I’m constantly surprised by how long certain celebrities draw out their divorces and custody battles (Brad and Angelina my God). It seems like the ones who put on the biggest shows of togetherness have the bitterest splits. I remember how Heidi Seal and Klum would have destination vow renewals every year and how they had a nanny for ever kid so they could spend time together. They even shared an office! Then she allegedly cheated, “with the help” Seal claimed, and they split back in early 2012. (Seal is an awful person too, I’m sure.) That’s eight and a half years ago, plenty of time for them to talk civilly about custody issues and work their sh-t out without paying for lawyers. Only Heidi is requesting a hearing so that she can bring their kids with her to Germany, where she will be traveling to film Germany’s Next Top Model this fall. Seal apparently is against it. They have daughters Leni, 16, and Lou, 10, and sons Henry, 14 and Johan, 13. Here’s People’s report:
Heidi Klum is asking for an emergency hearing to bring her four children to Germany with her to film Next Top Model later this year.
In her filing asking for the hearing, Klum claims ex-husband Seal does not want the children to travel to Europe because he is concerned about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
In the declaration obtained by PEOPLE on Thursday, the America’s Got Talent judge said that while she and Seal share custody of their kids, they spend the majority of their time living with her.
“Henry’s time with our children is sporadic at best,” Klum wrote in her declaration.
A rep for Klum has not commented. Seal’s rep did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Klum is contractually obligated to film season 16 of Germany’s Next Top Model in October, and she said that while she usually brings the kids with her when she has to travel for work, Seal “has not yet approved of this trip.”
“I am well aware of all of the necessary precautions associated with the COVID-19 virus, and would never put our children at risk — I have taken all the precautions for Germany the same way I do in the United States,” Klum wrote in her declaration, adding that she is “grateful” to have the ability to work given the current state of the economy.
Klum also explained that usually Next Top Model is filmed in Los Angeles to accommodate her family, but the German cast and crew members are unable to enter the U.S. because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The supermodel said that she was willing to alter their previously planned custody schedule if Seal would allow the children to travel to Germany with her.
People also reports that Heidi’s declaration states she’s tried to work this out with Seal directly “to no avail.” My son’s dad is German and lives in Germany. My son normally spends the summer with him but we agreed that it would be too risky this year. However, if I was rich AF like Heidi and Seal and we were using private flights I would probably agree to it. Germany has less cases per capita than the United States, although they’re still having problems. German people are typically extremely good at following rules. I would be fine with my son going to Germany on a private flight. I feel like he would be safer there than he is here. This isn’t about that though, it’s probably about Seal and Heidi’s personal issues influencing how they coparent their kids, as it almost always is in custody cases. I’m not pro Heidi or Seal and I’m sure she leaked this story to get the press on her side.
photos credit: Avalon.red and via Instagram
What do the kids want?
According to PEOPLE, Leni wrote the courts a letter saying they want to go to Germany with their Mom.
There are lots of rumours that Seal has serious anger issues and several of his previous partners have commented on it. That was the reason of their split in the first place, wasn’t it? Klum said his behaviour was starting to affect their children.
Sounds like a controlling a*se to me. She could easily go for the summer and he could private jet back and forth to visit his kids.
There were whispers he was physically abusive to Tyra Banks.
Model Tatjana Patitz openly said he had a bad temper and she was pleased Klum was divorcing him as there were children involved.
I would think that they could bring in a mediator to hash this out, but you are right, there are probably other issues at play here. With their money, it would be so easy to fly the kids with split time for each to ensure time spent with both parents, but just one or two trips.
But that frequent flying increases the risk of COVID19 exposure. Which is probably the reason why he doesn’t want the kids in Germany. Add in the mandatory quarantines, frequent flying is just not feasible. Also: what happens if Merkel orders another lockdown because of the rising cases?
If he barely sees the kids while they live in the same state, I think she should take the kids. Seems like a no brainer.
Or the opposite, if he barely gets to see the kids as is, no need to rob him of more time.
Anywho, it does sound like this has absolutely nothing to do with the kids and everything to do with conflicts with the parents.
What about school?
That was more first thought too. I wonder if staying here with their father would keep them in the same district? Or at least within commuting distance.
Probably distance? They can afford tutors, etc., anyway, and there aren’t many places in America where the COVID stats merit in person schooling.
Likely their school will be online for at least the beginning of the year. All of the districts near me are doing distance learning. My son’s college is doing everything online and only opened their dorms at 1/3 capacity.
I thought that too and then remembered a lot of schools are staying remote.
