Olivia Bowen has paid tribute to her grandfather following his death, saying she will “forever” hold onto the memories of him meeting her son.
The former Love Island star, 30, gave birth to her first child, Abel, in June 2022 with husband Alex Bowen, who she met on the ITV2 dating show.
Bowen said there is “never a right time or the right words or the right reaction” when announcing the news of her grandfather’s death on Saturday.
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“Even though we knew it was coming, the shock still rattles me,” she said on Instagram, sharing a series of pictures of the pair.
“All I know is I had the utmost privilege of having you as my grandad.
“I can’t believe my baby boy got to meet you and experience your light too, I will forever hold on to that, and the moments he would only sit with you with his satsuma.
“He would only sit with you with his milk. The way you let him trash your garden and flowers even though it’s your pride and joy and we all know you liked things just so.”
Bowen said she can hear her favourite memories “clear in my head” which she will hear “for the rest of my life, whenever I think of you”.
She added: “You were my childhood. Thank you for being the best grandad to me, and the best great grandad to Abel.”
Bowen first announced she was pregnant with a post on Instagram on New Year’s Day in 2022, showing Polaroid photos of her husband kissing her baby bump, a onesie bearing the words Baby Bowen, and pictures of the scan, as well of the couple holding a pair of baby booties.
The reality star and her husband were runners-up on Love Island in 2016 and married in September 2018, making them one of the rare pairings from the programme who have remained together.
In 2019 a series depicting their life in Essex called Olivia And Alex: Happily Ever After aired on TLC UK.
