Keith Urban was devastated to have been left out in the cold by his daughters Sunday and Faith, who publicly took their mum’s side in his divorce from Nicole Kidman.
Now, with tensions finally beginning to thaw between the pair, Keith, 58, is putting his all into trying to get back into his girls’ good books with a bid to win his ex-wife back.
“Keith has big regrets over walking away from his marriage,” a source tells Woman’s Day. “He still loves Nicole and always will, and he’s starting to fear he should have stayed to work things out.
“There’s no doubt he’d go back to her in a flash if she’d have him. He thinks getting on the same page with the kids and making a big effort to nail co-parenting may be the best way back to Nicole’s heart.”
Ahead of Sunday’s milestone 18th birthday on 7 July, Nicole, 59 – who shared a sweet, gushing public tribute to the teen on Instagram – made the unexpected move of extending an olive branch to her ex.
“It’s still a bit too raw for Nicole and Keith to share a meal, but she did invite him to Sunday’s birthday party, which was a big step in repairing the situation,” our insider notes.
“Even though Keith decided to have his own special birthday lunch with Sunday and Faith, there’s a real sense that things are calming down between them. After a rough start, Nicole and Keith are showing up as a much stronger co-parenting team.”
Showing up for the kids
Indeed, the couple’s new-found ability to co-parent cohesively has strengthened the Whangārei-born country crooner’s resolve to work things out with Nicole.
“He misses his beautiful family and he’s eating up every communication he has with Nic,” our source explains. “It’s given him renewed hope that all is not lost.”
Still, with his daughters growing up fast and Sunday looking to relocate to New York as her modelling career soars – she recently walked the runway at Paris Fashion Week for her second consecutive year – Keith is focused on mending his relationship with his girls while he still has the chance.
“He knows Sunday’s ready to fly the coop, so he’s relieved to get in some bonding time with her before then,” the insider says. “There’s hope that, over time, the girls will come to need and appreciate having their dad be available.
“He’s not letting his kids disappear into the sunset thinking he doesn’t care.”
Though there’s plenty they don’t agree on when it comes to Sunday and 15-year-old Faith, Nicole and Keith are in firm agreement that they need their dad in their life.
“Nicole was always very close to her own father, who helped guide her through some tough times,” our source says. “As upset and hurt as she is over this divorce, she knows Keith has a good heart and is a rock-solid dad.
“His input is invaluable when it comes to the girls – and she’s going to need him to play ‘bad cop’ when they start dating.”
