14 DAY TRIAL // Robert de Niro is a father again. The veteran Oscar-winner and wife Grace Hightower have just welcomed a baby girl into their family. Helen Grace is the couple's second child and was born via surrogate.
Details of the pregnancy have not made headlines until the deed was done, as the saying goes: that is to say, no one from outside the family knew about it until the baby girl was born.
A rep for de Niro has confirmed the happy news for People magazine.
“Robert De Niro and his wife, Grace Hightower De Niro, have welcomed a daughter, his rep tells People. Helen Grace, born via surrogate, weighed in at 7 lbs., 2 oz,” the celebrity magazine writes.
Helen Grace may be the couple's second child and only daughter, but she's not the only daughter de Niro has.
“She is the second child for the couple, who first met back in 1987 in London and are already parents to son Elliot, 13,” People writes.
“The Academy Award winning actor, 68, also has four other children: daughter Drena, 40, and son Raphael, 35, with former wife Diahnne Abbott, as well as 16-year-old twin sons Julian and Aaron, born via surrogate with ex-girlfriend Toukie Smith,” says the same publication.
Further details are not available at this time and, save for the confirmation, de Niro and his wife did not issue a statement on their latest addition to the family.
De Niro is not the only star to have resorted to a surrogate mother to have another child in recent years.
In April 2009, Sarah Jessica Parker and husband Matthew Broderick announced they were expecting twins via surrogate.
They – two adorable baby girls – were born shortly afterwards, and joined the family, SJP, Matthew and son James Wilkie.
A short while later, SJP and the twins graced the pages of several magazines, introducing them to the world. Chances of that happening with Robert de Niro and Helen Grace are slim to none, but rest assured you'll find out about it here if it does.