These are photos of Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner and their kids out in London. In some photos it looks like Ben is smiling adoring at Jen, but in others it’s like they’re laughing at one of their kids. Whatever is happening, it’s nice to see. Last week we heard that Ben and Jen were considering reconciling, but then another report came out right after that claiming that it wasn’t going to happen and that they were still moving forward with the divorce. Some of you thought that maybe Ben wanted to get back together and Jen was reluctant, but the original People story about their alleged reunion was sourced to someone close to Jen. Now People has another kind of vague story along the same lines. It doesn’t reach any conclusions though and just hints that things are going well.
After spending some time together as a family in Paris, the two returned to London, where they’ve been spotted enjoying local activities with their three children, Violet, 10, Seraphina, 7, and Samuel, 4.
Last week, Affleck, 43, and Garner, 44, stepped out with their brood in Westbourne Grove for an afternoon exploring the city. On Thursday, the family was seen going into various shops together. At one point, they stopped in a children’s store, where they purchased a stuffed teddy bear.
“Ben and Jen were pretty quiet and just browsed the shelves for 20 minutes with the kids,” an onlooker tells PEOPLE.
That same day, the family was spotted grabbing a bite to eat…
“It [was] a typical family meal with Ben and Jen fussing over the kids,” says a witness.
After eating, the family continued their afternoon stroll together, popping into a few more shops.
Affleck and Garner plan to stay a month together in London (with tutors for the kids) while the actor films Justice League.
“They are enjoying showing the kids London,” a source close to the family told PEOPLE.
The two have sparked reconciliation rumors as they continue to spend time together. A source told PEOPLE they “appeared affectionate” while at dinner in Paris.
It’s possible that People is just running this story based on paparazzi photos, but usually they do these with input from publicists. They’re doing everything but saying they’re back together.
Gossip Cop got an “impeccable Garner-Affleck source” to deny an Enquirer report that Jen had Ben “hostage” because she has a lot of dirt on him that she’s threatening to take public. Their source said that these two are not back together, that it’s “untrue” that Garner has Affleck under her thumb and that they are “just being” and co-parenting.
I know that these two get photographed all the time in LA and that they can’t avoid it, but think about this for a moment: they were also followed by paparazzi in Atlanta, and now the same photo agency which has daily pics of them in L.A. also has photos of them in London. It’s possible the agency is just using their connections to get photos of the Garner-Afflecks because they sell. You know who else is living in England now? The Jolie-Pitts, but they’re in Surrey which is a suburb outside the city.
Photos credit: FameFlynet
It wouldn’t surprise me if the two of them got back together. I get that they have young kids together but if my husband cheated on me with so many different woman I would not want to be spending so much time with him even with the children.
I find it a little odd, but these celebrity divorces, and especially in the age of the Helicopter Parent, are all very odd to me. I kind of wonder if this isn’t all on Jen, though, and that she is the one doing all of the work to make sure that Ben spends time with the kids, and that maybe that she feels he is more present when she is around. Maybe she really doesn’t trust him at all and worries that if she isn’t around there is a chance he could get a little too buzzed around the kids or that he may even accidentally leave one at the farmer’s market or something. I don’t think they are getting back together, but I don’t think Jen is letting go of Affleck until she can trust him to be alone with kids and is confident that he can maintain a relationship with them on his own.
I think it’s odd after what he’s done. I still believe it’s an excuse. I also don’t believe these aren’t pap setups. These two are dysfunctional and should have kept their mouths shut about their divorce in the first place.
+1000 @Magnoliarose: “These two are dysfunctional and should have kept their mouths shut about their divorce in the first place.”
I don’t care what they do as long as they focus on their kids!
This seems like the longest, most drawn out separation/divorce in Hollywood history. They seem to be getting more attention post divorce announcement than before. Ben and Jennifer will still be saying they are divorcing when their children are away at college!
They sure look like they are back together! My bet is that they are going to call off the divorce. I think Ben is working his charm to worm his way back into Jen’s heart. I hope, if he does, that he has figured out, that family if the most important thing. I know, almost everyone on this site hates Ben, but, he is a smart guy, and hopefully they can work things out and make their family whole again…
The two of them need each other. Ben needs Jen to help keep his image clean and Jen needs to cling onto her A-list marriage. Hence why the divorce has yet to happen.
