In this bold, unfiltered episode of The Iconic Midlife, Roxy Manning sits down with the reality star, entrepreneur, podcast host, and former Ladies of London and Real Housewives of Dubai star for a conversation about reinvention, beauty, power, relationships, ambition, and what it really takes to build a life entirely on your own terms.

From rebuilding after divorce in her 40s to marrying a younger man, embracing beauty treatments without apology, developing her own peptide venture, and potentially becoming a mother again at 50, Caroline opens up about the choices most women are judged for—but secretly admire.

This isn’t a conversation about “aging gracefully.”

It’s about refusing to shrink.

Inside the episode:

• why Caroline refuses to edit herself for approval
• the truth about confidence and control
• younger men, marriage, and public perception
• beauty, plastic surgery, and honesty
• the pressure women face around aging
• building businesses and personal brands
• why so many women feel stuck in midlife
• the standards Caroline holds for her life now
• what actually takes work behind a life that looks effortless

Sharp, funny, revealing, and deeply honest—this is Caroline Stanbury completely in her element.

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Taking care of yourself any which way you can, sends a message to the world. Marriage isn't about looks. Marriage is about knowing that your woman beside you is a badass bitch.

Of course there are cons to being with someone younger. Is he going to come in as financially stable as you? I hope not. He's 20 years younger. I mean, where were you at 21?

Dancing on a tabletop.

I have girlfriends that are married to extremely successful, successful, much older men. And, you know, for me, they live in a gilded cage. If I knew then what I know now, I wish I'd left years before.

Every day that passes is a day that you could have been doing something different.

I'm a walking advertisement for taking the leap of faith. If you're in an uncomfortable position or you don't feel this is the right time. That's exactly the right time.

That is exactly the right time to take the leap.

She doesn't edit herself, she doesn't follow the timeline, and she's definitely not asking for permission. From navigating divorce in her 40s to building a life on her own terms. Relationships, beauty, business, all of it.

Caroline Stanberry has never really played by the rules. And that's exactly why people can't look away. She's built a life that looks effortless on the outside.

But today, we're getting into what that actually takes. The decisions, the trade offs, and the standards she holds that most people wouldn't.

This is a conversation about control, reinvention, and what it really means to live unapologetically without performing it. So if you're someone who's questioning what's next or just done playing small, this one's for you. I'm Roxie Manning and this is the iconic Midlife.

Welcome to the show, Caroline. Welcome to the iconic Midlife. Caroline, how are you today?

Well, I mean, I'm turning 50 next week, so you really got me at the Midlife.

I wanted to hit it hard right at the right time. Happy early birthday. How are you feeling going into this new year?

Mixed emotions. I was really excited because I was having one hell of a birthday bash. And then obviously the war broke out and I canceled everything.

So I'm now hiding from the world.

And I'm off, actually, with my husband, just the two of us, and we're off to the Maldives to go and lie on a beach and hide from everyone because I want. I want my 50th to be like a second wedding. So, like, I just. Everyone keeps saying, can we pop over and see you? And I'm saying no.

So I'm leaving the country. How about that?

Oh, that's the best way to do it. You go, you travel, you come back, you turn 50, and there you are, you're back into life.

You know, it was funny when I turned 50, I felt like it happened last year, and I felt like that was a big year of change for me. There was a lot of, like, shedding of the old embracing paths and doing different. Different things.

I basically trying out different things than I had before. What do you think 50 will bring for you? Do you think it's going to be a year of change?

Do you think, you know, you're going to stay the course where you are now? Do you ever do, like, a life audit and kind of, you know, look through things and see what's working and what isn't?

All the time. I think that's called growth. And I weirdly. I don't know. You know, I do these women's retreats just as much as the women grow on them.

I do, too, because I think it kicks you into action. You know, you have to have a good, hard look at yourself. I also think this year has already started off like that.

I've got rid of a lot of dead weight people that, you know, suck my energy. I'm building in Bali now. We've got all the big diggers on, on site, which is really, really fun.

And I've gone into business with friends, which I said I would never do. And let me tell you, I'm having the best time. I built a hair salon. I'm building a community. I'm building the retreat.

It's just been so much fun I'm having. I didn't know business could be this fun because I think when I had Gift library, it was so stressful.

And I'm working with people that I really want to be around. So I think that's the biggest change for myself. I think I'm now rewritten my life exactly how I want it.

I spend the time with the people I want to spend time with, and that's it. And I'm really happy.

It sounds like it's more intentional now, and that's how it feels for me, too. It feels more intentional now than it ever has before. How have you become more intentional?

I think I'm intentional in everything. If I look at all the things I'm building, it's kind of a. It's. It's circle. It's like it's all based on wellness. It's all based on feeling good.

Having an experience. And everything I'm about is experiencing new things in life and also just creating this very soft but powerful life, if you get what I mean.

Like, I have beautiful things, I go on beautiful trips, but I'm not looking to be the next Emma Greed in, you know, New York, Times Square and like Chase, which I was when I was in my 20s and 30s, that's all I wanted to do is the hustle. And I think now I'm just like, I'm seeing that if I build that, this will pay for it, this will do this, that will do that.

And I can just sit back and enjoy my life with, you know, what I've built and enjoy the fruits of my labor and enjoy my, my next chapter with my husband.

