Audrey Hepburn has become a legend for her talent and timeless fashion style. Considered one of the most beautiful actresses of all times, her tiny figure was a big contrast when compared to Hollywood divas like Marilyn Monroe, that used to rule Hollywood back on that time.

It didn’t take much for Audrey to become the "It Girl" and blur the lines between acting and modeling. But, her life was a perfect Hollywood plot itself: Born in Brussels, Belgium, and had to face the horrors of the Second War, when she lived with her family in London. After the War ended, she worked as a model and it didn’t take long until she was invited to play in movies.

Audrey Hepburn was married twice: to actor Mel Ferrer, with whom she had her first son, Sean; and later to Count Andrea Dotti, who is the father of her second son, Luca.

The late actress was very discreet when it came to her personal life and there were not many pictures of her pregnant. However, the few images we have of her in those precious moments are exactly like we envisioned: a very elegant maternity style. Pictures of her with her children are also rare, but the love it presents can be seen in the few images we have.

25 Audrey's First Pregnancy

In 1954, during a cocktail party hosted by the actor Gregory Peck, Audrey met Mel Ferrer. It wouldn’t take long until they fell in love and got married in the same year. They’ve acted together on movies like the classic “War and Peace”. Although they seemed to have had a perfect life, not everything was perfect as it seemed. Audrey had to deal with two miscarriages, before giving birth to Sean, her first child.

The actress never spoke about her miscarriages, but we can see the glow in this picture from 1960, where she was expecting her son, Sean. Perhaps, that was the reason she kept herself on the down low when she was pregnant.

Audrey was 31-year-old when she gave birth to a completely healthy baby boy.

We are sure that the couple dreamed a lot about this moment and were overwhelmed with joy and that she was a loving and dedicated mother.

Of course, Audrey was able to keep herself as classy as ever, even during her pregnancy and she ruled the maternity style. She looks flawless with this elegant white dress and with her classic hair-bun, that would eventually become her signature hairstyle, that we still try to perfect to this day.

24 Audrey's Pregnancy Vacation Moments

While she was expecting her first son, Sean, Audrey Hepburn followed her husband on a trip while he was working on the movie "The Hands of Orlac." In May 1960, the couple spent some time in Antibes, France. Back in that time, Antibes, that is placed in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, was an exclusive destination for the rich and famous.

Although Audrey was very discrete during her pregnancy, the photographers in Antibes had a blast when Audrey appeared with her baby bump to meet some friends in a restaurant.

This picture is the only public registration of her holiday.

In the images, Audrey is seen wearing - again - a lovely maternity dress, a fedora hat and distinguish sunglasses. Perhaps, it was an attempt to walk in the city unnoticed, but, of course, it didn’t work. The picture shows a very happy Audrey enjoying her holiday time with her husband.

Despite the perfect image, it’s not easy to look at a pregnant woman smoking. But, it’s also important to remember that she wasn't the only one. Back in the '60s, there were very few studies and information in regards to how smoking can damage a fetus and child longterm. We are sure that, if this image was captured today, Audrey would not be taking a drag of a cigarette.

23 Airport Maternity Style With Grace

What do you wear when you are about to board a flight? Pregnant or not, you probably choose the most comfortable pair of sweatpants, an oversized hoodie, and sneakers - as do I. Especially if you are going to fly for hours, right? Well, not if you are Audrey Hepburn.

After some time in France, Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer went to Burgenstock, Switzerland, to enjoy the second part of their holiday. If you can’t picture Audrey just wearing comfy pregnancy outfits, you are completely right! The actress had arrived in a super elegant outfit and even some heels. She looks as though she's ready to go out for a dinner, or brunch with some mimosas, at a 5-star restaurant. Honestly, we can hardly look at someone else that is standing beside her.

In fact, Audrey is one of the most fashionable jetsetters you have ever seen.

The actress was a fan of Louis Vuitton suitcases and was often seen walking on airports wearing fancy brands like Givenchy. This favorite style of hers did not change because she was pregnant. But, how she managed to arrive at her final destination looking so fresh and put together, we have no idea. She must have had a very large bathroom, unlike us economy-travelers with a stall that can barely open the door.

We love Audrey and her fashion inspirations, but let’s be sincere: it is way better travel with our comfy clothes. Especially, when you're expecting!

