Where Kelly Rutherford Stands With Her Kids After Her Nasty Custody Battle

Kelly Rutherford's brutal custody battle with ex-husband Daniel Giersch began back in 2008, and it only spiraled from there. While her fictional counterpart Lily van der Woodsen wasn't always the most attentive mom, in real life, "Gossip Girl" cast member Rutherford has long been fully committed to doing whatever she can to play a big role in the lives of son Hermés and daughter Helena. This became more difficult than ever when a California court ruling relocated her children to Monaco in 2012. Giersch was ultimately granted full custody by a Monaco court in December 2015 .

Rutherford went to great lengths in her attempts to stay geographically close to her children, reportedly filing a restraining order against Giersch, hiring a private investigator, and declaring bankruptcy due to the costs of the custody battle . Despite her best efforts, she endured years of living an ocean away from her young kids, traveling to see them when she could and communicating over video calls on a regular basis.

Although she allegedly attempted to prevent Hermés and Helene from returning to Monaco to be with their father after a six-week summer visit in 2015 , she insisted it was always her intent for Giersch to stay in their lives. "I just want them to look back and be able to say that they had a happy childhood," she told People in 2015. "So my goal is to say, 'Hey, enjoy this time with your dad, you know I love you,' and even though there's things being said about me, I do my best to say, 'Look, listen to your own heart. No matter what anyone says, just know that I love you and that I'm doing the best I can, and that I'll never stop fighting for you.'"

Although Kelly Rutherford stepped out at Paris Fashion Week in 2024 , nowadays such an appearance is rare for the "Melrose Place" actor. She takes things slowly out of the spotlight, splitting time between her home base in the U.S. and a second home in Monaco, where her two children still live full-time. For someone who once endured a grueling filming schedule in New York City for "Gossip Girl" until the show ended in 2012, her days are now filled with every-day activities like running errands and walking her dogs. "It's actually quite peaceful," she told Travel + Leisure in September 2024. "In the wintertime it's very quiet, very private, and very peaceful. It's like the Hamptons in the summer, versus the Hamptons in the winter."

Her bond with Hermés and Helene is stronger than ever. "They're teenagers now, and they've got their friends and their stuff," she told People in February 2024. "So my day to day has recently been more about me and my dogs, working and traveling." Although it was a tumultuous road to get to where they are now, Rutherford is satisfied with the outcome. "I'm very thankful of where we are. I have a great relationship with my kids," she said.