Phone hacking: Rebekah Brooks is expecting child by surrogate mother

Rebekah Brooks, the former chief executive of News International, and Charlie Brooks, the racehorse trainer, are expecting a girl by a surrogate mother.

Rebekah Brooks married Charlie Brooks in 2009.   

After an annus horribilis in which she lost her job as the chief executive of News International and was arrested in connection with allegations of phone hacking. Rebekah Brooks has reason to be thankful.

The former News of the World editor and her husband, the racehorse trainer Charlie Brooks, are expecting their first child, by a surrogate mother.

“They are delighted to confirm they are to become parents of a baby girl in early 2012,” their spokesman, David Wilson, tells Mandrake.

“They have been trying to start a family since becoming a couple and for more than two years and have been consulting fertility experts. The baby is currently being carried by a surrogate mother and is due in February.”

Rebekah, 43, and Charlie, 48, had been expecting twins, but one baby died during the early stages of the pregnancy. Mandrake agreed not to publish details in September because the future of the surviving child was said to be uncertain.

“Whilst the pregnancy has not been without its difficulties and sadness, Charlie and Rebekah are, obviously, hoping for a very happy ending to almost five years of trying to conceive themselves,” Wilson adds. The surrogate mother does not want her identity to be disclosed.
“Both parents are acutely aware of the infertility problems encountered by many other couples,” he says. “In the longer term, they hope to recognise their good fortune by working in some way to help other couples facing similar challenges.”