After months of speculation, fans finally have some good news to keep them busy. On Saturday, March 24, Robert Pattinson posted a photo on his Instagram that showed the actor posing with what appears to be a brand-new baby swaddled in what looks like a custom-made pink blanket. The photo comes just a few days after Pattinson’s 36th birthday and is his first visible photograph of his newborn daughter, who was born, as previously reported, on Valentine’s Day in 2017.
Pattinson is an established father-to-be. Back in August 2016, he announced that he and his wife, screenwriter Emily Brogan-Pattinson, were expecting their first child, and they eventually had a daughter, Isabelle. But it seems that this time around, he wasn’t just trying to keep everyone guessing. The actor’s social media platforms have been rife with cryptic posts ever since his daughter was born, and now that he’s stepped out of the shadows, it seems he’s been teasing fans with some exciting news. As it turns out, the proud papa wasn’t actually alone in the hospital when his daughter was born. Besides a member of the hospital staff, he was accompanied by a man who appears to be his husband, Jeff Beckett.
In the photo posted on Saturday, it’s clear that Pattinson is beaming from ear to ear. While his wife and child stay relatively still, he gives an animated wave to the camera.
Shortly after posting the photo, Pattinson wrote, “Happy birthday to my princess. I love you more than I can say.” Later on, he added, “She’s the best present I could ever imagine getting. Thank you for being so kind to me.”
Pattinson’s daughter isn’t the only one who seems to have taken a shine to her parent. The actor frequently shares photos of his daughter on his Instagram account, where she has more than 27,000 followers. In one photo, she’s even cheekily given her father a piggyback ride. Isabelle’s birth was preceded by an extraordinary amount of media coverage. Before the gender of the couple’s bundle of joy was revealed, journalists and Instagrammers alike were left in suspense. The New York Times published an article with the headline “Robert Pattinson’s Baby Shower: An Event to Remember,” and ELLE UK called it “one of the most memorable celebrity baby showers in a while.”
More Family Photos
On Sunday, March 25, Pattinson shared another photo of his daughter on Instagram. This time, she’s looking directly at the camera wearing a pink top and matching pajamas with a dog in the background. “Good morning princess,” he wrote. “I love you more than I can say.”
Where Is Everyone Going?
Pattinson isn’t the only A-lister who recently revealed that he’s been keeping mum about his latest addition. About a week ago, Harry Styles tweeted a photograph of him with his newborn son, Rex, with the message, “Guess who just became a dad?” In response, his 1.7 million followers were treated to a giggle-worthy display of father-son bonding as Styles rocked his baby to sleep.
Then, on Saturday, March 24, Channing Tatum tweeted a photo of him with his newborn daughter, Lucia. “Thanks for being such a patient baby,” he wrote. “I wish I could bottle this feeling and give it to you on a summer day.”
The “patient baby” comment is likely in reference to his child’s nap habits. As Tatum revealed in an interview with USA Today, Lucia has a tough time staying asleep. She often needs to nurse or be carried around to keep her occupied. On the plus side, Tatum reports that his daughter has a “soft spot” for balloons and will give “the prettiest look” when presented with streamers. Perhaps sensing that his tweet had the potential to entertain his followers, Tatum also shared a video of himself singing “You Are My Sunshine” to his daughter as she sleepwalks. He also posted a series of photos on Instagram that showed off the beauty of his newborn baby.
Why All The Mystery?
While these dads have been open about their newborns, others have chosen to keep their children’s birthdays a secret. One of the reasons why Pattinson has been so keen to keep the gender of his baby’s family relatively secret is that he doesn’t want distractions. “There are so many things that you have to put your mind to when you’re a new parent,” he told Esquire last year. “It’s so much easier if you don’t have all these outside distractions.”
Pattinson went on to explain how he wanted to preserve the moment for his family and friends. “I’ve always felt that there’s something special about having your first child. I don’t want to spoil it by telling too many people. Hopefully, when I can finally relax a bit, I can share more details with my friends and family.”
Pattinson might not want to spoil the moment, but his celebrity means that he’ll inevitably be the center of attention wherever he goes. A 2018 survey by Future Inc and Hello Analytics found that 62% of respondents said they’d like to have their child’s birthday celebration kept private because they didn’t want to ‘over-expose’ them to the public eye. Interestingly, the respondents in this study were more likely to have “very good” or “excellent” parenting skills than those who wanted to keep their children’s birthdays a secret.
The Biggest Surprise: Jeff Beckett
It appears as though Pattinson had no idea who his father was, according to reports. While it would have been an incredible shock to find out that he was actually adopted, Beckett seems to have been the biggest surprise. Back in 2016, Beckett took to Instagram to share the news of his impending fatherhood. “This is the best present I could ever receive,” he wrote in the caption. “I’m speechless. I love you more than I can tell you.”
That same year, Beckett posed for a photo with Pattinson, who was then known as “RPatz” and wearing a beanie, a bandana, and aviator sunglasses. The photo, which has since gone viral, shows off their combined baby bump. While it was initially reported that Emily Brogan-Pattinson was the architect of this “bump-for-bump” photo op, it appears that the two dads had previous contact. In fact, Beckett himself had previously dated Pattinson’s “half-sister.”
Though they’ve both been married to other people, Beckett and Pattinson are now co-parents of a daughter. Isabelle was born on Valentine’s Day 2017, and to celebrate this news, Pattinson posted a photo of him and his wife on TikTok with the caption, “Valentine’s Day, 2017.” It seems that their daughter’s birth was the final piece of the puzzle that brought these two very different, but equally devoted dads together.
What an incredible story. It looks like fatherhood has brought these men closer together, and it’s great to see how their stories can inspire other parents. According to Pew Research Center, 62% of American adults have used TikTok, and another 12% are considering using the popular app. With all these new parents creating heartwarming content for the app, maybe it’s time to consider exploring the possibilities for your own little family.