80s supermodel says her wedding venue ‘smelled of wee’

In December 1985, the former Cherwell School pupil married Duran Duran lead singer Simon Le Bon at Oxford register office.

Now the face of Asda George clothing brand, the model, 62, has been talking about the past four decades of married life.

READ MORE: Simon Le Bon made MBE in Kings Honours

But the married mum-of-three, who has four grandsons, told The Times their journey together did not start particularly well.

She was 21 when she married Mr Le Bon at Oxford register office, which she said had an “overwhelming smell of piss”.

The city’s register office moved to Tidmarsh Lane in 1994.

The wedding was so last minute that Mr Le Bon left his wife’s grandmother off the guest list.

The night before, the model realised she had nothing to wear which wasn’t black.

“First thing in the morning my father drove me to central Oxford; the first door open was Benetton,” she said, recalling that she picked out a fluffy fawn and cream sweater dress.

She was 17 and still at school when she was scouted by an Oxford model agency, before going on to become Elle magazine’s first cover girl and leading campaigns for Dior, Guess, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren.

Yasmin and Amber Le Bon (Image: Jaguar MENA/Wikimedia Commons)

The couple have three daughters; Amber, 36, Saffron, 34, and Tallulah, 31, and four grandsons.

Referring to married life, the model said: “I laugh hysterically every day and adore my husband and want to kill him at the same time.”

She now joins lead singer Simon Le Bon when he is touring with Duran Duran, adding: “Duran all love touring, and he and I make it a joyful time.

“I see them night after night and am always amazed how he does it.”

Simon Le Bon (Image: PA Media)

After having three daughters four grandsons is a bit of a shock.

“We were such a feminine house, now they’ve taken over,” she said.

“We’re thinking of banning balls indoors until their skill levels improve.

“I could take my daughters anywhere and negotiate with them even before they could really speak.

“But boys live in the moment, what I say goes in one ear and out the other.”

Mr Le Bon, who enjoyed a string of 80s hits with Duran Duran including Is There Something I Should Know, Girls On Film and A View To A Kill, said he was “truly beyond thrilled and surprised” to be made an MBE in June, 2024.

He said at the time: “What an incredible, and totally unexpected honour.

“These last few years have been some of the most important in Duran Duran’s career, and this is a bright but humbling highlight as our journey continues.

“It is fitting that the honour has been awarded not just for my role in music, but also for the work I’ve been fortunate to be involved with outside the band for some of the causes I believe in.

“To name but two of them, I hope this moment helps to raise awareness for the Blue Marine Foundation and the importance of their conservation work, and for Centrepoint (a homelessness charity).”