Hugh Grant Didn’t Believe in Marriage until He Finally Wed at 57 & Revealed His Illegitimate Kids

• Hugh Grant has had controversial takes on marriage and monogamy through the years.
• At 57, he changed his mind about not getting married when he wed a Swedish TV producer, his long-time partner, and the mother of three of his kids.
• Grant has five kids he welcomed out of wedlock. He now co-parents his two eldest kids with his ex-partner and raises his three kids with his wife Anna Eberstein.

There's a stark difference between Hugh Grant and the romantic men he's portrayed in dozens of movies in the past. While his characters often got a happy ending, Grant himself didn't believe in fairytale weddings.

The actor has controversial takes on marriage and monogamy, speaking openly about affairs and how he believes they benefit a relationship. He even commended the French and the Italians who are devoted to their marriages.

Despite the devotion, he claims there's a silent understanding that "other visitors" may come and go occasionally in French and Italian households. He believes it is what makes French and Italian unions so strong. When asked about marriage, he once said:

"If you ask me the question ‘do I think human beings are meant to be in 40-year-long monogamous, faithful relationships?’ No, no. Whoever said they were?"

Despite his controversial takes, Hugh eventually married Swedish TV producer Anna Elisabet Eberstein in 2018. For a man who once thought getting married was "nonsense," he changed his mind and believed it was a "nice, cozy thing to do."

Hugh Grant's Five Children

In just eight years, Grant welcomed five children into his life. The actor has fiercely protected his kids through the years, but he talks about them occasionally.

The actor once gushed about how much he loved making his children laugh. He loves spending time with his kids, which affects how he works.

Grant, who lives in London, had to fly to New York to film "The Undoing." Each time he had to act, each scene he needed to do, made him cry.

When Eberstein was pregnant with Grant's child, so was the actor's ex-partner Tinglan Hong.

Grant shares his eldest daughter, Tabitha Xiao Xi, with Tinglan Hong. Throughout Hong's pregnancy, the paparazzi constantly swarmed her, making things difficult.

Grant opted not to be at the hospital to avoid a media frenzy when his partner gave birth. He couldn't help but see his daughter, so he took the risk by visiting the following day.

The following year, Grant and his then-partner Anna Eberstein welcomed their first son, John Mungo. He is named after his famous dad, whose real name is Hugh John Mungo Grant.

When Eberstein was pregnant with Grant's child, so was the actor's ex-partner Tinglan Hong. Felix Chang Hong Grant was born three months after his older brother, John Mungo.

Grant chose to focus on his growing family rather than the tricky circumstances in his life. "Suddenly, you love someone more than yourself. It's unheard of in my case, and they love you, and it's all enchanting," he said in admiration of his children.

In 2015, Eberstein and Grant welcomed a second child together. Three years later, Eberstein gave birth to another child – their youngest.

The actor's famous ex-girlfriend, Elizabeth Hurley, announced the coming of his third child with Ebstein. He and Hurley have remained friends, and Grant is the godfather of her son, Damian Charles.

Grant and Hurley dated from 1987 to 2000 before choosing to stay friends. The actress joked about Grant being over 50 when he spawned all his children. She then got serious and gushed about how Grant was an enchanting dad. "Having these kids have actually transformed him," she said.

Hugh Grant's Happy Marriage to Anna Eberstein

After years of believing monogamous relationships weren't for him, Grant married Eberstein at London's Chelsea Register Office on May 25, 2018. Their union came two months after they welcomed their third child in March.

According to the "Notting Hill" actor, experiencing fatherhood later in life is the "nicest thing" to ever happen in his life. It changed his perspective; after years of flings and affairs, he finally chose to settle down.

Grant chose a large ring featuring three gemstones for his wedding band, while Eberstein opted for a simple gold ring. Their children were in attendance, and their simple wedding took place on a pleasant afternoon worthy of an audience.

Grant and his new wife flew off to Monaco shortly after getting married to watch the Grand Prix. It was a simple yet memorable choice for a honeymoon.

After they wed, the actor couldn't help but think out loud about why he didn't consider marriage earlier on. While promoting his series "A Very English Scandal," he spoke about how nice it was to be married to Eberstein. "I can't pretend it isn't [nice]. I should have done it before. I'm just lucky. I have a great wife," he gushed.

As a father and husband, Grant now sees his parents in him. He doesn't realize it most of the time, but he believes he turns into his own dad whenever he needs to do things around the house.

He barks the same way he was barked at as a kid, and they have the same grimace when asked to do easy tasks around the house. However, he also sees his mom in himself whenever he plays with his children.

Ultimately, Grant enjoys being a family man. While he experienced it later in his life, it was the perfect timing for a man who always believed he would live a bachelor's lifestyle forever.