It sounds like they’d be safer in Germany than here in the US, but he’s just trying to be controlling. The alternative is she goes alone because she has to do the job, and he has to be a full time parent to 4 teenagers during a pandemic. Is he really thinking this through?
I think what the kids want is important, and they want to go with their mother (their oldest wrote a letter to the court explaining so). I can absolutely understand worrying about your kids traveling during a pandemic, but as this article points out, they’d likely be flying privately and going to a country that is generally handling the virus better than the U.S.
Yeah it’s about Seal’s access to them, not about Germany itself.
If he was concerned about them contracting the corona virus they would be safer in Germany. Much less cases and even less nutjobs not following rules. The virus has not been made a political issue and most people actually trust in science.
I think it’s fair. Who knows if one or both countries will go into lockdown? What if something happens to his kids and he’s prohibited by law from reaching them? What if Heidi gets COVID in Germany?
I did not know he was violent, that is terrible, and I’m glad Heidi and her children managed to get out of the marriage. But the courts say he has rights and so…
Even during lockdown people were still allowed to travel back to their countries so since the kids are dual citizens that’s nothing to worry about.
I remember all the couples of the aughts and you are right the most lovey dovey ones had the worst splits. Brad and Angie, Tom and Katie (the worst by far as he hasn’t seen his daughter in years) and Seal and Heidi. I remember those yearly vow renewals and the two of them all over each other on pap walks. It was all phony. And it seems like Seal would be very difficult to coparent with.
I’d rather be in Germany than in the US now too. If you fly private it’s probably not too risky. Did Seal legally adopt Leni? I thought she had a different bio dad and there was drama around her birth with the dad? And she is 16 so she can probably make her own choices.
German here, heidis birth to leni was a big deal over here at the time and everywhere in the News and as much as i remember, heidi got with seal when she was pregnant with leni because the father, an older italian billionaire gigolo (who only dates young models, hi leo) didn’t want anything to do with heidi and their daughter. Seal adopted leni and she only knows him as a father. And yes, they are probably more save in Germany then the US. Does her children have a german passport? Aren’t Americans not allowed to enter Germany? Heidi has both, us and german citizenships. Is she even allowed to come here? And my god, next topmodel is such an awful show! The viewership drops with every next season, i thought they would stop that show years ago.
Oh and i forgot, there were rumours that this italian guy wasn’t even the father of leni and that was the reason he dumped her while she was pregnant (because who does this?), the speculation was she had an affair with a german tv host and he is the father. But this looked like the people of this very rich italian guy spred the rumours to make her look bad and clean him out because he has no relationship with his „daughter“. But who knows, until today, she never speaks about Lenis Dad.
All I know is that in the end he had a DNA test and was confirmed that he was the father (Flavio Briatore). He gave up his parent rights and Seal adopted her. Recently Heidi gave and interview and she casually mentioned that her daughter has visits with her bio father and some kind of relationship with him. Guess he has come to his senses. And from what I can see from the picture she seems to have her dad eyes.
As for traveling to another country with the kids for a 4 month period it’s not the end of the world. Otherwise he will have to keep them and it doesn’t seem he is that involved. It’s just a power trip to him in the end. As for Covid everywhere there are problems and all should ne aware and take precautions. No country it’s more deadly than the other at this point. And also I think these people should solve these things in private.
Yes, they should do what the kids want.
Life is mostly “back to normal” here in Germany and it’s pretty safe, and I personally am lucky and live in an area with a very low covid rate.
But I wouldn’t mind if there won’t be another GNTM season, lol. Most people here are annoyed by her.
I mean, regular people decidedly do not get to move to another county with their kids post divorce so I’m not sure why rich celebrities should get to play by different rules?
Family courts in this day and age almost always add geographic restrictions to custody decisions. If I’m a parent, I would not be ok with my ex taking my kids out of the country for months, or permanently.
And if the answer is, well, that’s her job, she has to travel…. The answer given to ordinary people by the court is to find a new job in the same place.
I just think it’s really terrible that if you have tons of money you can play by different rules. In this case, Heidi and Seal need to figure out how to be in the same place as their kids.
I don’t agree that Heidi is doing this to spin the media story in her favor. I think she’s genuinely obligated to film in Germany, and wants to keep her kids with her, and safe, so she’s got to appeal to a court to resolve this. I hope the court finds in her favor, since she’s the one who usually takes care of them.
That’s very tough to judge and yeah, you can say private jets all the time but to condemn a child to flying all the time like a hobo..
Thats Heidi’s home and her parents are there so there’s roots. Seal may be concerned that if she and her new husband take the kids to Germany she may not return to the states where he has custodial rights.