And I think Sergio's being a big part of that because, you know, I think the biggest flex a woman can have is choosing a man that wants to go on that journey with her today. Because it's becoming harder and harder to find a man that really embraces his wife's journey or the journey they're on together as a team.

You know, what feels different to you or what are you doing differently than maybe you didn't do in your first marriage? Like, what are the lessons that you kind of took from number one to number two?

Well, I feel like the first time round, I always say it's a bit like musical chairs. I think, you know, when you come from a society where you're meant to be married in your early 20s, if you're not, you're over the hill.

So everybody's sort of. I always equate it to, you know, like musical chairs. Quick, the next good one's gone. And that's just not so. There is no panic.

And I would urge anyone to think long and hard before you get married about the type of man you want. And how can you possibly choose the man you want when you just come out of school essentially, so, you know, you don't know yourself.

And I think knowing now what I know, look, my ex husband is a great business partner for me. But, you know, ultimately I think we were both very driven to build our careers at that point. I think, you know, I had 80 something employees.

He was, you know, man working in a big hedge fund. I think we were competitive. I think we were both tired. We didn't have time for each other.

You know, neither of us was interested in the other one's business really. I didn't want to get home and talk about a hedge fund. And I'm sure he didn't want to get home and talk about my stuff, you know.

So I think the difference this time round is Sergio came in to my world and said, look, I'm just going to embrace it, you know, because he was so young, he was 24 years old at the time. You know, he just was so on board with everything I was doing. He's managed to make it his own, by the way.

You know, he's managed to like get in there and really get to know the women that I work with. You know, even on the retreats, you know, he's fully involved with the women and they love it because I think they get a male perspective.

And I was dead against that at the beginning.

And actually it only happened because I was doing my one on ones and he was left on his own with them that they all kept asking him things like social media, how to build a brand, but all these things that, you know, someone his age can teach women our age, right, that maybe aren't so comfortable with the tech side. And I was like, oh, well, actually this is a real gift for them because, you know, I. This is an actual added bonus.

Like these are all things that he did for me and I didn't know that I really needed. I was hiring teams of people to do that, but he was doing it from my house. So I was like, okay, this is genius.

So, you know, I think Sergio is not proud, as in, you know, he's got no ego.

He's happy to sit and work with me, for me, any which way, as, because, you know, at the end of the day we have the same goal and even if I can say he works for me, just, you know, the money goes the same place, doesn't it? So, you know, at the end of the day we're together, so it really doesn't matter who works for who, but we are a team.

When you're done with the work at the end of the day, like, how do you separate that out, you know, so it doesn't become an issue again,.

Because we have jobs that we really, really love. So, you know, you've just seen now he just left to play paddle with the boys. Like I do say to him, because he's so passionate.

He was up taking calls for the retreat, I think at 5am this morning. And you know, I do say to him, it's 9 o', clock, 9:30.

I don't want to talk about it, I don't want a question about the retreat, I don't want a question about anything. Let's just Watch tv. And I do try and do that. Or we connect and we, you know, chat to each other or, you know, have sex, whatever it is.

I kind of say, that's it. I'm off. I don't want to hear it. You can't ask me one single thing.

You know, I think a lot of women in midlife, too, are at this kind of, like, turning point, you know, like, maybe marriages are ending. You know, maybe they're getting divorced. Maybe they're taking a new career.

Kids are leaving empty nesting.

Yeah, kids are leaving kids. I mean, your kids are.

Well, they. They're 16 now, so. My daughter's left. She's at university now, and I've got two more, so. Then you better bloody light your partner, right?

You have to, like your partner. You have to figure things out.

So, you know, it's super important. Because at the end of the day, like, I think about, like, these.

The island home we're building, and I'm super excited to get on that island and be alone with him. Like, I could not care less who comes with us or not. And that's amazing. You know, we're going next week to the Maldives.

And that used to fill me with dread, going to the Maldives and thinking why I'm.

Well, because if you're in the wrong person, you don't have the fun that you should be having, or you feel like, you know, a little bit judged in your marriage or whatever it is, then going to an island is not the most fun.

But if you have a young, you know, you have a partner who you have fun with and run around the bedroom and giggle with, and, you know, Sergio's naked from the moment he enters that villa. We're having so much fun. You know what I mean? I'm like, I'm not even worried about the restaurants.

Like, I'm just happy to sleep, you know, turn off the phone, go swimming with him. Like, we literally. It's our favorite place on earth because we only need that bedroom in the nicest possible way.

It's like, you know, it's so fun, and we just relax and we have such a nice time together. And we remember exactly why we're together.

Because the allure of the younger man, you know, marriage, like, it's very sexy. It looks very, very, like, captivating from the outside. But are there parts that aren't so glamorous on the inside?

Well, there are parts with. That aren't glamorous with many men. Right. I have girlfriends that are married to extremely successful, much older men.

And you Know, for me, they live in a gilded cage. Yes, you have a nice house. Yes, you have nice things, but I have nice things.

And, you know, I don't need a bigger house than this, and I'm building all the rest. But I get to spend my money where I like.

And if anything goes wrong, you know, I don't have to host dinners I don't want to host, I don't have to sit in boring rooms I don't have to do anything I don't want to do. And that's just. I'm not prepared to live that way. That's up to you.

