She thought she had found her ‘second chance’ at happiness after one of the biggest divorces in British history.
Kirsty Bertarelli recently shared her heartbreak over her boyfriend Marc Citron’s ‘massive’ stroke, occurring just two years after she introduced him at her glamorous birthday event in Sardinia.
The songwriter and former Miss UK, 54, who became Britain’s wealthiest divorcee with a £350 million settlement after her marriage to Swiss-Italian billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli ended in 2021, posted an emotional tribute to Marc on Instagram.
Kirsty, who turned to Marc for happiness following the end of her marriage, shared limited details about the incident, stating that although he should have died from the stroke, she managed to keep him alive.
Including a clip of a new song she dedicated to him, she captioned: ‘Dearest Marc – I loved you beyond words and I still do, always will. My beautiful soul connection… our experiences are beyond others’ understanding, but writing this song for you… we did well, baby – we did well.’
She further expressed: ‘Thank you immensely for your kindness when I needed love, and you provided it. You’re an eternal Angel in my heart, bringing both pain and the reward of love worth every heartbreak. You made me stronger than I imagined possible. Dear Marc, I love you.’
In the comments section beneath the post, she disclosed that he had suffered ‘a massive stroke’.
Her revelation surprised followers, with one—apparently familiar with Kirsty—commenting: ‘You both looked so happy the last time I saw you, and I’m aware of the situation. What a rollercoaster.’
Kirsty Bertarelli, 54, has been left devastated after he boyfriend Marc (pictured)survived what what she called a massive stroke – two years after divorce from her husband
The songwriter and former Miss UK retreated from the spotlight after her marriage ended in 2021, with friends saying she had ‘been through the mill’ (pictured in 2010)
Kirsty posted a heartfelt tribute online including a song with lyrics that appeared to show her pain at the recent tragic events. She said he should have died – but she saved him
Miss Bertarelli secretly divorced husband Ernesto Bertarelli, with whom she has three children, in October 2021 after their 21-year marriage hit the rocks
For Kirsty, Marc’s stroke is the latest in a series of setbacks for her romantic live.
The Staffordshire-born beauty queen had retreated from the spotlight after her 21-year marriage to billionaire Ernesto ended in 2021, with friends saying she had ‘been through the mill’.
But in July 2023 she appeared to be glowing again as she hosted a joint birthday party with Marc in Sardinia.
There, she serenaded him with the words ‘you give me butterflies’ as guests described a ‘true romance’ with ‘not a dry eye in the house’.
Though she declined to share details about Marc at the time – even his surname was never made public – the couple were thought to have been together for some months.
A friend said at the time: ‘She is in a better place – close friends, a new younger man, and a bulging bank balance.’
Her return to happiness was all the more striking because of the scale of her divorce settlement.
When she split from Ernesto – with whom she has three children – she received £350million in cash as well as a £52million glass-fronted house on Lake Geneva and an £8million chalet in the Swiss ski resort of Gstaad.
At the time of their separation, the Bertarellis were ranked 14th on the Sunday Times Rich List with a fortune of £9.2billion – greater than the GDP of some countries.
In July 2023 she appeared to be glowing as she hosted a joint birthday party with Marc (right) in Sardinia
She made this year’s Sunday Times Rich List as with a personal fortune of £715million
Friends said that Kirsty was looking happier and healthier following a ‘rollercoaster’ after her divorce
The Staffordshire-born beauty queen retreated from the spotlight after her 21-year marriage to billionaire Ernesto ended in 2021
She made this year’s Sunday Times Rich List as with a personal fortune of £715million – ranking in the top ten richest individuals in the West Midlands.
Born Kirsty Roper in Stone, Staffordshire, she grew up in the Churchill China ceramics family and was crowned Miss UK in 1988, before finishing as second runner-up at Miss World.
She later moved into music, co-writing All Saints’ No 1 hit Black Coffee in 2000, and released her own material in the years that followed.
Her marriage to Ernesto swept her into the world of superyachts and high society, with her husband once buying her the £100million vessel Vava II for her 40th birthday. But friends said that after the split she longed for a real connection.
That seemed to come with Marc. Kirsty frequently hinted at their bond in Instagram captions and song lyrics, writing in one post: ‘Sometimes the stars are aligned – you held my hand and made me shine… Sometimes in life you’re given a second chance – don’t let go just be strong – love knows no bounds when it’s pure and sweet.’
