Frances Cain is the Woman Behind Jeremy Clarkson's Success & His 2nd Wife

Frances Cain never imagined a married life with a husband and children until long after she met her ex, Jeremy Clarkson. The pair lived completely different lives when they first met, and their romance only began a decade into their friendship.

Frances Cain once described herself as a "hard-living single girl" who never imagined a life of settling down. She was born to a World War II veteran, Major Robert Henry Cain, who received the highest praise for his gallantry when he served in the British Army.

The man who would have been his son-in-law, Jeremy Clarkson, honored his legacy in a documentary released almost 20 years ago. Clarkson and Cain married in the 1990s, and the pair welcomed three children, one of whom followed in their dad's footsteps into the entertainment industry.

Cain is often credited as the woman behind Clarkson's success, and even the TV personality, among many others, acknowledged her efforts. While Cain raised their family, she also managed her husband's career, ensuring his rise to superstardom.

However, despite enjoying the fruits of their joint pursuits in entertainment, their relationship strained over time. Many reports of Clarkson's infidelities arose over the years, with his ex-wife even claiming that they rekindled their romance a few years after he married Cain.

In the mid-2010s, rumors of the dissolution of their marriage surfaced, and they both chose not immediately confirm nor deny them. As the hearsay gained momentum, media outlets and the public speculated on the fortune Cain stood to achieve as a result of her divorce settlement with Clarkson.

Frances Cain Is the Daughter of a Real Hero

Long before Cain met Clarkson, she worked as a redundancy Counselor and was leading a single and successful life. She had rented her apartment and owned a Volkswagen Golf GTI. Cain later became Clarkson's manager, juggling her career with looking after their growing family.

When Cain's ex-husband honored her father's heroic acts – much like US actor Gary Sinise – in "The Victoria Cross: For Valour," the host said Major Cain had never told his daughter about the honor he received as a British war hero. He served in the Battle of Arnhem, a component of Operation Market Garden, in September 1944.

Upon his arrival at what seemed to be a hopeless battle for the British troops, Major Cain was embroiled in the infamous "South Staff's Waterloo" fight. He suffered many injuries but trudged on, determined to destroy enemy armor.

Cain's father successfully disarmed six tanks and several self-propelled guns. Although he received praise for his bravery, Major Cain was also known for his humility and remaining well-groomed. He earned his Victoria Cross on November 2, 1944.

After the war, Major Cain worked for Shell before he retired in the 1960s. It's unknown if he ever married, but he welcomed his daughter before dying of cancer on May 2, 1974. He died a revered former soldier whose stories were "constantly exchanged among troops."

Frances and Jeremy Clarkson Did Not Fall in Love at First Sight

Cain and Clarkson had mutual friends, and their first meeting started with an argument about what was better: "being a woman or being a man?" At the time, Clarkson organized a treasure hunt in which Cain participated.

As part of her first impression of Clarkson, Cain expressed that she found her ex-husband terrifying because of his stature and how "terribly loud" and "bossy" he was during the treasure hunt. After that first meeting, the pair weren't particularly taken with each other.

Although they spent time with the same people, they often avoided each other. Cain was simply not interested in the man; he described himself as "a bum" who was deep in debt, and Clarkson avoided the former redundancy counselor because he thought he'd have to act "all grown-up" around her.

Eventually, they found common ground when Clarkson realized that Cain could also let loose like his other friends. A friendship bloomed from then onwards; by 1990, they were a couple. Their relationship soon became serious, and Clarkson moved into Cain's flat.

Clarkson was up to his ears in debt while he lived with Cain, but he didn't tell his ex-wife about his dire financial situation. It wasn't until 1992 that things truly started looking up for him, and he credited Cain for much of his success, saying:

"But I'm very happy that we met when I was penniless and that we were able to grow together and share the pleasures of it. What we've done, we've achieved together. We're very much a team. I certainly couldn't do this on my own."

The former lovers married in 1993 in Fulham. Their union lasted over two decades before they divorced in 2014. Before Cain, Clarkson had been married to a woman named Alex Hall, with who he allegedly cheated in the late 1990s.

As speculation of how much Cain would receive from the settlement went on – Clarkson's fortune stood at over $36 million then – Hall said Cain deserved "every penny" she would get from her divorce. She believed that Clarkson wouldn't have been the "idol" he was if not for Cain's hard work, adding:

"Jeremy is the frontman, but behind the scenes, she was the swan paddling frantically beneath the surface. So she deserves every penny she gets – she worked for it."

Reportedly, Jeremy Was Not Faithful to Frances

Cain and Clarkson had been living separately since 2011 when news of their then-pending divorce broke in 2014. According to an insider, Cain had reportedly gone on vacation with her friends – who endearingly called her "Francie" – to celebrate the separation. The said friends had encouraged her to leave her ex-husband for years.

In 2002, Clarkson had reportedly been seen with TV producer Elaine Bedell being romantically affectionate on two occasions. In 2011, he was allegedly involved with Philipa Sage, who fell deeply in love with the Top Gear presenter. They dated again after his divorce in 2014 and split in 2017.

Hall also came out and revealed her infidelity with Clarkson in 2011, which occurred in 1999 and continued for ten years. Clarkson denied those claims and took it further by filing a High Court injunction against Hall. While his legal team argued that she was blackmailing him, Hall also claimed that he tried to buy her silence with $360K.

Frances Cain Is the Mother of Three Kids

Cain gave birth to two daughters, Emily and Katya, and a son named Finlo. Katya and Finlo have preferred leading private lives away from the spotlight, but Emily ventured into entertainment. She is the author of two published books, hosts a podcast, and runs a blog called "Pretty Normal Me."

Frances Cain's Life after Divorce

Cain seemingly moved on after her divorce. She was spotted with some male companions on her vacations over the years. In 2014, she enjoyed a holiday with Fred Milln in Barbados and again in April 2019.

She was seen with another male friend in 2019 on that same vacation. Cain also embarked on a Help For Heroes fundraiser, cycling a 500-mile route along the North Coast of Scotland for six days. The donations would fund the physical and mental recovery of individuals in the Armed Forces.