So, you know, just as there are pros and cons to everything, of course there are cons to being with someone younger, but the pros way outweigh it, you know, Was he. Is it. Is he going to come in as financially stable as you? Absolutely. I mean, God help. Gotta hope. Hope not. He's 20 years younger.

I mean, where were you at 24 or 21? You know what I mean?

Dancing on a tabletop.

Yeah, exactly. No, he's not. You know, and, and.

But if you've got somebody willing to learn and somebody who's willing to help you, you can build that person, build them, you know, it's worth it. I've done a lot of the things he wants to do. Maybe the kids thing is an uncomfortable conversation, but not a deal breaker.

He knew well what he was getting into, and not really, I mean, very, very, very little. I think the biggest question I get asked is the finances. And we figured that out a long time ago.

You know, I made him tell me from the very beginning how much money was in as a bank account, so that then I knew exactly what I was going to do with it. And that's it. And from. We've been together eight years now, so, you know, it's a completely different thing.

And I think the only other thing is that you can do, but you should do that, whether you're with an older guy, younger guy, whatever, is what we did, which is, you know, prenup, post, nup, you know, if he leaves me and if I die and everybody knows exactly where, where you stand, that not only secures him so he doesn't feel like I've worked all these years, maybe, you know, for her, and I'm going to leave with nothing, which he shouldn't. And it also secures me that, you know, things that I had before him are not going anywhere near him.

If he left me, but if I died, you know, then he deserves some.

Of that, you make a good point. I mean, he should be.

Yeah.

As you're saying, know where he stands. You know, it's. It's. He can't be just left out in the cold like that.

No man or woman. And you shouldn't do that to anyone. And I think that's a very valuable lesson I teach everyone.

Once you're pragmatic, by the way, like this, you have a better relationship. You have a really good relationship. If you can't discuss those kind of things with your partner, then that is not a partnership.

That is somebody who would cut you dry in a second. In a second. Every new asset I get or we get or we build, I think about him and what, you know, how.

How we distribute it and how it's going to be with my kids. I don't want to even leave my kids in a bad position that they have to fight with him or anything like that.

That everybody understands where they stand and what they get.

Yes, absolutely. And you are working on so many things. You've got businesses galore. Congratulations on all your success.

Thank you. I think. You know, my daughter always says I'm like a caricature. And she said, what's mom's new hair brain scheme?

But let me tell you now, my hair brain schemes have come to fruition. Everyone's not laughing so hard anymore. Right.

You have to do it. If you don't do it, how would you ever know if it works or not? I mean, that's the thing. I feel like people get so stuck.

They're like, I can't make that move, you know, to kind of step out of the box and try it. Who cares if it fails? Like, you learn more from failure anyway.

100%. I failed a million times. I wasn't expecting the hair salon.

I mean, the hair salon I just did because my hair stylist asked me to do it, and she's amazing. But we are in even with a war on packed. Packed. I'm not even going to tell you the numbers it's doing, and it's nuts. I had no idea.

So some things, the things that you. You throw at the, you know, throw a dart at the wall and hope it's sticks. They stick.

One of the things you're doing that sticks is creating a peptide line. You're creating a peptide.

Well, I'm trying to. They're not that easy to sell.

What is your peptide? Is it because you weren't finding things in the marketplace you. That you wanted?

No, no, gosh, no. We wanted to do My, my, my current doctor now in la, he and I wanted to like power up and do one together.

So it's just not been as easy as I thought it was going to be to just to get them across into Dubai or into the uk. So we're just discussing, discussing logistics of it.

And also because peptides, I think have to be prescribed, which is another hurdle, but I, maybe I'll turn it into liquid form, which I'm going to try. But peptides, I think are one of the greatest tools a woman can have.

It changed my skin, my health, my, you know, vitality, the way I feel, everything.

So one of the peptides you were really honest about, which I appreciated, which also our common friend Tracy has been very transparent about, which I think is really important. Women should know what we're doing.

Tracy and I have the same doctor.

Oh, you do? Is it Chris? Chris Andre? Yeah, he was just on my show as well. He's great, isn't he? Yes, amazing. But I love the transparency of it.

You know, it's like women should know what's happening. It's not a good night's sleep and it's not drinking more water. We're doing things that are, they're invasive, they can be invasive.

Tracy and I had facelifts, so also, so that's a big, big change, you know, and we were very public with ours, But I think 76 million people saw mine. So I, I think that you, of course I'm, I'm, you know, I have a podcast too, so I definitely tell women all the time.

I didn't just wake up like this, you know, this is not how a 50 year old woman normally looks. And I do lasers. My skin's amazing. Right now. I'm in the middle of a, another one, but I do lasers. I do at the facial, at the facelift, I do peptides.

All of it together is what keeps you looking.

Yeah, I was really appreciative when you went, when you talked about being on the GLP1 because I actually just started the GLP1 as well.

Congratulations.

It's been a little rough. It's a little nauseating at the beginning, but yeah, no, I, I intend to do the same.

Which one are you on?

I'm on Wegovy.

Oh, okay. So there's a new one now called Retta. That one is fantastic.

I mean, I've, I take it, I have it in my fridge if I get, if I put on too much weight, but right now I'm actually the smallest. I've been in a Long time. So because all my peptides kind of do.

