As DIY lovers tune into George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces, we take a look at his eventful love life, from his two failed marriages to his current relationship with an opera singer
George Clarke is best known for his architectural expertise, but many fans may not realise he has a deeply romantic side.
In an interview with the Big Issue, the 50-year-old architect candidly admitted: “On relationships, I’m probably not the best person to talk to because I’ve been divorced twice. So it’s not easy.” It’s clear that love means a great deal to George however, and he’s described it as ‘the biggest thing in the world’.
Showing his emotional side, George continued: “But when it comes to love and friendship and family, it’s the best thing in the world. I’m an emotional softie. You’ve probably seen me cry on the telly. ” The road to true love hasn’t exactly run smoothly for romantic George however, and he’s had to navigate a few hurdles along the way.
As DIY-loving viewers get inspired by George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces, the Mirror takes a look at George’s bumpy love life…
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First marriage and touching Olympic gesture
Sunderland-born George met his first wife, Australian female animator and art director Catriona Drummond, back in the early 2000s after her brother, former Armani model Swiggy Drummond, hired him for some architectural work. Wedding bells rang in 2009, and the couple went on to enjoy some glamorous adventures together.
Reflecting upon the most romantic thing he’d ever done, George revealed that he’d once treated Catriona to some luxury diamonds during a trip to Rome. He shared: “I pretended I needed to go off alone to buy some new sunglasses, and instead, on a whim, I went into the Cartier shop. I remember saying to the shop assistant, ‘I need to buy some diamonds. ‘
“And wow, do they give you the royal treatment. I was slightly scared. They’re all in these white gloves and they take you upstairs to a private area. I bought her a necklace and some earrings. All the blokes in the couples we’d made friends with at the hotel were really annoyed. They were like, ‘Thanks. We’re going to have to do that now! ‘”
Tragedy struck when Catriona’s brother Swiggy died from brain cancer at the age of just 39, before getting the chance to carry the Olympic torch in 2012. In a touching tribute, George decided to carry it himself on Swiggy’s behalf. George said: “I was proud to carry the Olympic torch on behalf of my brother-in-law, Swiggy Drummond, who died recently from cancer. “
After settling into married life together in a Notting Hill house renovated by George, the couple appeared to be blissfully happy with each other, and their three children, Georgie, Emilio, and Iona. Indeed, when asked by one interviewer what his favourite thing was, George replied: “Going home to see my wife and our children. “
Tragically, George’s ‘hectic’ work schedule reportedly took its toll on their marriage, and, in 2013, the couple announced they were parting ways. In a statement, George explained: “We have been married quite a long time and decided to part. We have separate custody of the kids and are going through an amicable separation and divorce. “
Later that same year, George had to contend with false rumours that he had a new special someone in his life after he was spotted with a mystery woman at St David’s Hotel in Cardiff on Boxing Day 2013, with photos showing him leaving the premises the following day.
Denying claims of a new romance at the time to the Mirror, George stated: “The person who I was with doesn’t have anything to do with any of it. She wasn’t my wife and she isn’t my partner. I don’t have a girlfriend now.”
Second marriage and ‘tribulations’
In September 2018, George said ‘I do’ a second time, this time to American fashion marketing and communications consultant Katie Morgan Jones, with the couple tying the knot in a romantic Ibiza ceremony. As newlyweds, George and Katie set up home in London, before making opting for country life in the Cotswolds.
George wrote in The Times: “I’m in Gloucestershire with my wife and three kids. The house, which we bought last year, sits on a steep hill so you enter it at the upper level. We have the kitchen and living room on the first floor, while the bedrooms, bathrooms and storage rooms are on the ground floor.
“I also have a place in London, but home is in the Cotswolds now. I have quite a nomadic life – I travel a lot and spend on average three nights a week in hotels – so I take every opportunity I can to get home. “
Their wedded bliss didn’t last however, and by the end of 2021, Katie began posting several cryptic posts via Instagram, telling followers, ‘It’s time for change’. In one post, she claimed to have been through ‘the most bizarre and traumatic situation’.
In other posts concerning the period of lockdown, Katie alleged she’d been ‘isolated on [her] own’, claiming to have suffered through ‘many, many other trials and tribulations, tears and revelations’. In February 2022, George confirmed they were splitting up.
Finding love again with widowed opera singer
In July 2023, George went public with his romance with opera singer Florence Hvorostovsky. Widowed Florence had previously been married to Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, who tragically died in 2017 following a brain tumour diagnosis.
Florence, who shared children Maxim and Nina with her late husband, was supported in her new relationship by her in-laws, who gave her their blessing to find love again after grief. In an interview with MailOnline, Dmitri’s cousin Alexey Zarkhin declared that the family were pleased for the pair and glad she had found someone.
Alexey said: “We must understand that if a woman doesn’t support her femininity, she would quite quickly turn into an old lady. Nobody would be interested in her then – neither her children, nor anyone else. So however great was her late husband, and however much she loved him, we all – us all, her children, and the public – need a vibrant, lively, beautiful Florence. “
You can catch George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces at 9pm on Tuesday, April 22 on Channel 4. Follow Mirror Celebs on Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads
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Source: Mirror
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