Rod Stewart & Rachel Hunter Finally Divorced

Veteran rocker Rod Stewart is officially divorced from supermodel Rachel Hunter -- seven years after they split.

The New Zealand beauty, 36, left the British singer, 61, in January 1999, after eight years of marriage. They have two children together, Renee, 13, and Liam, 11.

After battling over a legal settlement for years, Hunter and Stewart's divorce was finalized this month -- much to the delight of Stewart's fiancee Penny Lancaster.

Stewart proposed to the English model/photographer Lancaster in March 2005, who gave birth to the star's seventh child, Alastair Wallace, in November.

Lancaster enthuses, "Even though we've been together for years, the divorce means we can finally put the past behind us."

Despite the divorce, Lancaster admits the couple aren't racing down the aisle yet.

She explains, "We didn't realize (Alastair) would come along so quickly, so the wedding plans are on the backburner. We're going to be together forever, so we'll get round to it sometime -- maybe before the next baby."

sfgate