I have anti inflammation, I have H10, I do all different types of peptides that kind of keep me small already. So just from the training I do and all of that. So I don't really. My fridge always has a pen or, you know, the retta in it in case I overeat.

But I don't really, I'm not using it religiously. No.

So are you cycling in and cycling out on some of those other peptides? Okay, that's what Chris was saying too.

Yeah. On the other. Yeah. So Chris, I, Chris I've worked with for a long time. So I do testosterone. I do all of it.

I mean we have to, it's, it's, it's so important to replace our hormones. I mean, did you notice a difference right away?

Oh my God. I would have like slit up a telephone pole. I felt amazing.

It's fucking night and day, isn't it?

Yes. I, I tell everyone and I tell the husbands, you're welcome, like, you know, it's fantastic.

And my husband is now 31, but you know, obviously he's got a completely different sex drive to a 50, you know, old woman. So like it's, it's fantastic for us. He loves it when I get it.

So it really helps with the sex, like for sure. The testosterone especially. Right?

Yes. I wake him up in the morning now for morning sex. He's like, this is amazing.

Get it, lady. Okay. When morning sex comes back into the rotation, you know, it's good then.

Yes. Okay.

What else are you doing? You're doing peptides, you're doing the HRTs. You're obviously, I'm sure working out.

I work out, but not nothing like I used to. I do these like videos for 20 minutes. I do 20 minutes of arms or legs, just strength. I do red light sauna. I just bought a new one for my house.

I do all the lasers. So I've just done bbl, Moxie Pico. So my skin is just completely like flawless. Really shines.

Yeah, it's gorgeous. I can tell through the camera. I'm like, yes, girl. Yeah, it shines.

It's, it shines. I do salmon sperm. I do, Yeah, I take care of myself.

It's actually self care. I mean it feels good when you're doing it. It gives you a sense of, you know, you're, you're taking care of yourself. It's self love.

Listen, my husband is hot, hot, hot, okay? People are like, what do you do to keep him? I mean, no, he, I. He's the cat that got the cream.

He feels like I'm the prize, like there is he, you know, loves the way I look. He loves. He doesn't mind if I get gray hair.

He doesn't mind any of it, you know, And I think that what it does do, it just gives you this energy, this confidence. I'm. I know my self worth and I think a woman that takes care of herself in any way, shape or form.

And I understand if you can't do all of the things I do. Absolutely. You know, I'm on tv, so therefore I get, you know, amazing deals.

And, you know, I do understand that it's not manageable for a lot of people, but taking care of yourself any which way you can sends a message to the world. Right? And actually, you know, I used to party and drink so much and go out all night. I don't do that anymore. I don't even drink wine at home.

Like, I'm not a drinker anymore. My skin is better. I think that's because my husband is an athlete, so, you know, he loves. He doesn't drink, so that really helps.

And I have just as much fun without it. And I think our lives are just really, really full. And genuinely, I'm happy. And happiness shows.

Yeah, it absolutely does. You know, when I look at some of these, you know, especially in the midlife space on social media, I see that people tend to fall into two camps.

It's very like black and white. It's either, you know, you do everything or you do nothing.

And there is a lot judgment from people on both sides that if you do certain interventions or if you just let it go and just do everything natural there on both sides, there's this sort of judgment. And I really think it's important to like show that there is a gray area. Like also not to pass judgment. It's, you know, to each his own.

If you want to do interventions, do it. But if you want to go natural too, do that.

You know, look, there's a generation above us, like my mom's generation. They didn't do anything. My mother's done absolutely nothing. And she looks amazing. And there is definitely a stigma to all the things.

And also when you had facelifts back then, you looked like you were stuck in a wind tunnel. And it was just everyone did it when they're really old. And if you do it when you're old, it looks. Just looks really, really weird.

Suddenly you come back looking 20 years younger. You know, I think Wes, when I did it, and I was one of the younger, younger side.

I think people just said I look refreshed and wasn't quite sure what I did because I was just removing all that filler. But, like, of course there is judgment to do less. And people like, I just do Botox or I just do filler.

But honestly, filler not done, done right is terrible. It's the most aging thing. A facelift done the right way is the best thing ever. I would.

And by the time you've done years of Botox and fillers, you probably spent what you've done on a facelift anyway.

If you don't want to dye your hair and you don't want to go to the gym and you feel like, you know, because a midlife spread is not called a midlife spread just because one person had one.

That's what happens when your hormones aren't, you know, at the right level and you're, you know, you're tired and who's going to the gym when you've got. If you're not taking any of these things to help yourself? Of course, what happens is you get tired, you get lethargic, you get fat, you get.

You've got low energy and, you know, you get probably diseases of some sort. And what, you know, the health. In the health industry. But the medical industry prefers us that way because they make more money.

So if we all jumping around, having taken the right hormones and understanding how our bodies actually work and we look and feel good, and we're not, you know, we don't get heart disease and we're not overweight, and you don't have to be pencil thin either, by the way.

Everybody has a perfect optimal weight for themselves, you know, and once you get to that stage, not only do people respect you more, you get better jobs, you get better outcomes. Because people only follow people that I'm not. Why would I follow someone that doesn't take care of themselves?

If you can't take care of yourself, how are you going to take care of me? What am I. What am I measuring myself up to? So you want to be that bitch. You want to be the bitch that gets out of bed and says, you know, I'm here.

