Penny Lancaster, known for her roles as both a TV personality and a model, recently opened up about her complicated experiences with two influential figures, former U.S. President Donald Trump and businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed. On the British daytime show Loose Women, Lancaster shared how her initial friendship with Trump soured over the years, particularly as his political career progressed and his rhetoric shifted.
Living just five minutes away from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, Lancaster and her husband, rock star Sir Rod Stewart, were once considered friends with Trump. They enjoyed invitations to several lavish functions at his estate, feeling welcomed within the circles of his opulent world. "At first, it all seemed fine," she explained. "He looked after all his guests, and it seemed like he was generous. But things changed when he began to run for president again." She recalled, "I started to hear those dangerous rhetorics and thought, 'This is crossing all sorts of boundaries.' "
Reflecting on her decision to distance themselves from Trump, Lancaster emphasized the discomfort she felt when his public persona morphed during the election campaign. "We didn’t really know what he was like," she remarked. "He seemed to be generous, he’d give to charity and do these big functions. Obviously, we’ve now seen a different side of him." Following the emergence of divisive comments made by Trump, particularly those disparaging Mexicans and Muslims, both Lancaster and Stewart decided to turn down future invitations, marking the end of their intimate ties with the former president.
Meanwhile, not only did Lancaster experience discomfort from Trump’s political antics, but she also delivered shocking revelations about her encounters with Mohamed Al-Fayed. During the same broadcast, she recounted how Al-Fayed made several inappropriate remarks at the time when she and Stewart were trying to conceive. One particularly startling comment was Al-Fayed jokingly offering her his sperm, saying he kept it 'in the frozen food department at Harrods', to alleviate their fertility struggles.
Although initially dismissed as jest, Lancaster shared how these comments, coupled with the broader cloud of allegations surrounding Al-Fayed, illuminated the darker nature of his character. "My husband and I were trying for a baby at the time, and I sort of just laughed it off and carried on," she said. Yet, as with her experiences with Trump, this humorous banter would later contribute to her growing discomfort with such figures.
Al-Fayed, the former owner of Harrods, passed away at the age of 94, and since then, allegations of sexual misconduct from over 100 women have surfaced, painting him as deeply problematic. This was underscored by reports and documentaries highlighting the culture of fear he allegedly perpetuated during his ownership of the luxury department store.
Penny Lancaster’s anecdotes of awkward social interactions with both Trump and Al-Fayed reflect broader societal issues concerning power dynamics and behavior toward women. Responding to Trump’s disturbing political rhetoric and Al-Fayed’s shocking suggestions provided Lancaster with insight to reevaluate her friendships and public appearances. She even acknowledged how their proximity to Trump continues to affect her life, saying, "Because he’s President again, he blocks all the roads whenever he visits – so you have to go the long way around to get anywhere. He literally controls the whole part of Florida."
Lancaster’s remarks echo sentiments shared by her husband. Sir Rod Stewart, who also had previous associations with Trump, has spoken publicly about how their friendship has deteriorated. After experiencing Trump’s transformation over the years, he noted, "He's not the guy I met 20 years ago… But my wife said, 'No'. There was stuff he was coming out with, what he was saying about women he had known, and Penny said, 'You’re not going – he’s a disgrace.'"
With their once-friendly relationship now long gone, both Penny and Rod have charted their own paths away from figures they once admired. Their stories serve as cautionary tales about how public personas can shift dramatically with the tides of politics and social behavior, compelling individuals to draw lines based on personal integrity and moral perspectives.
Through her candid reflections on Loose Women, Penny Lancaster highlights the importance of maintaining personal values and standards, emphasizing how the behavior of significant public figures can impact private relationships dramatically. It’s clear she will continue to use her platform to speak out against those with histories of inappropriate conduct, asserting boundaries for the sake of her own well-being and the well-being of others.