22 A Rare Glimpse Of A Very-Pregnant Audrey

In this picture, we can see a peaceful, and very pregnant, Audrey Hepburn. Perhaps she is reading a script for a new movie or maybe she's taking a glance over a magazine (that she's probably featured in, of course). When Audrey became pregnant, she was at the prime of her acting career.

Sean Ferrer gave fans a candid interview to The Telegraph discussing his famous mother in 2014. According to her son, Audrey didn’t see herself as someone special and had a pretty normal behavior.

"She was brave and would try anything. But she was never very confident. She didn't even think she was particularly beautiful - which turned out to be a good thing because it made her act like a real person instead of a sex symbol. If she looks natural on screen, that's just the way she was in life - very unassuming and full of life."

As we said, Audrey had suffered a couple miscarriages. The second unfortunate miscarriage happened when she was shooting the western movie The Unforgiven, by John Huston. The tragic event occurred after Audrey was thrown from a horse on the set. The actress was hospitalized and lost her baby a few months later. The traumatic experience explains why she was so careful when she became pregnant again.

Listening to her son talk about her, we are sure she was a great mother!

21 Audrey Welcomes Her First-Born, Sean

Can you imagine a happier moment than when a baby arrives? Audrey and Mel looked completely in love with their first-born, Sean. Audrey gave birth on July 17th in Buergenstock, Switzerland, and Sean was raised in Buergenstock,  Switzerland.

The couple fell in love with Switzerland and even bought a country house with an enormous garden. Audrey, who had faced the horrors of a war, wanted to build a safe place for her child. She felt as though life in Switzerland gave her that safe feeling - that she would never have to suffer from war or trauma again.

“They were everything to each other, crazy in love, and if Bill had been able to have children they would have married in an instant, but her desire for children was overwhelming and though it broke her heart to leave Bill she knew she wanted children of her own.” says  author Edward Z Epstein 

For Audrey, becoming a mother was the most important part of her life above anything else. According to the book “Audrey and Bill”, back in 1954, Audrey had an affair with William Holden, who shared the screen with her in Sabrina. They were madly in love and the actor had agreed to leave his wife to marry Audrey. However, when he told her that he could no longer have children, she stepped away.

20 Mel And Audrey Were Not The Perfect Hollywood Couple

In this picture, Audrey and Mel Ferrer seemed to enjoy their simple travel to Europe so much! Audrey was about to have the son she dreamed of for so long. While Mel already had four children from previous relationships, which made Audrey hold back a little. However, he convinced her that she would be the center of his life. He did keep that promise to her and which, ultimately, became an issue in their future. As we know, Audrey not only gave him a chance but they two also married in the same year.

"A synthetic cordiality filled the room. Audrey's eyes avoided Bill's. His bloodshot eyes underscored his angst. He was clearly a man carrying a torch", says author Edward Z Epstein, in the book Audrey and Bill.

For Paramount’s executives, the studio that had a contract with Audrey, their engagement was a perfect chance to put down the rumors about Audrey and Holden’s affair. They decided that Audrey and Mel would announce their engagement during an evening at Holden’s house, with his wife present, of course.

The studio was afraid that if Audrey’s affair was confirmed to the public, it would cause a major impact on her image. They feared she would go from “America’s sweetheart” to “America's Homewrecker” in a heartbeat.

19 A Dream Come True

Having Sean was, indeed, Audrey's dream coming true. As she pointed it out in a letter to her friend, Aylmer, on August 17, 1960, just a month after she gave birth. “Sean is truly a dream and I find it hard to believe he is really ours to keep. I long to show him to you. We all three send all our love.”

Audrey became a very devoted mother and put work second to her life plan. Although she played in one of her greatest movies of all time, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, one year after her son was born, her priorities had clearly changed. According to Sean, his childhood was sacred to his mother, probably because of her own traumatic experiences during the war.

In an interview for Vanity Fair in 2013, he claimed, “I suppose you could blame me for ending my mother’s career. If she had kept on working, her success professionally would have continued at a high level for many years.”

Audrey, who was already an Oscar-winning actress for her role on “Roman Holiday”, slowed down her career and was each time more dedicated to motherhood. The public could see her in some movies in the coming decades, but her last remarkable work was on Wait Until Dark, when Sean was 7-year-old.

