Why Anna Nicole Smith’s Daughter Dannielynn Lives A Private Life

On September 7, 2006, the late Anna Nicole Smith welcomed her second child, a daughter named Dannielynn Birkhead, in Nassau, Bahamas. Sadly, mother and daughter only had a short time to bond together as the Playboy model tragically passed away on February 2007 due to an accidental overdose.

Following Anna’s death, Dannielynn’s father, Larry Birkhead, decided to shield her away from the public as opposed to her mother’s constant exposure to the media’s glare. While Anna endured relentless public scrutiny all through her life, the 16-year-old currently relishes a serene and private existence in their Louisville, Kentucky home where she lives with her dad.

Dannielynn Birkhead’s childhood was highly controversial

At a very tender age, Dannielynn was at the epicenter of a paternity battle between Howard K. Stern, her mom’s partner at the time of her birth, and photographer Larry Birkhead. When the 16-year-old was born, she was named Dannielynn Hope Marshall Stern, with Howard Stern listed as her father on her birth certificate.

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However, Birkhead, who believed that he was the father of the child, initiated a legal battle with Stern over the paternity of Dannielynn. The tussle lasted for a couple of months, and a DNA test confirmed that the photographer was indeed the biological father, and he was granted custody of the child. “I hate to be the one who told you this, but: I told you so,” the 50-year-old admitted in a 2007 press conference outside the courthouse in the Bahamas after the verdict had been given in his favor. “I’m the father.”

Larry Birkhead wants Dannielynn to live a normal life

Following the confirmation of his paternity, Birkhead decided to step away from the public eye and assume the role of a single parent to raise her and has since then successfully provided his daughter with a secure and upright upbringing while prioritizing her privacy and well-being.

Despite wanting to keep his daughter out of the spotlight, the proud dad allowed Dannielynn to follow in her mom’s footsteps by landing a modeling gig for Guess Kids when she was six years old. In an interview with Good Morning America, Birkhead revealed that giving her the opportunity was in a bid to honor the memory of her late mom. “Dannielynn has always looked up to her mom’s image, and … I think that this is kind of Dannielynn’s way of paying tribute to her mom in her own special way,” he confessed. “To see her mom’s picture next to hers as a Guess girl and say, ‘Hey, I was a Guess Kids girl, my mommy was a Guess girl,’ that might be her only connection with her mom.”

Also, the 50-year-old revealed in an Instagram post that his daughter is focused on her academics now. “Dannielynn finished 11th grade and maintained honor roll through some challenging times we had taking care of my Mom before she passed away. I am so proud! Now, on to Summer break and then 12th grade,” Birkhead wrote in the caption. “Who knows? Maybe after she graduates high school, she’ll step in front of the cameras, but for now, Dannielynn is fine where she is.”

The father-daughter loves to remember the late Anna Nicole Smith

Although, Dannielynn rarely steps out, but every year, she and her dad attend the Kentucky Derby, which happens to be the same place where Birkhead met her mother. The 40-year-old disclosed to Fox News that it has become a ritual for both of them as it allows them to share memories of Anna Nicole Smith. “That’s where I met Anna Nicole Smith. And it’s something that I’ve taken my daughter back every year since. She’s old enough to kind of understand what it is,” he told the news outlet. “And then it came to kind of people look for my daughter there because I really don’t let her do any public events. And so, in all honesty, the Kentucky Derby is kind of the growth chart for Dannielynn.”

Father and daughter were also present at this year’s edition in May with Dannielynn donning a sunflower dress while her father joined in on the fashion coordination by sporting a white suit with yellow accents, perfectly complementing the 16-year-old’s ensemble.