RHODubai 's Caroline Stanbury Shares Family Reactions to Age-Gap Marriage — and the Bribe to Leave Her
Caroline Stanbury dropped some major tea about her relationship on this week's episode of The Real Housewives of Dubai.
Caroline, 46, was enjoying dinner with her father Anthony Stanbury and her 16-year-old daughter Yasmine Habib just days before her wedding when she shared that now-husband, Sergio Carrallo, was bribed to break-up with her by his own parents.
"You know, his dad offered him money to break up with me," Caroline told her family with a smile. "And his mom cried four times too. Not from joy. Initially, when I found out Sergio's father offered him money to leave me, I was f---ing furious."
"But I've calmed down and I find it really hilarious," she continued. "Even if Sergio's with me five years, 10 years, he could still go on and start his life. I'm at the end of my life, so frankly I'm keeping Sergio out of trouble and bringing him up for you, so there you go."
"I never did anything right out of the box, did I?" she added.
Caroline Stanbury/Instagram Caroline Stanbury and Sergio Carrallo
The former Ladies of London star began dating her 27-year-old husband in 2019 after meeting in Newport Beach, California, where she was promoting her podcast.
Caroline — who has three children from a previous marriage — and the soccer player then got engaged in January 2021 before marrying in a lavish ceremony in Dubai on Dec. 18, 2021.
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While their nearly 20-year age gap was hard for Sergio's parents to swallow, Caroline said she had her own fears sharing the news with her family — primarily, her kids.
"When I first told my parents I was going to marry someone 20 years younger, they weren't that shocked," said Caroline, who is also mom to twins Aaron and Zac Habib, 12, in a confessional. "It was much harder for me to tell my children."
"The moment that I said this man was going to become my husband, it closes the door on their father," she added. "For any child, that's a very final step."
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Caroline's father then continued the dinner conversation by sharing a relatable story of his own.
"Before I met your mother, I came home with a woman I was going to marry who was only four years older than me," Anthony said. "But she had two children and my father said no, and it was quite a heavy penalty to pay."
"What was the penalty?" Yasmine asked.
"Leave the family business," Anthony responded. "She said it was too big of a price to pay and she wouldn't marry me."
As the family traded laughs and stories back and forth, Caroline admitted her relationship with Sergio started out with a lie.
"He was 24 when I met him — he lied to me," Caroline said. "He [said he] was 31 when I met him. I kept asking for his driver's license or ID. Everyone was like, 'He's going to leave you,' or, 'You'll get old and he'll run off with a younger model.' He already sees my grey hair. I think if he was going to run, he would've done it by now. He'll do anything for me, which is so beautiful."
Caroline Stanbury/Instagram
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Despite the lie, Caroline made it clear she was happy to stick by her man as her family continued offering their support.
"If it works it works," Anthony shared with his daughter. "You're the only person that knows that and as I'll say in my extremely short speech, that's the only thing that matters to me."
As the series continues its lead-up to the big wedding day, Caroline wasn't shy to make jokes about her second trip down the aisle.
"Hopefully this will be my last wedding," Caroline told her family.
"Hopefully," Anthony said, as Caroline added, "Sergio keeps going to me, 'I can't wait to take care of you.'"
The Real Housewives of Dubai airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.
