Mary Portas says brother is 'biological father' of her son with wife Melanie Rickey
The retail expert's brother helped her and her partner conceive their first child
Mary Portas has disclosed that her brother helped her and her partner conceive their first child, after he donated sperm for IVF treatment.
The retail expert told The Times Magazine that she and her partner Melanie Rickey asked Lawrence Portas to be a sperm donor in their second round of IVF because they wanted a “genetic link”.
Portas said Lawrence felt “honoured” to help the couple conceive Horatio, who was present when Ms Rickey gave birth two years ago.
Describing the birth as “beautiful”, she said: "The sun was just coming out. Lawrence was the first one there (with us) and he picked him up and it was just very emotional. I said to him 'thank you' and he said 'it's my pleasure', and we just held each other.
"And now when I look at Horatio, he is a complete mix of (Ms Rickey) and me. Of course now I know that it could only ever have been Lawrence who was Horatio's father."
The Mary Queen of Shops presenter, who has two children from a previous marriage, told the magazine that her son refers to her as ‘Mama’, her partner as ‘mummy’ and her brother, who is currently living with the couple, as ‘Daddy Lawrence’.
Portas and Ms Rickey converted their civil partnership into a same-sex marriage at Westminster Hall in December, becoming one of the first couples in the UK to do so.