That's what I fudgeing love about you, Caroline, because you are so just. You don't censor yourself. You put yourself out there. You're unedited, like. And I think we need that. We need voices like that.

And midlife especially, you know, it's. It's okay to be who you Are, you know, through and through.

It's okay to be who you are. Yeah.

And I feel like so many women lose their identity during this time especially.

Well, because they don't have an identity outside of, you know, maybe the marriage or bringing up kids because that's become the whole identity. And obviously it's a luxury and wonderful to spend time with your children.

And my children would moan about me having all these jobs and doing all these things, but now that they see how it's going to work out for them, let me tell you, they're not so bad upset about it.

And you know, at the end of the day, my lowest point was when, you know, I was going through the divorce, a court case that I didn't know who I was either anymore because that business was my identity. I went to the office every day. Now I didn't have an office to go to, you know, losing my business, doing all that.

And of course it's easier just to sit back down and say it, let somebody else take care of me. But at the end of the day, even if you have someone by your side, there is today, there is no guarantee that someone's staying by your side.

And just because he loved you then and he said he was going to do these things, most times they don't do what they say they're going to do when they've moved on. That's just facts. But so, you know, you need to be prepared for the worst, even if the best happens.

So what did you do when you were in the midst of that, of the divorce? Like how? Because I'm sure you had days too where you were like fudgeing a, like, I can't do this, like I can't do this anymore.

I millions of days like that, I had millions of days like that, like going, I'm going to go bankrupt. What have I done? I'm marrying a 20, I met a 24 year old. What is he going to be able to do? You know, I'm in the middle of losing my business.

Like everything had collapsed around me. Absolutely everything I knew had collapsed. There was no grain of hope. But then, you know, each day comes and you don't die, you don't die.

So you do one thing that's going to like, you know, I have friends that get used to get bills and then just sort of put them in a box and go, I'll deal with it later. I was never that girl. I would get the bill and then figure out one bill at a time. You know, there's always A way through it, right?

And I think instead of collapsing, you've got to be pragmatic and practical with the hand you built dealt. You can't sit under a rock and go back to a marriage because it's a bad time to leave, you know, you can't do that.

It's not fair on him, it's not fair on you. You're going to have to go through all of this again. It's not going to get better, you know. Get better? Why? Because you don't have an option.

How awful is that? No, I would never want that to be, you know, and the best is yet to come.

If I knew then what I know now, I wish I'd left years before to get to where I am today.

Would you have left earlier? Would you? If you looking back, I mean, you.

Know, most people think about it for at least, you know, three years or whatever. We had been going through a rough spot.

But I mean, I think you always go, everyone goes, it's not the grass isn't greener or it's not going to be that. And he's got a gorgeous girlfriend so he's probably feeling exactly feel the same way. Like it's just, you're just prolonging the agony.

You both know it's not going to work, but nobody wants to make that first move.

Now if I could get into, I'm in a beautiful home with the man of my dreams, building my dream life, you know, helping women, building communities, like I. What is this life? What is this life?

Every day that passes is a day that you could have been doing something different.

But listen, you know, I am a perfect walking example. And that's what I say to the ladies that do come on my retreat. I'm a walking advertisement for taking the leap of faith.

If you're in an uncomfortable position or you don't feel this is the right time, that's exactly the right time. That is exactly the right time to take the leap.

Being a public face, did that change your direction at all or like make you, you know, not do maybe what you were going to do at the time or was that not even a consideration?

Not even a consideration. I mean, being in public faces, like just unfortunately in the middle of the chaos, just another chaotic thing.

You just get a lot more opinions in your ear the way you're behaving. But at the end of the day, I did what I wanted anyway. I always have, always will.

And I did the exact opposite of what every single person told me, which was marry my 24 year old.

Your friends were saying, don't do it. Like, don't do it, everybody.

There was not one person that said, do it. Of course not. And I, in their shoes, looking back, I would have said the same thing. Of course.

You know, I think my, my friend had like lost her fucking mind. And at the end of the day, you know, most cases, maybe it wouldn't have worked. It's just Sergio is a sort of.

I say he's a little old man in a very young body. But, you know, it's worked for us and it's worked on an incredible scale. And, you know, I'm.

I couldn't teach women what I teach women if I wasn't happy or in a good space. And women wouldn't be flocking to these retreats if you didn't think through the screen. I was in a good place.

And I think, you know, good or bad insight doesn't. It's not even about the money in your bank account. It's about success is measured by the peace and the happiness in your heart. Really? That's it?

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you can tell it shows, you know, it's an outward projection in a lot of ways.

But, you know, going back to also money, I think money is also an interesting topic in midlife. But it's interesting with money now. I used to be like, okay, I need to have this designer bag.

I need to have like this article of clothing, this car, so. And I still love those things. Don't get me wrong, they're amazing. But the way I think about money, the way I want to spend my money is different now.

Different.

Right. It's like about experience and like, it's like a switch. Yes, it's a switch. And it's something that happened in midlife.

I sent a picture to my friend's husband this morning, one of my best friend's husband. I sent him a picture of a digger in Bali. And he goes, I'm going. I said, is it weird that this excites me?

And he, he texts me and he goes, I'm keeping that. I'm going to screenshot this. And I, you know, and it's true. Like, it does like, you know, used to be thes. My Birkin getting me so excited.

