Seal and glamorous Heidi Klum first met in a hotel lobby in New York City. She was dressed to the nines and he had just come from the hotel gym. So, what was it that attracted Heidi to the singer? Was it his eyes? Or maybe it was his winning smile. Let's just say it wasn't all that wholesome. More of that fateful first meeting later. Let's just say, Heidi was smitten.
They dated for a while and then in 2004 Seal proposed atop a glacier in British Columbia. They decided to go warm for the wedding and got married on a beach in Mexico in 2005.
Outwardly, it seemed the perfect match. Seal even adopted Leni, Heidi's daughter from a relationship with the flamboyant Italian businessman Flavio Briatore. Each year, on their anniversary Seal and Heidi would renew their wedding vows. They seemed very much in love.
But appearances can be deceptive. By 2011, things were falling apart. And in January of 2012, they announced a separation. Shortly after the split, Heidi filed for divorce. Let's put it this way, it was not an amicable or civil affair, with squabbles over child custody, accusations of cheating and temper tantrums. The divorce was not finalized until 2014.
Seal has not really had much in the way of relationships since the divorce. But Heidi Klum is happily remarried to boy toy Tom Kaulitz.
Let's take a look at Heidi Klum's marriage to Seal and that wonderfully acrimonious divorce.
That Fateful Meeting
It's 2004 and there was Heidi standing in a New York City Hotel lobby dressed the way a former supermodel dresses in New York, and in walks Seal. He had just come from the hotel gym and was wearing bicycle shorts. They are introduced, maybe shake hands. He eyes her and likes what he sees. Who wouldn't?
She eyes him up and down and likes what she sees. And what was that? Well, let's just say the bicycle shorts were very tight and revealed what we might call the full package. Heidi likes what she sees. What girl wouldn't? Besides, it makes a great story if you are interviewed by Oprah or Ellen.
In fact she did tell Oprah, "I was physically, straightaway attracted to him, and then we got talking, and I was like, 'Wow, he's such a warm and charming man.'"
He popped the question in December of 2004 atop a glacier at a Canadian ski resort. He even had a special igloo built for the occasion. By the time they got married on a beach in Mexico in May of 2005, Heidi was already pregnant with their first child Henry.
And they lived happily ever after? Not quite.
The Unseen Problems With Seal
To begin with, Seal traveled a lot, an awful lot. Eventually, there were 4 kids to parent, including Leni, Heidi's daughter with Flavio Briatore. And it was wearing on Heidi having all the responsibility. The glamorous model has said: "[Seal] traveled a lot. I'm a mom and a dad at the same time."
And Heidi, post-divorce, has alluded to another "issue". It seems that Seal was prone to temper tantrums that disrupted the household and frightened everyone, including Heidi. The phrase "volcanic temper" has been used. Heidi just got sicker and sicker of trying to manage it. As an ex-girlfriend of Seal has said, he just isn't a nice person. Seal waves this accusation away. He would, wouldn't he?
The temper issue was a worry on another level, with Heidi being afraid of leaving him alone with the kids when she had to travel. Sure, there was staff around, but they couldn't be expected to intervene. And Heidi was worried about the effect on the kids.
Heidi And The Bodyguard
Martin Kirsten was Heidi's bodyguard. Most celebrities have them. But was Martin a bodyguard with benefits? Seal outright accused Heidi of cheating, using the phrase "fornicate with the help". Would he have been happier had she been sleeping with Tom Cruise? Probably not.
Sure, Heidi and Martin were very publicly dating after Seal and Heidi separated, but what about before?
Seal came right out and said: "Whilst I didn't expect any better from him, I would have thought Heidi would have shown a little bit more class and at least waited until we separated first before deciding to fornicate with the help, as it were."
He then tried to backtrack from a very clear statement by saying he meant they were at it after the separation. Typical Seal.
Squabbles And Complaints
During the divorce, custody of the kids was an issue. A big issue. It was finally resolved, but not after a lot of "he did this" or "she did that". It was pretty well known the kids wanted Heidi to be granted custody. Who can blame them?
Seal has admitted he is not very romantic. And each year on their anniversary Heidi orchestrated a renewal of their wedding vows. Seal has said the "circus" of the yearly renewals got real old real fast. Did he complain to Heidi? Probably. More tension, as if there weren't enough already.
For 7 years, they appeared to be the perfect couple. But, as we have seen, appearances can be deceptive.