Zana Pali, a socialite from Brighton, has spoken out about the end of her 10-year marriage to lawyer Gianni Romano, revealing that she was the one who initiated the divorce. In an interview with The Debrief with Savanna Young, Pali, 35, stated that she realized the marriage was over during their 10th wedding anniversary.
"Ten-year wedding anniversary was my light-bulb moment where I was like, 'I can't do this,'" she confessed. "Because it was 10 years and I'm like, 'What am I doing? Ten years of marriage and I'm not happy."
Pali explained that she felt she had been checked out of the relationship for years, a sentiment she believes men often don't recognize in women. "I think, for a woman, you check out many, many years earlier," she said. "It takes us a long time, especially with children, young kids. You know, you always stay for the family. Stay for the children."
She described reaching a point of depression, where getting out of bed was difficult. "There were days where I couldn't get out of bed. I was like, 'What am I doing? I'm not happy. I'm living with a roommate.' That's how I felt," Pali shared. She married Romano at 23 and had their two sons, Leonardo, seven, and Romeo, six, shortly after, noting that her 20s were dedicated to marriage and motherhood.
Pali indicated that Romano was blindsided by the separation. "Men are very oblivious," she remarked. "They don't realise when a woman has checked out. You know, when we stop fighting for the relationship, when we stop even talking."
Romano reportedly attempted to salvage the marriage, but Pali felt she was already "done." "When I'm done, I'm done. I can't go back [after] I made that decision in my mind," she stated. She described feeling nothing for her ex-husband, though she acknowledged him as a "great person" and a "great dad."
Following their separation, Romano has reportedly moved on and was linked to a younger socialite named Gracie Stewart in September. They were reportedly seen together at the JW Foundation Starry Night gala, which Pali also attended. A friend of Romano's was quoted as saying he was "clearly smitten." While it is unclear if Romano and Stewart are still together, they continue to follow each other on social media.
Pali confirmed that Romano has a new partner. "Yeah, he's re-partnered," she said. "I'm really happy for him. And she'll help him as well. You know, for the support. Because it's not easy. Going through a divorce is probably the worst time of your life."
Pali remains single and is looking for someone who is "a good influence and a good person" to be around her sons.
The couple's split, which was first reported in July of last year, came after they had quietly separated months earlier. Their former marital home, a six-bedroom property on Brighton's 'Golden Mile' known for its luxury amenities including an underground nightclub, sold for approximately $10 million after their separation.
Romano, a partner at the law firm Best Hooper, declined to comment when approached by the Daily Mail last July, stating, "I don't want to talk about it." He was observed not wearing his wedding ring at the time. The couple married in November 2014 on Hayman Island.