And then today I got two pictures of diggers because my. These are my friends husbands had invested. And I sent them the pictures and I'm like, this is more exciting than any handbag.

Like, I'm building something with my friends. And I'm like, look, the diggers have arrived and it's so much fun. So much fun.

And you know, some of these guys I've known 12, 13 years and you know, it's just so fun. We're all just going, oh my God, this is crazy because we none of us know what we're doing, but we are going on a journey. We're having an experience.

We are with friends. We're in it together. You know what I mean?

Even though, I mean, you know, Sergio and I are the largest shareholders by far, but I include them on everything because I'm like, it's, I'm feeling this way. I want them to be just as excited when they see this come in. And it's, it's magic, it's magical, it's.

And next week we go to the week after, on the 17th, I think it is, we go to Africa to go choose the plot for our house that we're building as well. You know, it's just, life is. We just looked at each other today and it's stressful. You know, he's been up since five working.

He's now gone to take my kids to play paddle. It's what for me, 8:30 at night.

And you know, we're still going and, and I'm on this, but, you know, we're like, we looked at each other's day and we're in the middle of it and my two assistants were here and we go, what is this life? What is this life? It's amazing. And we're like high fiving each other as we're like, next, you know, into the next thing.

And we just, we're like on such a high from doing it, you know, that's why everyone goes, aren't you scared your husband will leave you? And I'm not. Not for a second of a minute of a day. No. He hasn't got time to leave me. And he's so into what we're building.

There's no fucking way, you know, like, there's no woman that's going to attract him away from what we are doing right now. Because he, he, you know, even if he had an inkling of a, oh, she's hot, he's gonna think long and hard about the life he's built.

It's interesting you're saying that because I find that in. Well, I don't think it's just midlife. I think it can be women in general.

A lot of women are threatened by divorced women, like coming into their circle or single moms, you know, what, what do you make of that, I mean. And do you see that, too?

Well, I'll tell you what I make of make of that. Today my husband had a paddle date with my girlfriend. She's called Supercar Blondie. She's like one of the biggest car review girls. She's huge.

And she called me up, she said, can I borrow your husband to play paddle? I said, absolutely. And off they went, and they had so much fun. They called me from the court. She was married. She just got divorced after 23 years.

And she's a really good friend of ours. Like, I mean, if there's just. Wouldn't even cross my mind. I have a lot of male friends. A lot of male friends.

So as far as I'm concerned, Sergio prefers being with women. My female friends, they all love him. You know, if I can't trust Sergio to play a game of paddle, then, okay, I don't. He's not mine anyway.

Yeah, he. Don't be threatened by that.

I think it's pathetic when married women do that. I didn't want your husband before, I don't want him now. You know, and you need to have confidence. Marriage isn't about looks.

At the end of the day, you know, that all fades. Marriage is about knowing that your woman beside you is a badass bitch. Right?

Like, knowing that I'm not going to find anything better than her because she is amazing. Like, and so someone that's weak and going, oh, you can't go out. That woman's going to be there. That one's going to. That man's going to be there.

It's so unattractive. So unattractive. Like, that just gives me the ick. Like, I would be gone because you're wet, not because he's so attractive.

It shouldn't even be a consideration.

Shouldn't be a consideration. You should be supportive. If I've just got divorced, like, scoop me up, take me out, introduce me to everyone, leave me at home.

Because you can't cope with your own lives, right?

Absolutely. So you didn't worry about getting into business with your friends?

Well, I did, and I went all the other route, funnily enough. And at the very end, one of my. The husbands of one of my best girlfriends came up to me and said, why haven't you asked me?

And I just said, because I don't really want to go into business with friends. I've never done business with friends. I was taught that very early on. And actually, I had such a horrible time with a fundamental.

That I was like, okay, he Goes, but I want to invest. And I was like. And then one of my other best boyfriends said to me, you never asked me either. I want to invest. And it just happened.

And let me tell you, it's been the easiest, most fun I've ever had. As I said, every time at the beginning they called me, I was like, no, no, I'm sending you a report now of what we've done.

They're like, no, we just like, we're saying hi. They haven't even asked me. And they see all the videos. Absolutely loving it. It's been the dream.

I mean, you know, I hope I'm not going to eat my words later, but this has been, I think, because they're the same age as me, they're successful businessmen, it's not huge investments. It's going to be like, if they lose it, they lost it, you know, God forbid, which. But if they lose it, I'm in trouble because I'm going to lose mine.

And I invested a lot. You know, I think we're just all in it and enjoying it. And between us, we're all clever people.

We're all like, okay, if you, if, if this, you know, if you need help here, I can help.

If you need an introduction there, I can help one of the banker, one of them, a famous radio DJ here, you know, so between us, we know everybody and I think, you know, I don't know, it's been wonderful so far. Again, I'm only six months into being partners with them, but you never know.

I started on my own and obviously as you go along, when they've seen it, and I feel really proud that as people that have watched me build it have all come and asked, you.

Know, I also like the fact that you sort of dip in and dip out to reality tv, you know.

Yes.

You just did Traders.

Like, is it something that you think that'll remain like you'll just keep doing these kind of like things that come your way, or would you want to be back on a full time, you know, reality show?