18 Audrey Playing With Her Son

Audrey Hepburn had put her career on hold in order to raise her child. After playing countless roles on the big screen, being a mother seemed to be the one that suited her the best. Sean grew up in Switzerland and Audrey paid a lot of attention on his Italian and French education. Sean later lived in the United States, as well.

"My mother loved Switzerland and wanted me to grow up there. After what she had been through as a child, she wanted to make certain that we had a home in a safe place. She used to say that she chose it because we would never see a war there”, said Sean in an interview to The Telegraph.

We can tell by Audrey’s facial expressions, that she was living one of the happiest moments of her life. After everything she had been through, she did deserve it! Audrey had never experienced a relationship as close as between her, as a mother, and Sean, as her son, that no one knew better than Sean, himself. Indeed, in all the interviews Sean has given, he is very candid about his mother.

After her passing, he went on to write a book about her, “Audrey Hepburn: An Elegant Spirit”, where he shares his memories about his mother.

17 Audrey Had Playdates In Her Home

Audrey tried to be the best mother she could be and simply wanted her child to have a normal life. After being the center of attention in Hollywood for so long, we suspect she also wanted to play an ordinary role in her life, for her to enjoy as well. In this picture, we can see a very young Sean with a playdate.

After a few years, Sean used to bring some classmates over to play at home. It's probably the last invite you'd expect- to be invited over for a playdate at a celebrity's house. And to see this mega celeb be, well, just like one of us. And that is exactly what they used to see - a very happy Audrey wearing a typical around-the-house look with a very busy kitchen in the back. 

"She always surprised people when they saw her working in the kitchen. There was absolutely nothing pretentious about her and that showed when she was preparing a meal because her tastes were so simple. She loved a good plate of pasta with tomato sauce, and her big treat was to go to hotels and order a club sandwich from room service. That made her day”, revealed Sean during an interview.

We believe Audrey would be a total trendy Pinterest mom - always on the lookout for the next delicious meal to whip up! 

16 The Picture-Perfect Family

Of course, we can’t forget about Mel Ferrer! In this picture, we can see the couple and their beloved son, Sean. As we said, Audrey was very private about her personal life and pictures of her with her family are very rare, other than for Sean and Mel, themselves. There are very few images of the family together. So, this one is very special not only because it shows so much joy between them, but because we get a glimpse into Audrey's personal life as a mother, not an actress. 

Sean, by the way, is the spitting image of his handsome father. He commented about their similarities in an interview.

"The Ferrer genes are awfully strong, but if you saw the rest of my mother's family, you wouldn't be so surprised that I was her son. They are a stout bunch, very big and hearty. And she was the princess of the family - more graceful and agile than the rest.”

The couple worked together not only in a personal aspect, but also career-wise. Mel had produced “Wait Until Dark”, starring his famous wife, Audrey. Different from the romantic movies the public was in to see Audrey playing, the movie was a thriller about a blind woman (Audrey) who was pursued by killers out to silence her as a potential witness. The movie did very well and gave Audrey her fifth and last Oscar nomination.

15 But They Were Far From Perfection

In another rare image, the family looks very happy together. But, there is an old saying that claims that “Not everything that shines is gold,” and perhaps it is a good definition for the Hepburn and Ferrer marriage.

Although Audrey’s career was second place in her life plan, Mel held a reputation of being very jealous of his wife's success and gelt that she had outshined his career. According to the film director, Alfred Lunt,

"Ferrer used Audrey's crush on him to rule her with an iron fist".

Mel had directed some movies that starred Audrey, but people often described him as “dominating” and “overprotective” towards his wife. When the rumors got too strong, Audrey gave an interview denying it. The truth was that the couple wasn't really doing too well.

After Audrey Hepburn passed away in 1993, Mel talked about those rumors once again, in an interview to People Magazine, "I don't think anybody could compete with Audrey, I don't think there was any sense in trying to. I had a great deal to do with her career, and I'm delighted I was able to contribute. But I didn't benefit from it, I was not competitive nor was I controlling."

14 Audrey's Marriage Falls Apart

The rumors that Audrey and Mel's marriage was not doing too well, became stronger and stronger. There were constant gossips about infidelity from both sides. Mel was accused of having a side-girlfriend and Audrey, also, had an affair with Albert Finney, with whom they shared the big screen for, “Two For The Road”.

Despite the marital problems, they both were able to keep their son out of the public's eye.

