For many years, Hugh Grant was seen as an eternal bachelor.

With interesting thoughts on monogamy, highly publicised relationships (and affairs), and a complicated family situation, even Grant himself had dismissed the idea of 'settling down'.

But somewhere along the way, he did just that. Now married to the mother of three of his five children, Anna Eberstein, he's admitted he was "plain wrong" about his perceptions of marriage and children.

This week, after misinformation was spread about Grant's marriage, the actor set the record straight, tweeting that he married his Swedish wife for love, not for "passport reasons".

No I didn’t, @Internet. I married her because I love her. pic.twitter.com/KKuuR6XNGN

— Hugh Grant (@HackedOffHugh)

When asked if he googled his wife's name, he replied: "No. A friend sent it to me."

No. A friend sent it to me. https://t.co/24ncxcZmLR

— Hugh Grant (@HackedOffHugh)

The tweets came after various articles, including Nicki Swift, claimed Grant married Eberstein "for practical reasons when travelling through airports with his partner and their children".

Years earlier, marriage was the last thing on Grant's mind.

Watch: Hugh Grant talks to Ellen about becoming a father. Post continues below video.

In 1987, Grant, now 60, met Elizabeth Hurley, 56, on the set of Spanish filmRemandoal Viento(Rowing with the Wind). It was Hurley's first major acting role, and one of his earlier movie roles.

What resulted was one of the tabloids favourite couples. Certified A-listers, both together and apart, the interest in their relationship was intense and from the outside looking in, it appeared perfect.

Which is why what happened in 1995, eight years into their relationship, was so shocking to the public.

Grant was caught engaging in a "lewd act" with sex worker, Divine Brown, on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.

"I felt like I'd been shot," Hurley told Barbara Walters in an interview later that year.

Grant took responsibility for the hurt he caused. In a public statement, he admitted, "Last night I did something completely insane.

"I have hurt people I love and embarrassed people I work with. For both things, I am more sorry than I can ever possibly say."

Two weeks later, the actor appeared with Hurley at the premiere of the movieNine Monthsand despite immense public scrutiny, including after paparazzi photos captured them arguing in their backyard, Grant and Hurley remained together for another five years.

They split for good in 2000 but remained close friends. That's a cliche of Hollywood relationships - "we remain friends" - but Grant and Hurley truly did. In 2002, he became the godfather to her son Damian.

After their breakup, Grant was linked to several women. He was rumoured to have had a fling with hisTwo Weeks Noticeco-star Sandra Bullock in 2001.

In 2004 Grant began dating Jemima Khan - the ex-wife of Pakistani cricketer (and current Prime Minister of Pakistan) Imran Khan. They broke up in 2007.

In 2003, Grant told the Daily Mail he felt he had "too much career and too much home life".

"I need to get married and have children. I definitely keep my thoughts open to the idea of settling down and breeding," he said.

But he never really took that seriously.

The same article featured quotes and anecdotes from Grant's friends and associates about his bachelor lifestyle, and how much he enjoyed the single life.

"He's never had a kiss-and-tell, because that's for stupid soap stars who go to Stringfellows and pick up awful lap dancers," a friend said.

"He goes for well-brought-up women who wouldn't dream of telling all, and he does very well. He's a single man, so why not?"

In 2012, Grant himself said he was "not a massive believer in marriage," and in 2015 he toldPeoplehe thought it was "a recipe for mutual misery".

Then in August 2016, Grant claimed the secret to a happy marriage was an open marriage.

"Do I think human beings are meant to be in 40-year-long monogamous, faithful relationships ... No," Grant told Howard Stern on his radio show.

"Whoever said they were? Only the Bible or something. No one's ever said that that's a good idea."

By this point, his personal life had gotten much more complicated.

In September 2011, he welcomed his daughter Tabitha, the product of what his publicist called a “fleeting affair” with Chinese restaurant receptionist Tinglan Hong.

When the actor met his first baby, he was 51.

Grant's second and third children – two boys – were actually in utero at the same time, to different mothers.

The first to arrive, named John Mungo, was born in September 2012 to Swedish television produ