Look, I've done it for, you know, on and off for many years now. And I think I've done everything. Do I want to go back into Housewives? I mean, you know, I always say I'm ready for the break.

I think Housewives is particularly difficult one to do. It's really hard to film and I'm in a very difficult, I'm in a very positive positivity is my superpower.

So I do find it hard to be in that sort of Very, very aggressive forum. But I do love reality tv and I'm good at it. I'm really good at it. So I, I do understand that, you know, I do.

If, if the right offer comes along, of course I'll do it. But again, I'm not expecting a ton of offers. I live in the Middle east, you know, I'm fully involved in all the other things I do.

And, you know, I'm, I've been really blessed that. Bravo just keep me in the loop. You know, they invite me to everything. They throw a show at me.

A year, one show of, one show a year is enough for me because obviously it keeps you relevant, keeps you in doing what you do. I have a great platform for it, and that's it.

So if I could get away with doing something like Traitors every year a different show like that, then of course, absolutely, I'm in. But if not, that's okay too. You know, I, I, there, there comes a time, I think I started reality TV at 34, you know, which is when ladies came.

So, you know, I've had a really good run of it, and I have a very nice life. I haven't been. Become a caricature of myself. I haven't really done something I can't recover from.

Has it become less important to you as you've gotten older to kind of have that TV spotlight and do that kind of a thing?

Of course. When I was in my 30s, you know, being famous and, you know, running around when we had Ladies of London, it was so much fun.

We would travel as little was like being in a girl band. Right. Was really, really fun. And we were one of the first in the UK to have that kind of thing. So people, it was really just, you know, lovely.

But now, I mean, it's less and less important to me. I, you know, Sergio and I get recognized every day.

Anyway, I think because we're a couple, we're also, you know, we're also so prolific on social media, I don't think it makes any difference. People feel like they're on a TV show with us anyway because we run our social media that way, and that's where our business comes from.

So in a way, we have our own little TV channel.

Yeah, you do. I mean, you get a peek into your life, like you're saying through your podcasts or your social media, because you're still in the spotlight, per se.

Yeah, but it's different. You control it.

I control it. I forget that I'm famous here because, you know, I've been in Dubai 12 years. I think it is now 12.

Do you love it? Do you love it?

I love it, I love it. So I'm well known here regardless, you know, so people kind of leave me alone, like they.

They know who I am and, you know, so it's not that crazy thing of screaming. Not like America, where they go, you know, bananas and run at you.

Yeah. You were just in la, too, so you got a fair dose of the whole LA feel as well. Do you like coming here?

I love coming to la. Of course I do. Yeah. So nice. My, you know, my best girlfriend's there and who I've been staying with since Ladies of London, so that's always fun.

Yeah. So she's a sister to my best friend.

She is.

Yes, yes, yes, I know. It's all in the family. So a little birdie told me, maybe social media, that you're thinking about having a surrogate baby coming up. Is this true?

Yes, we are thinking we have a little boy on ice, and it's just whether we pull the trigger or not, we're up and down because we love being the two of us. But Sergio is, you know, dying for his own children, and I understand that.

And he knows we've only got one shot, so I think he kind of feels maybe we try the one shot and see what happens. If. If God wants him to have a baby, he'll have a baby.

So if anything is holding you back, what is it? Or if anything is, like, making you hesitate?

For me, I feel like my kids are going to have kids, so we'll end up with grandchildren anyway, and I don't know if I have the patience at this age to do it, you know, but then I do have a lot of patience. You know, I've got. Essentially, my husband is like having another teenager in the house because he's just so fun. So I've got all.

I've got three giant men that live with me now. So maybe I do. I have a lot of patience. You know, we have a very young house, like my.

We pump music through the house in the mornings, we have our coffee. I live a very young life with my two sons, who are also taller than my husband. So, you know, the whole house is filled with laughter and crazy.

And as I said, they've all gone to paddle now. And last night we were on the beach together, so, you know, maybe I could do it. You know, I've got three dogs as well who are chaos.

One's snoring under the table, but so, you know, I Just think that I want to wind down, but then I don't ever wind down. So maybe a baby is like, why not?

Do you think you'd do it differently this time around?

Well, I don't go to an office anymore, so that would be different. I have a lot, a lot of help here because we're in the Middle East.

That's key.

Yeah. Would I do it differently? I don't know. Everyone keeps that sick saying to me.

It probably would be very different because I had so much responsibility when I had my twins, you know, I was running such a big company and you know, I was the CEO and you know, I had $22 billion worth of funds that had invested in me, you know, two big. One of. Two of the biggest funds in Europe, to be honest.

So, you know, I didn't have the, you know, I wasn't able just to take time off and relax like that. So maybe I would enjoy it more because it would be on my terms. I don't know.

But I mean, I also, on the other hand, think maybe I'd hate it because I, you know, I'm, I feel like I'm done. I brought up my children, they're all leaving and it's, you know, I'm not scared to be on my own.

I don't mind to be an empty nester because I know they'll be home on weekends. I mean, I can't get my daughter, My daughter's coming back next year. She comes back every holiday we're going away for summer together.

I mean, you know, I, maybe I quite like the chance to get a bit lonely. They all migrate back to my house.

And that's what you want, that's the hope, right, that once they leave, they'll come back. And clearly, you know, for you it's happening. I have a, an 11 year old and so we're kind of emerging like those preteen years are happening now.