Yeah, I agree, think there seems to be long term co-dependency issue here. Plus they love their kids which is a big shared bond. Consciously uncoupled but unconsciously dependent? And cheater Affleck just screams out *that-dude-with-mommy-issues* to me.
Who knows with these two?
If they can successfully co-parent, that’s good.
Poor kids
Nah. They’re not getting back together. Gwen and Chris do the same thing, holidays, etc, and had a very long separation, longer than Ben and Jen. Both were seeing other people at the time. Goopy had a serious relationship all this time she was doing stuff as a family with Chris
. I’m sure Ben has a hottie or two on the side, just not publicly. Jen, well, that’s a different story. I think this trip and them hanging around together and coordinating activities is probably very stressful between them and not all that happy for Jen. I think she’s doing it for her children, and they make it work. Doing activities in LA together is different because it’s just for a day, and she can go back to her friends and life. In England, they are stuck together a lot more, and considering a lot of the photos had Ben with a gloomy face, I don’t think it’s all smooth sailing.
Chris and Gwyneth had both moved on more than a year before they announced their separation. With Ben and Jen, there were clearly lots of raw feelings and hurt involved, and she said he’s the love of her life. So their situations were quite different.
Same story different day. Co-parenting.
I read US Weekly over the weekend, it said they weren’t getting back together. So US, E! and GossipCop are denying it, but People are hinting at it. I think they’re just looking for clicks tbh. There were similar rumors with Gwyneth/Chris Martin after their separation. People.com posted an article speculating whether they’d reconcile. They had “sources” saying it was very possible and that Gwen never wanted to get divorced. It seemed possible for a while…until it turned out to be BS.
Also, that kissing sighting turned out to be fake.
Pretty sure a rogue source is feeding People. I believe they are exploring reconciliation and reluctant to make an announcement until they make a decision. Somebody in the inner circle knows they are romantically inclined and keeps running to People.
Yeah, a “rogue source” whose name rhymes with Gennifer Jarner, perhaps? These are not pictures of a man who has placed himself in his current situation voluntarily.
Also, y’all are looking too much into those pics. They’re literally just smiling lol
My new theory is that they never wanted to get divorced but they had to go through the motions bce Nanny Christine was threatening to go public
What kind of terrible parents would subject their kids to a public divorce if it were all fake? You have an active imagination.
Chill sweetheart, it’s a celebrity gossip site.
If Nanny Christine was going public anyways, it’s all the same whether they go public with a divorce or not
I like seeing the the two oldest kids reading big chapter books. You can tell Violet is a keen reader because she’s often seen with books.
Various mothers of my daughter’s classmates, whom I paid for babysitting her, used to tell me they felt they shouldn’t take my money because she just read books they had around the house and didn’t trouble them. Kids who actually read usually have extensive vocabularies and above-average spelling.
My daughter’s group of friends, when they got to the age where they bought gifts for each other without parental input, used to say she was the easiest to shop for- just get her a book or two.
Very nice to see that.
I am a good reader since always but I started to enjoy reading when I was teen ( 12/13 Years old) .before I read because my parents forced me ( my daddy was an English teacher)
Your father being an English teacher is very cool. The only teacher crushes I ever had was on 2 English teachers in High School.
I think Violet being such a good reader will stand her in good stead. I mean she might be one if the very few celebrity child who actually grows up to have a career outside of Holywood.
Other than Rowan Farrow, I cannot think of another celebrity child who has done that.
Ben Affleck smiles!
You can go back to work everyone….
Please! These two have all the chemistry of long term roommates. 🙄
Exactly!
Long-term roommates have more chemistry than these two. LOL
For once,they look at ease together
They’ve been together a long time, they have kids. It’s natural that they still have some friendship and affection, no matter what the future. They will always be a family but I don’t see them as a couple.
i wish these 2 would stop milking it.
Yes !
At least he doesn’t look miserable ( like usually) when he is with her or their kids
He looks like a tramp. And those ghastly white trainers (particularly coupled with the sloppy, untailored trousers)? Why not just wear a flashing neon sign that says “AMERICAN TOURIST”? I suppose it hardly matters in this case since everyone already knows he’s American (and he doesn’t seem the type of person who would care anyway), but for God’s sake, man, have some dignity!
