping up his gym routine, rinsed himself off in the ship's outdoor shower. The shirtless actor basked in the cool water and sea air before drying off.
Once dry, Harris explored the boat wearing swimming trunks, sunglasses, and a necklace. He also enjoyed a cool beer while relaxing at sea.
Burtka chose orange swimming trunks and a coordinating top for the outing. The couple bonded beneath the sunshine with their children and chatted with host David Furnish, the husband of Elton John.
John and Furnish's children joined the Harris-Burtka family on the boat hang. The group enjoyed swimming, with the couple cheering on their children in the water, sharing a sweet, loving moment on the yacht, and Harris exploring the high seas by jet ski.
Friendship and Surrogacy
Harris and Burtka have been friends with John and Furnish for over a decade, a connection forged in part by their children. Harris previously recalled on The Howard Stern Show that the two couples bonded after learning they were both about to become fathers.
Over dinner at Nobu in Greece, Harris and Burtka confided in Furnish that they were expecting twins through surrogacy. Harris recalled that Furnish blanched, looked at them, and said, "I have something to tell you that no one - literally like four people know - we're expecting a boy on Christmas Eve."
Harris said they bonded over the fact that they were going to be dads together. The couple welcomed their twin children via surrogate in 2010 and married four years later in 2014.
Fatherhood and Raising Teenagers
Nearly two years ago, Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka opened up about their love for fatherhood. Speaking to People about their relationship with their kids at the beginning of their formative teenage years in 2024, Harris said, "They've been great. They're surprisingly great."
Harris added, "They're city kids. They live in Manhattan, New York, so I find them fairly mature 13-year-olds, but it's nice to see them navigate the world now that they're teenagers with some sense of knowledge and sense of self."
Harris explained that he and Burtka work really hard as parents to instill values into their children before letting them go and exist. He added that the teenagers are "crushing it" and that both parents are "very proud of them."
School Routine and Parent Status
Harris admitted that their home has not yet become the hangout spot they want it to be. "Honestly, they're at such a rigorous school. Literally, they come home and do homework. It's wild," Harris said, adding that while there are play dates and sleepovers, it is "not a hangout house yet."
Burtka proudly shared a compliment from their children's friends, stating, "We're definitely told we're the coolest parents out of all the friend groups." Harris jokingly replied, "I didn't realize it was a competition."
Harris noted that as kids get older, parents hope they want to share more rather than keeping parents out of the loop. Burtka added, "The more access you give them to yourself, I think the more access they'll give to you."
