Kate Ferdinand and her husband, former England defender Rio Ferdinand, reunited with his older children in Dubai over the weekend after the family relocated from the United Kingdom to the United Arab Emirates.
The former TOWIE star posted a carousel of images on Instagram showing the family — including Rio’s son Lorenz, 19, and son Tate, 17 — enjoying time together in the Gulf and taking part in gym sessions. Kate captioned the post: “A little weekend update. The best time being reunited with the boys. We’ve all missed them so much. ‘How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.’ ”
Lorenz, who signed his first professional contract with Brighton in July, and Tate, a member of Brighton’s Under-18 team, flew to Dubai to visit the couple and their younger children. The Ferdinands also have children Cree, 4, and Shae, 2. Kate is stepmother to Lorenz and Tate and to Tia, 13, who are Rio’s children from his marriage to Rebecca Ellison, who died in 2015.
The family’s move to Dubai followed Ferdinand’s decision to step away from his punditry role at TNT Sports. Ferdinand announced in May that he would leave the broadcaster at the end of the season after a 10-year spell to concentrate on business interests, including a venture called Football Escapes, and to seek a change of lifestyle for his family.
Explaining the motivation for relocating to the UAE to The National, Ferdinand cited a combination of lifestyle factors and opportunities for his children. “In Dubai, it feels like they’re valued and the lifestyle means that they’re happy and vibrant with a good energy for the kids,” he said. He added that safety, weather and education were contributors to the decision and said the English curriculum offered in local schools felt like “a different way” of teaching that appealed to the family.
The couple are reported to have purchased a luxury home in the gated Al Barari community in Dubai, a property that was listed at 32.5 million dirhams (about £6.55 million) as of April. Rio said the timing suited the family, noting that the move would coincide with key school years for some of the children.
Since relocating, Kate has posted regularly about life in Dubai, sharing images of workouts, family moments and outings. One Instagram snapshot showed Rio posing with the family’s dog resting on his shoulder, while another showed Kate in a beige cargo maxi skirt and white T‑shirt as she documented an outfit check.
The family’s relocation comes as Lorenz begins his professional career in England and Tate continues his development with Brighton’s academy. Rio said he did not intend to leave football entirely but wanted a life “not governed by the fixture list,” referencing the intense schedule professional football has placed on his family life during his playing and broadcasting careers.
Married in 2019, Kate and Rio Ferdinand have managed the transition with public posts that highlight family time and the adjustments of a new base overseas. The Instagram updates over the weekend offered a glimpse of the family together in Dubai and underscored the couple’s decision to relocate for what they described as a fresh start.