Richard Gere and Alejandra Silva expecting a baby

The Galicia businesswoman, 35, and the North American Pretty Woman star, 69, married in April and, together, they run homeless shelters in Spain, mainly in the Basque Country.

Gere has given talks on homelessness and highly praised Madrid's mayoress, Manuela Carmena, for her work with street-dwellers.

The couple met in Positano on the Italian Riviera three years ago, where Alejandra was managing a luxury hotel and their civil wedding in April was, for Richard, his third marriage and for Alejandra, her second.

Gere was married to model Cindy Crawford and later to actress Carey Lowell, with whom he has a son, Homer James, 18, and Alejandra previously wed mining magnate Goving Friedland, the father of her son Albert.

In an interview with Hello!, Sra Silva revealed how Gere's courtship of her was 'like something out of a fairytale' – he wooed her by sending her flowers until she agreed to go on a date with him, and often writes songs for her.

“Without a doubt, I feel like the luckiest woman on earth,” Alejandra admitted.

She converted to Buddhism, Gere's own religion – in fact, he owns a Buddhist retreat in the mountains behind the village of Pedreguer, northern Alicante province – and moved to New York to be with her future husband.

The Hollywood veteran says he feels equally fortunate.

“I'm the happiest man in the universe,” he enthuses.

“Alejandra is beautiful, sensitive, committed and a completely matchless Spanish woman.”