And I mean, I think about her leaving and it's makes me sad. I know it's a part of her growing up and fighting her independence. But I do hope she'll come back.

They come back, they come back. Even in the divorce they're meant to go every other weekend to the father and they end up here every weekend. Every weekend they migrate back because.

Yeah, I have a party house, apparently.

Well, that's good. You keep an eye on things on. Yeah, you know, that's the idea. But what advice do you have for me? Would the emerging teenage daughter duck?

Duck? I can't tell you. It Was. I had a very difficult relationship with my daughter for quite a while. And, you know, it's only been.

Since she's really gone back to school. I think she says it's just because we're very similar, so we clash on a lot of things. But I say it's black, she says it's white.

She's strong, headstrong, tough. But, you know, now she's 20 and, you know, she's coming for summer with me now. It's getting good again, I think.

I feel like she's softening, but, you know, they say 20 to 21, you get them back. So, you know, I think she now understands me a little bit more. But she was my toughest one, and she. She's fully aware of that.

She is. But then you guys are going to come back and be best friends again.

Yes, we will. And my. You know, and that's it. And my sons. My sons are amazing. Every day, they.

Even at 16, they tell me before we go to, every, probably 20 times a day, they love me at least. Mom, I love you, Mom, I love you all day long.

That's amazing that they emote their feelings like that, because a lot of boys don't.

They don't. And even when their friends are here, they'll go, bye, Mom. Love you all the time.

In front of the friends.

In front of all their friends.

Okay, you did something right then.

Yeah. Yeah. I'm shocked because I would never do that to my parents ever. So I don't know what I've done, but it's like the dream.

And they always come in and cuddle me and give me love, or sit in my bed and sit with me and chat to me. They like, even when their friends are here, they come to my room and sit in my bed. So cute.

That is so sweet. That's so sweet. And your. Your husband seems to get along with them. Amazing.

Yeah. Really, really nice.

The cohesiveness, that's like, what you want, you know?

Yeah. That took a long time. That took a while.

So there was, like, growing pains and a little bit of, like, up and down.

Yeah.

Yeah.

It's. It's never easy to blend a family, but I will say that now it is the dream.

Now.

They. The boys love him. Yasmin and him had the biggest fights, I think. But now she is also amazing with him, so I can't complain at all.

Oh, that's amazing. How are you living iconically right now?

Oh, so many ways, I think. Iconically right now, I said I've.

I live in this, you can see a pink house with a pink Bentley with pink golf cart, with a husband 20 years younger than me with very happy children, with. You know, how is this not. Not iconic? It's iconic.

Pink palace.

Yeah. I live in Barbie's pink house.

And.

Because I can't.

Yeah, because you can't. Because you. You made the change. You did the uncomfortable step.

Yeah.

And that's sometimes all it takes. Like, you really. You just have to do it. You just have to make the step.

Yep. The hardest thing is just to start.

So what advice would you say to somebody listening right now that's scared to.

Start, start, start, or come to one of my retreats and I'll kick you out. This the thing to start?

Yes. By the way, those retreats look fucking amazing. Hello, Bali.

They are.

Which one is the next one coming up?

Bali, girl.

You might be seeing me there.

Oh, you should come. You meet amazing women. Amazing women. Yeah.

Who's going? What kind of women are going?

Oh, my goodness. We've had so many tights. We had an amazing woman. Two. Two women from Beverly Hills. We've had women.

One, three women from construction, divorcees with women that owns hotels. One woman was selling her business for $600 million. Like all walks of life. All walks. That's why you learn a lot from the other women in there, too.

And I think the connections you make within there, it's very powerful when women get together. It's like a think tank.

Yes, yes, yes. It's unstoppable.

Unstoppable, yes.

And you've got the podcast, which I'm obsessed with. It's so good.

Thank you.

Anybody exciting coming up for you?

Oh, gosh, I actually don't know. I don't have the schedule. Isn't that terrible? I'm sorry, I don't know. But actually, you know that my favorite ones are just the rants about life.

I think people love them. You know, just love hearing what everyday life is. Is like.

Yeah, no, absolutely. Definitely listen to her podcast.

Obviously, everyone's already following you on social media, but if they aren't, go to Caroline Stanberry and follow her, because I love your videos, too. That 51 you posted, I was like, yes, lady, yes, yes. You're already ready for it. You're ready to walk into this next decade.

I'm ready. Thank you for having me.

Oh, thank you so much, Caroline. Happy early birthday. It's been so wonderful chatting with you.

And you and you.

Oh, the best, the best. We'll have to get together when you come to la.

Yes. Thank you. Thank you. I love it.

There's something really powerful about knowing exactly who you are and not negotiating it. And whether people understand it or not, still choosing it anyway. That's what this is really about. Not perfection, not approval, just alignment.

And if something in this conversation hit for you, don't sit on it, share it, send it to a friend, text to someone who needs it, or post it and tag me the Iconic Midlife. And if you haven't already, make sure you're following the iconic midlife wherever you get your podcasts so you don't miss what's coming next.

We've got some incredible conversations ahead, because midlife isn't about fading out. It's about stepping into exactly who you are. Unfiltered, unapologetic, and built for a midlife that doesn't ask for permission.

I'll see you next time.