Rio Ferdinand continues to pay tribute to his late wife Rebecca Ellison by wearing his wedding band, two years after her tragic passing. Despite having found happiness with former TOWIE star Kate Wright, Rio still honours the memory of Rebeca, the mother of his three children, who lost her battle with breast cancer, aged just 34. The gold band was clearly visible in a new selfie shared by Rio on Instagram this week. This snapshot shows the former footballer posing on holiday with a glass of wine, and smiling broadly for the camera.
Rio Ferdinand could be seen still wearing his wedding ring in a recent holiday snap
Rio, 38, is currently enjoying a summer holiday in Portugal with Kate and his loved ones, including children Lorenz, 11, Tate, nine, and six-year-old Tia, and his half-sisters. Earlier this week, Kate shared a photo showing her enjoying a beachside lunch with Rio's relatives, Remi, Anya and Chloe Ferdinand, writing alongside: "Lunch with the girls."
Rio's wife Rebecca Ellison passed away in May 2015 after battling breast cancer
The retired footballer confirmed his relationship with Kate in July. The couple had gone to great lengths to keep their romance under wraps; Kate, 26, also quit the Essex reality TV show earlier this year. After weeks of speculation, Rio finally confirmed he was dating the blonde beauty as he took to Instagram to post a photo of his girlfriend with his three children. Kate has also introduced the sportsman to her mum and her close friends.
This is Rio’s first relationship since the death of his wife Rebecca in May 2015. The couple first met in 2000 and were married nine years later. The sportsman sadly also lost his mother, Janice St Fort, in July of this year, again following a battle with cancer.