It’s odd that two of “their” kids have blond hair. Just sayin’… 🙂
Affleck’s mother has fair hair.
Ben had blonde hair when he was a little toddler.
http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2007/database/benaffleck/benaffleck2_180.jpg
And as a young boy unless this is dyed. LOL
http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/votm25.png
Then it got browner as he got older. He had a great face as a kid, great features.. I can see why Jennifer wanted to have babies with him.
http://www.hblcelebrities.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Ben-Affleck-Childhood-Pics-9.jpg
Not odd at all. My parents and sisters have dark hair and dark eyes and tan and I was born with white blonde hair and blue eyes. My hair has since darkened to dark blonde/light brown. One sister has two daughters with blue eyes and light blonde hair and her husband has dark hair and dark eyes too. My son has light brown hair and brown eyes (like his dad). Seriously, you can have kids with light hair and light eyes and there is no conspiracy.
I think it’s hilarious that everyone is making such a big deal about the fact that he smiled. Does everyone really think that he never smiles in Jen’s company? I mean, they still live together, go on vacations together and see each other on a daily basis, etc. So I think it’s safe to assume he does actually smile sometimes and is even happy/relaxed at times we’re not privy to. I don’t really think we can determine the fate of their relationship based on each photo that comes out. Oh! He smiled – they must be back together. Oh! Now he’s not smiling – they’re not back together, obviously! It actually gives me pains to say “I told you so”, but it seems so obvious they’re reconciling, and I’ve been saying this will happen since their split last summer. It’s inevitable. It’s kind of amazing considering it appears their marriage was extremely troubled starting way back around 2008, but I think this is who they are. Dysfunctional. Do I think they have actual couple chemistry anymore. No. They seem more like brother/sister to me. But that doesn’t change the fact that all signs point to them getting back together – again. No one spends this much time together. They say they’re creating normalcy for the kids, but it’s actually “abnormalcy” to spend this much time together if you’re divorcing. And there’s no way Ben could spend this much time single (more than a year) without hooking up, and I just don’t think Jen would be there in London for this long if she thought he was having hookups on the side. I just don’t think that’s her style, even if they’re separated. No, Jen waited this whole thing out like I knew she would. This was always her end goal. Now Ben is probably promising her the moon.
You’re wrong. LOL We’ll see this summer if a divorce finally happens to prove me right or wrong.
How is it “obvious”? Have you seen them kissing or holding hands? No.
They have 3 small kids who want to spend time with BOTH mommy and daddy. Why should they take turns? And I doubt they’re spending 24/7 together since he’s working justice league.
Like jayna said they’re taking a page out of goops playbook and being smug friendly exes. You’re seeing things that aren’t there.
@Jayna – LOL. I think you already know I would like it better if you were right! 🙂 But I have a lot of trouble believing it at this point. Ok, we’ll see what happens this summer.
@Joni – To me personally, it seems obvious. That’s fine if it doesn’t to you. And you ask why should they take turns? Because separated/to be divorced people do not spend every single day together for the kids – at least not IMO. Even Goop and Chris don’t do this anymore. And even when they do, they have made it very clear they’re both with other people. And Gwyn said recently that Chris is like a brother to her. Jen and Ben have been a lot more guarded and vague, with Jen clearly being unable to even think about dating (because she’s focused on Ben still :)) and even Ben saying “We don’t know what the future will hold.” I mean, believe me, I was never a Ben/Jen-lover, and I’m still not; but I’m just looking at the situation objectively.
Ben still referred to Jennifer as “my wife” during Batman v Superman press. People says he was rubbing her back and hand in the lobby of their hotel in Paris.
@JoJo Objectively?? Seriously, I come here to read comments more than anything and you have some of the longest posts and opinions about Ben and Jen, and for the most part you flat out hate Jen and are a Ben apologist, you are definitely NOT objective LOL
@Katy – First, I absolutely do not hate Jen. I think you can find some much better examples of Jen haters than me. And I wouldn’t say I’m a Ben apologist. I think he has issues/demons and is responsible for them, but yes, I do like him. But I’ve never been a fan of them together as a couple, no. As for being objective, that’s exactly what I’m being. I personally think they make a very odd couple, but I’m taking that off the table and basing my opinion on their actions, which to me, seem to show two people not moving on and taking steps to remain together. Now I could be completely wrong about that. Only time will tell.
