Jessica Clarke and football agent David Gardner officially announced their engagement on Instagram today. Photo / NZME
Jessica Clarke and football agent David Gardner officially announced their engagement on Instagram today. Photo / NZME
Kiwi supermodel Jessica Clarke has said “yes” to “best friend”, renowned sports agent David Gardner.
Football and fashion fans were greeted with a black-and-white photo on the Instagram page of David Gardner, known for representing football superstar David Beckham.
“Guess what? She said, ‘YES’ My best friend, Ilove you so much.”
In the photo, Clarke, the Victoria’s Secret model and founder of wellness brand Mother Made, is seen sporting a diamond ring.
David Beckham liked a post on Gardner's Instagram. Samir Hussein/WireImage
Fans and celebrities flocked to the couple’s Instagram, including Beckham himself, who is the godfather to Gardner’s two children.
Beckham was not the only celebrity to chime in, with Jamie Winstone and Rita Ora also posting.
The football star and Gardner have known each other since they were 14, as reported by the Daily Mail, after meeting on the Manchester United Youth team.
Gardener’s enduring friendship with Beckham resulted in an invitation to a “find yourself” lads’ holiday to Brazil in 2014.
While Gardner did not make the Manchester United squad, he set up the Elite Sports Agency with Sir Alex Ferguson’s son, Jason Ferguson, in 2001.
Previously, Gardner had been in a relationship with Liv Tyler, who is the mother of his two daughters.
He and Tyler, 48, were engaged and share custody of Sailor Gene, 10, and Lula Rose, 9.
Gardner also shares a son, Grey, 18, with his ex-wife, Davinia Taylor.
Gardner has dated some of the most famous women in the world, including Kate Moss, Taylor, Tyler and Ora.
Clarke, who is from Palmerston North, shot to international fame after becoming the first Kiwi to join Victoria’s Secret catalogue of models in 2011.
In 2021, Clarke co-founded Mother Made, alongside her long-time best friend and fellow entrepreneur, Emily Blanchett.
The duo are leading the charge for medicinal mushrooms in Aotearoa, offering a range of mushroom-focused wellness powders and supplements.
Clarke moved to New York City at 17 and has since been photographed by some of the world’s top fashion photographers, featured in numerous fashion campaigns and appeared in high-profile magazine editorials.
In a 2018 NZME Viva article, the Victoria’s Secret Model said the rise to international stardom was “such a mad experience”.
“It was really important for me as it established me in the industry. However, I’m a bit of a weirdo. I get quite shy talking about stuff I’ve done in modelling. I’m pretty sure I’ve only posted one picture from it on my social media!”
Gardner and Clarke also enjoyed a holiday to the Greek Islands, where they can be seen embracing one another.
Before the Greek holiday, the two visited the Harry Potter attraction at Universal Studios, Orlando.
“I’m a massive Harry Potter fan if you can’t tell. The Hagrid rollercoaster in Hogsmeade and Raptor Rollercoaster in Jurassic Park are hands down the best rides,” Clarke said in an Instagram post.
The duo also celebrated birthdays and attended black tie galas together, according to Clarke’s Instagram.
