We were delighted to grab a chat with Claudine Keane, who was back in Dublin to help Spar launch its new health and wellbeing campaign, Spar Better Choices.

 

And with footballer hubby Robbie Keane playing for Ireland in the Euros this week, the first thing we wanted to know was how the mum-of-two was feeling about it.

 

“I’m so excited,” she says. “The bag is packed with the green scarves! It’s a different experience this time. [My eldest son] Robert understands it, so I’m really excited for him. A lot of the family are going and we’ll be staying in the same hotels, and aside from the football we plan to bring the kids to the Eiffel Tower, and to see the Mona Lisa.”

 

 

Claudine is mum to Robert, 6, and baby Hudson, who she gave birth to nine months ago in LA, where she has been living for the past number of years as Robbie continues his contract with football club LA Galaxy.

 

And of course another famous family moved to LA for that same club: the Beckhams.

 

“Robert would be friendly with David Beckham’s kids,” she says. “They all hang out. They go the Lakers games as they love basketball. They’re such lovely, well-mannered kids. They are brought up so well.”

 

 

Claudine has dipped her toe into interviewing celebrities, as well as putting her face to several campaigns. So is it hard juggling her work with two young kids?

 

“My kids come first,” she says immediately. “Everything else is secondary. That’s why I don’t have a nanny. I do everything myself. It’s not easy in general; even if you don’t have anything on the side it’s hard. Having kids is hard full stop!”

 

And now that Robert is no longer the baby of the family, how is he coping?

 

“Robert is a great big brother,” says Claudine. “He is his dad all over, a little rascal. He’ll dip in and out with Hudson. He’s very helpful and he’s getting more independent, so if the focus is on Hudson he’s okay.”

 

 

Claudine loves the LA life but the Malahide native hasn’t ruled out coming home to Ireland for good in the future.

 

“We have a house here,” she says. “And when I’m there I feel at home straight away. Who knows what can happen in the future?”

 

But one thing she does want to happen in the future is an expanded brood.

 

“I’d love more kids,” she says. “[That I want a girl] goes without saying!” When you are in the hospital all you want is a healthy baby, but I have too many shoes not to have a girl!”

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