Caroline Stanbury and Sergio Carrallo Prove that Building a Lasting Romance Starts With Friendship

Caroline Stanbury and Sergio Carrallo made headlines for their 19-year age gap, but they don’t shy away from the attention. The former star of Real Housewives of Dubai claims the age gap actually makes their marriage stronger. Despite the outside noise from online haters, Stanbury has taken to social media, more times than we can count, to declare her love for Carallo, and Carallo has followed suit—proving that friendship is what keeps their spark alive. 

After Stanbury’s public divorce from Cem Habib, she and Carrallo legally married in Mauritius on December 18, 2021. Now almost four years later, they have nothing but love for one another and zero regrets about their marriage. “You only live once. You want someone who is your best friend to join you in this beautiful thing called life,” Carallo says. “That’s what it’s all about.”

The couple is back for another episode of Uncut and Uncensored, and this time, they are diving into why they believe marrying your best friend is the secret to lasting love. They’re sharing inside jokes, personal stories, and deep emotional support that hopefully will make you smile, reflect, and think of the one you love.

Stanbury and Carallo’s romance is easy and light

The couple loves sharing personal stories and hilarious quirks, like how Stanbury picks Carallo’s back pimples. Too much information? Well, that’s the practicality of real love. 

Stanbury is amazed just how fun love and marriage can be. She shares that her family and friends say that in her new marriage, she and Carallo laugh so much more (compared to her first marriage) and they are so much fun to hang out with. Carallo agrees. “When you find that true connection—more than just a partnership, but a friendship—from there you can build anything you want,” he says. 

The pair loves their lifestyle, and they are adamant that it’s not superficial—it’s a true partnership. “We are not looking for the quick fix of a pretty body or a G-string. It’s not what drives us,” she explains. “We thrive on the hustle, our work, building things, making the people around us happy, our kids, visiting our friends, and traveling.”

Lessons from a 19-year age gap marriage

On a recent Instagram post, Carallo said that his 49-year-old wife looked more like she was 25, and the internet responded viscerally. In response to the hate comments, Stanbury says the haters should keep commenting because it makes them more famous. “I don’t think I look 25, and I’m not trying to look 25. My husband doesn’t want me to,” she says. “There is nothing that you guys can say that will pull us apart because that’s not why we are together.” Carallo says it’s about building a strong foundation. “When you build something completely unique, separate from the public eye, nothing can destroy it,” he adds.

When they first started dating, Stanbury admits that she freaked out about the age gap. He was 24 at the time, didn’t have a job, and was unsure of where he wanted to go. But what made Carallo stand out was his drive. “Your relationship should be a partnership, never a competition,” she explains. “It was about building something together, and Sergio was on a mission to contribute and work hard.” 

Stanbury adds that what matters most is finding a partner that values you and the friendship. “I don’t need another Chanel handbag,” she explains. “If I am supported and loved, and I come home to a man who values me and makes me feel cherished, that is f***ing priceless.”

How friendship lays the foundation for trust and fun

In relationships, Stanbury advises that you should never have to force it—there should be ease and joy in your relationship. “You should not have to push or fight. If it’s that hard, it wasn’t meant for you,” she says.

People put so much pressure on sex in a relationship, but Stanbury says there is so much more to a healthy relationship. It’s not realistic to be in sexy underwear and lingerie all the time. “People pin so much of a relationship on sex. It is obviously a huge part because it’s what bonds you as people,” she says. “But there’s so much more to a relationship than sex.”

Stanbury encourages people to stop focusing on the superficial. Instead, focus on the journey. “We focus way too much on the physical and trying to be perfect. Instead of realizing that if you build a partnership with someone, it just gets stronger,” Stanbury says.

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