“My parents never argued in front of me. They were very good about keeping any problems away from me. But I was aware of quite a young age that something just wasn’t quite right, that something between them didn’t quite jive”, revealed Sean during an interview.

In 1968, 14 years after the couple had their secret marriage in Switzerland, Audrey and Mel announced their divorce. Sean was only 7-years-old.

“My mum came and told me that she and dad were going to divorce, but explained that none of it was my fault. When she told me, I was very upset, naturally, because I loved them both, but I was also relieved in a way because it explained why things didn’t feel quite right at home. Neither of them ever said bad things about the other to me. The marriage was simply a failure between two human beings.

13 Audrey Kept Her Son Protected From The Tabloids

Despite the many personal issues, Audrey's image never faded away. She always looked flawless! She probably found her strength through motherhood. Sean reinforced that his mother was a very discreet woman. When she wanted to go out and not be disturbed or recognized by the crowd, the actress used a scarf and big glasses and managed to go unnoticed. Something that hard to imagine today. But, when she wanted, Audrey was able to be the center of all attention.

"When she came into a room, all eyes were on her. She could be silly and frivolous, but she had a strong sense of personal boundaries, and people just knew not to take advantage of her graciousness. I never saw anyone misbehave in her presence. It just wasn't done”, says her son.

It might be amazing to have Audrey as a mother and to be able to see both sides of her personality. In the very rare images we have of her with her children, Audrey always looked overwhelmed with love and joy. Despite the fact she never openly spoke about motherhood, we can see she was a very dedicated mother. Like in this picture, for example. An image is worth more than a thousand of words, right?

12 The Start Of A New Chapter

After her divorce from Mel Ferrer, Audrey spoke to Mel twice for the rest of her life. Less than one year after her divorce, Audrey married the Italian psychiatrist, Count Andrea Dotti. They met while traveling in Greece with a common friend, Princess Olimpia Emmanuela Torlonia di Civitella-Cesi.

In 1969, she would announce she was expecting her second son, Luca. Although Audrey was very glad about the idea of having a second baby, her second pregnancy was not easy and it was considered to be a risky pregnancy.

The actress had to spend a lot of time bedridden, but it didn’t protect her from knowing the numerous stories about the infidelities of her current husband.

What kind of man cheats on his pregnant wife? We don’t know... and we won't go there. 

This is one of the few pictures that we see a different expression on Audrey’s face. Not only is her face serious, but we can’t see the usual glow she has had in the past. Even with the scandals from Mel Ferrer, and the many issues she had to deal with, she always seemed to have a natural happiness.

Perhaps the combination of a very unhappy marriage, infidelities, and a risky pregnancy affected her more than we could tell. Indeed, this is a heavy burden to carry.

11 The Welcoming Of Her Second Son, Luca

After a difficult pregnancy, Luca was born in February 1970. Audrey was 40 years old. In this picture, we can see a glimpse of the Audrey we were used to seeing. Perhaps, having her perfectly healthy child in her arms gave her the happiness she longed for. For her second child, Audrey was just as dedicated and down-to-earth of a mother as she was with Sean.

It is hard to imagine one of the greatest fashion icons of all times living and raising her children in a low profile way. But that is exactly who Audrey Hepburn was.

“She didn’t live in a castle behind bars. She wasn’t driven in a limo. She was walking with her dog most of the time. She was a simple country girl,” said Luca Dotti, in an interview with People magazine, in 2015.

Audrey never spoke publicly about motherhood. The only quote we have is in a personal letter she sent to a friend. However, when we hear her children talking about the simple woman behind the Hollywood star, and the great memories they have of their mother, there are no doubts she was the best mother they could have ever asked for. 

10 Audrey Was Just An Ordinary Mother

Audrey kept her Hollywood glamorous life away from her home. She took it so seriously that Luca Dotti had no idea his mother was one of the greatest stars of all time. When a group of journalists arrived at his home when he was about 6-year-old, asking for Audrey Hepburn, he had no idea who they were looking for.

“I’d say, ‘I don’t know who you are talking about. You must be mistaken. My mother is called Dotti. I didn’t know she was Audrey Hepburn until I was 6 or so”, during an interview for People Magazine in 2015.

Luca Dotti was a little confused when he saw his mother on a screen for the first time, during a family movie night. “Suddenly, there was my mother kissing Gary Cooper,” he recalls. “I remember perfectly because I was so embarrassed and I ran to my father and said, ‘Dad, this is serious. You should be upset. Mommy is kissing another man.’ So that explains how much I was aware that my mother could possibly be a movie star. I had no idea.”