When Ben’s out alone in LA, he’ll sometimes chat to the paparazzi about sports and stuff, but when he’s being knowingly being photographed with his kids, he almost always looks annoyed. In more furitively taken photos like this, and in Paris, he seems much more relaxed.
It’s “for the kids” that Jen followed Ben to London…but yet they had to take the kids out of school to follow him. Wouldn’t you think staying home in LA and finishing the year at their regular school would have been better for the kids? I think JEN wanted to go with Ben – and it’s not “for the kids” like they claim it is.
I agree with this. I mean, I do think they want to show the kids Europe, but I also believe Jen is the one who orchestrates everything, makes all the decisions. And I’m not sure why she had to pull the kids out of school more than a month early and get tutors if he’ll be there all summer. My guess is she doesn’t want him to be in London without them. I believe she sort of uses the kids as an excuse to have to be with Ben constantly. (I believe she loves her kids a lot and don’t mean “uses” in a nasty way – more that there is also an ulterior motive on her part.)
I would like to think that this is more of a great opportunity to see Europe as a unit. The kids are older now and missing one month of school is not that bad. This is also more of a scheduling matter. JG is rumored to start production in May with Bryan Cranston again and I hope she would take that movie as it sounds fun. It is an action comedy so hopefully she will be part of the action. I don’t care anymore about their divorce story. Just want to see her make better movies.
Jen is rumored to be a part of a movie that is supposed to start production this summer. It may be that going in May was the best for their joint schedules, so that the kids DID get to enjoy getting to see Europe and experience living in London with their dad. It’s a great experience for the kids and I would have taken my kids out for that experience without hesitation. The announcement was that she and the kids would be there for a month.
The kids still have a couple of weeks of school, I believe, so they’ll get to experience all the year-end gatherings and things, AND have great stories to share of what they got to experience.
Also, there have been a couple of posts about people seeing Ben/Jen at the theater and at the Savoy during high tea. It appears they are doing friendly stuff together without the kids.
Jen said she wanted to be friends again, and I believe she said back to the friendship they had before they became a couple. Early pictures of them do reflect a great friendship. To co-parent well, you need to be friends. I think that’s what they are doing – rebuilding a good friendship for the road ahead.
I think she’s still madly in love with Ben. That friendship is going to e painful when he goes public with a woman.
The way she looks at him, even at Sera’s and Violet’s track meet three years ago, says it al.
http://cdni.condenast.co.uk/720×1080/a_c/ben-affleck_glamour_30apr13_rex_b_720x1080.jpg
I missed the theater sighting – what did they see, where did people post about it?
@A, it was on Facebook a few days ago. The post was more about the excellent quality of the play and then mentioned Ben/Jen were sitting in the row in front of them and they had a “pardon me” moment or something like that when they were leaving.
@Jayna, I am sure it is hard for her, but I think she has what it takes for her kids. My kids’ dad ditched them after our divorce and it was devastating. That is a common theme, sadly, and I am sure Jen is working through this in counseling. It is probably part of the reason for the delay in filing, as well. So they can get back to a comfortable place where the filing won’t be so devastating. Maybe? None of us will ever know, but I do think it’s about respect for each other and making a soft transition for all.
On a personal note, I still won’t ever see a Ben Affleck movie again – men who disrespect women and children are on the top of my can’t-do-it list. He’s not the only one on it, but he’s right up there.
It would impress me more if Jennifer would just move on and start dating. No offense but she is clearly putting herself on the sidelines forever waiting for Ben to come back to her. Maybe Ben was finally in a cheery mood but so many videos and photos of them he always looks downright miserable with Jennifer. Why not give mommy her days with the kids and daddy his days with them?? Why is that so hard?
It’s better if she waits a year or so, not only for her kids but herself. A relationship immediately after ending another as big and long as her marriage would be a rebound and those never end well either. Better to heal and be at peace so she can finally be healthy in a relationship. Her girls are old enough they need to witness what that looks like from Mom.