Rihanna's Ex-boyfriend Hassan Jameel Had an Ex-wife Lina Lazaar

In 2017, Rihanna took the entertainment world by storm, not because of her music, business, or occasional acting but her newfound love for Hassan Jameel, a Saudi Arabian billionaire.

The first pictures of the two together became the hottest news, as many seemed surprised at the pair's love story. However, they didn't seem bothered by it, and their relationship seemed as if it would last a long time. There was even talk of Rihanna becoming a mother at the height of their romance.

Jameel had been married before he started seeing Rihanna. He was reportedly married to Tunisian Lina Lazaar from 2012 to 2017, when the Rihanna and Jameel romantic links began. Lina is also successful in her career, mainly focused on the art business, and has an affluent background.

Hassan Jameel’s Marriage to Ex-wife Lina Lazaar

There is not much information available about the relationship and marriage of Jameel and Lina, perhaps because they were not entirely a celebrity couple. However, the two are said to have tied the knot in 2012.

Their lavish wedding was reportedly held at the magnificent Paris Opera House. After about five years of marriage, Jameel and Lina went their separate ways in 2017. That was the same year Rihanna and Jameel were spotted hooking up in Spain, but it is reported that the marriage was already over by then. A source said:

"His marriage was over before he met Rihanna, after getting a divorce from Lina, but it will still come as a shock to her millions of fans. Lina has also moved on with a new partner. Hassan was already divorced by the time he started dating Rihanna, and she was fully aware that he had been married before."

The insider added that the Barbadian singer was surprised at how much people were making a big story out of her lover's previous marriage, probably thinking Rihanna had a hand in the divorce. For her, there was nothing linking her with Jameel's doomed union.

Lina Lazaar Is Passionate about Art

Lina is of Tunisian nationality but was born in Saudi Arabia and grew up in Geneva. She comes from a wealthy family, and her father is a prominent businessman. Kamel Lazaar is an international financier and philanthropist.

Additionally, he is the chairman of the Kamel Lazaar Foundation for Art and Culture, which holds an extensive range of modern (1950 onwards) art from the Maghreb to the Middle East. It also aids in the art's research, publication, and exhibition activities.

His daughter, Lina, followed her father's interests by developing a passion for art. She is well-known in the Middle Eastern art world and has gained greater international attention. She has been a fervent admirer of contemporary art since she was young and raised in the industry. She said:

“Although my work has been born out of a longstanding passion for contemporary art, which is simply the medium through which these various initiatives can be explained, the truth is that there is an element of cultural activism that underpins most things that interest me.”

How Did Hassan and Rihanna Meet?

While some may have imagined that Jameel would take time to recover from his just-ended five-year marriage in 2017, the billionaire businessman was getting into a new relationship with a world-famous entertainer.

Fans went ballistic at the news that Rihanna and Jameel were the newest celebrity couple. Photos of the two together were among the most trending on social media. However, the couple kept their relationship relatively under the radar for a little over the two years they were together, with limited public appearances.

Rihanna had expressed a desire to slow down her life and nurture the relationship as it was essential to her. She added that making time for herself would also help with her mental health and other aspects of her life, including her relationships and businesses.

The few times they were publicly spotted together include the outings during their trip to Ibiza. In October 2017, the pair were spotted dining at Park Chinois in London. Later that month, they celebrated Halloween in Boston by spending some time at a bowling alley.

Rumors of a split circulated briefly in early 2018 when the couple's public appearances dried up. However, the speculation ended when they were seen holidaying in Mexico in 2018. They spent Christmas and Rihanna's next birthday together in California.

The relationship looked like it was ready for a lengthy ride. Rihanna spoke about her desire to start a family around that time, saying she wanted "to be a mother more than anything." The lovebirds were spotted several times again in 2019.

Hassan and Rihanna’s Split

After laying the 2018 breakup rumors to rest with more images of affection between the couple surfacing, late 2019 to early 2020 saw them popping up again. This time, they, unfortunately, proved to be true.

People magazine reported that the pair had decided to call it quits, ending an almost three years' romance. A source attributed the breakup to the couple not being a good match as their lives were too different, making it difficult to maintain the relationship.

Just as the news of their relationship had made waves, their split also attracted considerable attention, as the couple had seemed strong for years.

Neither pair nor their representatives confirmed the breakup, but it became apparent when they moved on to new partners. Rihanna is famously in a relationship with rapper A$AP Rocky. The pair share one child, born in 2022, and have another one on the way.