AS BABY REBEL COMPLETES THEIR HAPPY FAMILY, TIKTOK STARS STUART ARMFIELD AND FRANCIS HAUGEN ON HOW A HOLLYWOOD ACTOR INSPIRED THEIR JOURNEY TO PARENTHOOD AND THEIR JOY AT BEING IN THE PINK

Our terrier Dolly is a girl, but we need some more girl representation in this house'

- EMILY HORAN

A few years ago, Stuart Armfield and his husband Francis Haugen pinned a picture of Hollywood star Neil Patrick Harris to their vision board.

The social-media stars felt that the How I Met Your Mother actor, his husband David Burtka and their twins provided the couple with much-needed representation of happy life as a two dad family.

Now, with two children and a huge online fan club of their own – including more than 1.1 million followers on TikTok – Stuart and Francis are over the moon to be introducing their newborn daughter exclusively in the pages of HELLO!, which they hope will provide the same inspiration for other gay couples.

“Neil was the first person I saw in the public eye who I could really relate to, and I hope Francis and I can be similar role models for others,” Stuart, 39, tells HELLO! as the couple invite us into their Buckinghamshire home to pose for their first family photos since the arrival of their new addition, who is a little sister for their 22-month-old son Rio.

They also reveal her unique name: Rebel Armfield-Haugen.

“Like Rebel Wilson,” says Francis, 36, of his daughter’s Australian actress namesake, adding: “Hopefully she’s just as funny!”

FEMALE REPRESENTATION 

“We wanted her name to be like a maincharacter energy, a strong girl who knows her worth,” continues Stuart, who, along with his husband, skyrocketed to TikTok fame in 2021 by sharing videos of everything from fun dance routines to the challenges of daily life.