RHONY 's Alex McCord and Simon van Kempen Celebrate 20 Years of Marriage: 'I Love You So Much'
After 20 years of marriage, Alex McCord and husband Simon van Kempen couldn't be more in love.
To celebrate two decades of matrimony on Thursday, the Real Housewives of New York City alumni posted loving tributes to one another on their respective Instagram accounts.
"Celebrating 20 and looking ahead to the next 30! Happy 20th anniversary to my best friend @simonvankempen ❤️❤️❤️" McCord, 46, wrote in her post.
Van Kempen, 56, began, "Twenty years ago today I married the most amazing woman I have ever met."
"We’ve lived an interesting life (to say the least) but though it all our mutual love has never wavered," he continued. "I might be 56 but I am greedy and want at least another thirty more! Alex I love you so much."
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In a set of four photos, which the couple both shared, McCord and van Kempen pose on a beach in bridal attire. For what appeared to be an anniversary photo shoot — the location was tagged at Rae's on Wategos in Byron Bay, Australia — McCord donned a long, sleek white gown, which she accessorized with heels and a flower crown, while van Kempen sported a cream-colored suit, brown collared shirt and a white flower boutonniere.
Alex McCord/Instagram Simon van Kempen and Alex McCord
Alex McCord/Instagram Alex McCord and Simon van Kempen
McCord was one of the original stars of RHONY when the Bravo series premiered on March 4, 2008. Along with theif two teenage sons (Francois, 16, and Johan, 14), the couple moved from Brooklyn to van Kempen's native country of Australia in 2014.
"After 18 years in New York for Alex, and 28 years outside Australia for Simon, we've made the decision to move to Australia to be with family," McCord said in a statement in 2014 to BravoTV.com. "Over the last few years, all of Simon's family have reconvened from as far as Europe to all live within 20 minutes of each other on a collection of beautiful beaches on the north coast of New South Wales. We are the last of the family to move back, and it's time."
"Our children have never had the opportunity to live within walking distance of grandparents and cousins," she added. "It's the perfect time for the extended family to enjoy each other. We both love New York City, and Brooklyn specifically, almost as much as each other; however, we've been there, done that and written the book — literally — on raising Little Kids in the Big City. It's now time for a new adventure."
Merry merry, happy happy, with lots of love from ours to yours! xo
A post shared by Alex McCord (@mccordalex) on Dec 24, 2019 at 5:20pm PST
McCord added: "We both firmly believe that change is necessary in order to grow, and to do that, we need to get out of our comfort zone. When we realized that we'd quit traveling because New York was so comfortable and had everything we need, when we realized our [youngest] had only ever lived in one house — we realized it was time."
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Earlier this month, McCord revealed on social media that she has received her master in professional psychology from the University of New England in Armidale, Australia.
"Call me master (not mistress)," McCord wrote, captioning photos of her diploma, issued on May 2, and a certificate that stated she was named the Vice-Chancellor's Scholar "in recognition of outstanding endeavor and excellence in academic performance."
Van Kempen tweeted: "The boys and I wanted to celebrate this amazing achievement of Alex’s by watching her walk across the stage to be conferred her Masters degree but like so many others have experienced 2020 graduations are not what any of us expected."
"What I do know is that nothing will stop her from accepting her PhD in person," he added, hinting that McCord's studies are far from over. "We are so proud!"