Audrey seemed to be a very protective mother who just wanted her children to enjoy their childhood, without the cameras and the glam. Wouldn't any celebrity wish for the same thing?

9 Audrey Lived A Simple Life

“If you imagine my mother in fashion, she started with Givenchy and Valentino, but at that end of her life, she was happier in jeans and a T-shirt,” says Luca Dotti. “It was the same in how she cooked at home. It was back to the basics. She didn’t have to impress anyone, really. It was what she loved and how she lived.”

In 2015, Lucas Dotti releases the book “Audrey At Home." In the book, he shares a glimpse of his childhood and a version of Audrey that the public didn’t know. He published never-before-seen family photos and her favorite recipes. Part of the proceeds received from the book goes to the Audrey Hepburn Children’s Fund.

“She preferred staying home to going out and simple plates of pasta to fancier foods”, said Dotti.

In this picture, we can see a relaxed Audrey and Luca, when he was still a baby. After having her second baby, Audrey was seen more distant from the camera, each time she was photographed. She was completely dedicated to the life she had always dreamed about. And who could blame her for wanting to sit back and enjoy the moments of motherhood? We all know too well how much fast children grow up. 

8 Audrey Was Not Happy In Her Second Marriage

Audrey Hepburn suffered a third miscarriage in 1974 when she was 44 years old. She was very unhappy in her marriage with the Conte, but she stayed with him until 1982. Audrey finally had enough after she found out the Conte was bringing other women into their house. As we know, Audrey was very protective towards her children and perhaps bringing a mistress to their sacred home, was the last chance for him.

In fact, Audrey talked to close friends and said that she put so much effort on both of her marriages because of her children,

“I hung on to both marriages as long as I could, for the children’s sake", and her desire to give them an idyllic upbringing was perhaps rooted in her own childhood.

It was no secret that the children were the greatest achievements in Audrey’s life. As we know, she let go of William Holden, who many people believe was her greatest love, to pursue her dream of becoming a mother.

After her own children grew up, Audrey became very involved with Unicef and dedicated years of her life to children in Africa. And that was much before Hollywood artists became involved with social causes, until today. Audrey Hepburn is well remembered for her work with Unicef.

7 Audrey Lived For Precious Moments

As you know by now, Audrey didn’t have the perfect life most of us believed she had. She wasn’t a perfect human being either (But...well... who is perfect anyway?). But something we can’t question is that she had lived her mothering days to the fullest and was a very present mother, at that. 

Even before there was paparazzi in each corner trying to catch a glimpse into one's personal life, Audrey was mostly concerned about protecting her children’s privacy and their childhood. Perhaps that was also one of the reasons she chose to educate them in Switzerland, far away from the Hollywood spotlight. We live in a time where celebrities rush to sell their baby pictures to magazine covers, while there are very few public images of Audrey with her children.

She has managed to create two different personas: the Hollywood star who attracted everyone's attention and the ordinary mother, who loved cooking pasta for her children.

Both versions of Audrey suit her very well. Her most glamorous version was an Oscar-winning actress, while she stayed at home and was a perfect mother. Until today, both of her children talk about their mother with a lot of affection. Indeed, Audrey managed to well succeed in the areas she cared for the most in her life. That is something to be remembered by, right?

6 Family Was The Most Important Priority

“When I was born my mother was out of the movie industry, she did a few but there wasn't such a big hype,' Luca explained. This was probably the moment in Audrey’s life that made it easy for her to raise her children away from the spotlights. 

Unlike his older brother Sean, Luca looks very much like his mother: same dark eyes and face’s shape. It is hard to imagine, but Audrey was not self-aware about her beauty.

"She was always quite amazed by the fact that she was seen as such a beauty icon and as a great actress, she was very shy about that part of her global appreciation. She didn't have a high opinion of her own work and she would be quite amazed that she's an icon and example in so many ways”, said Luca.

Talking about being away from the spotlights, in this picture Luca was just a few months old. Just like she did in her previous marriage, Audrey protected her son from all rumors and scandals that surrounded her marriage. As a mother, she clearly put her children as her main priority and focus and was very concerned about their well-being. Both of them had a very happy childhood and were very well educated.