How Sofia Richie's Dad Lionel Richie and Sister Nicole Richie Reacted to Her Pregnancy

Sofia Richie, who confirmed she's pregnant with her and Elliot Grainge's first baby, revealed how their parents, including her dad Lionel Richie, reacted to her pregnancy news.

By Sabba Rahbar Jan 26, 2024 1:24 AMTags
Watch: Sofia Richie Is Pregnant, Expecting Baby Girl With Husband Elliot Grainge!

Lionel Richie has endless love for his new grandchild on the way.

Sofia Richie revealed on Jan. 25 that she and husband Elliot Grainge, who wed in April 2023, are expecting a baby girl. Although the couple kept the news under wraps in the first few weeks of her pregnancy, in the fall they decided to only tell their parents: Sofia's father Lionel, her mother Diane Alexander, his dad Lucian Grainge and his stepmom Caroline Grainge.

"We went to Elliot's parents, who live about five minutes away from us," the model told Vogue. "I think I had a box—I want to say it was a Hermès box or some sort of box—and I told everyone that I had bought them a gift from Milan Fashion Week."

The box was the perfect decoy to throw them off before the big reveal. "Everyone was like 'Ooooh Hermes!' But then they opened it and it had all three of the pregnancy tests [in it]," she continued. "That's how we told all of our parents."

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Sofia Richie and Nicole Richie's Double Date Night

Sofia, 25, and Elliot, 30, were delighted by their reactions, adding that watching their parents go from, "'I'm about to get an expensive present' to like 'I'm about to get a grandchild' was really sweet."

Following the public reveal, Lionel shared a photo from Sofia's Vogue photo shoot to his Instagram Stories, adding, "My little girl is having a baby."

Baby Grainge will be the third grandchild for the musician, joining Nicole Richie's kids Harlow, 16, and Sparrow, 14, who she shares with husband Joel Madden.

Presley Ann/Getty Images for Rolla's

And now, Nicole and Joel are just as excited to grow their family with a brand new niece.

The Simple Life star re-shared Sofia's photoshoot to her Instagram Stories on Jan. 25, captioning it with a heart and a crying face emoji, while Joel commented on Sofia's Instagram post with three red hearts.

The Richie sisters have often talked about their close bond, with Sofia even describing how her big sister prepared her for life in the public eye.

"I was just growing up, being wild and—in my head—living my best life," she told Porter in December. "I got to an age—I'm going to say around 20 years old—where I was like, 'OK, this is a reputation I'm going to have [for a long time]. Let me go to my older sister, who's gone down this road, and pick her brain for advice.'"

After learning to keep more of her personal life out of the spotlight in her 20s, Sofia also decided to keep her pregnancy private for as long as she could.

"Pregnancy is really scary and you want to protect that space," she explained to Vogue. "For me, it was really important to protect our mental health and our space as a couple."

And while Sofia and Elliot have not shared their child's due date, she did say that they're having a Gemini baby.

Keep reading for more of the couple's most romantic moments.

Romance Rumors

Sofia Richie sparked dating rumors with music executive Elliot Grainge in the spring of 2021, nearly a year after her breakup from Scott Disick.

Though the pair's history went way back—as Elliot's dad, Universal Music Group CEO Lucian Grainge, is a longtime friend of Sofia's father Lionel Richie—romance speculation started swirling when they were seen out on a date

Instagram Official

The model confirmed her relationship with Elliot in April 2021, posting this PDA photo on Instagram.

Father's Approval

Shortly Sofia went public with the romance, a source told E! News that Lionel gave his seal of approval.

"He thinks they are a perfect match and it was very natural progression for Sofia and Elliot to get together," the insider said in April 2021. "They are all family friends and Sofia and Elliot [started] hanging out more recently this year."

Engaged

Elliot popped the question in early 2022 during a Hawaiian vacation with friends and family.

"Sofia truly had no idea," another source told E! News at the time. "She thought they were just going on a fun vacation. Sofia's reaction was epic, she was so surprised and taken back."

Wedding Preparations

In May 2022, the couple celebrated their engagement with their inner circle—including Sofia's sister Nicole Richie and brother-in-law Joel Madden—at a backyard bash.

Married

Sofia and Elliot tied the knot on April 22, 2023 at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in the South of France.

 

Honeymooners

The newlyweds jetted off for their tropical honeymoon shortly after the lavish nuptials.

Oh, Baby

Sofia announced her pregnancy in January 2024, telling Vogue, "I've learned more in the past six months than I have in my entire life. And also just like what the female body is capable of."

The influencer continued, "Every week brings new things, whether it's hormonal shifts or expansion—there's just so much our bodies go through, and it's so interesting to experience it all."

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