Richard Gere and his wife Alejandra Silva have confirmed they are expecting a child together

On Instagram, 35-year-old Alejandra shared a picture of the happy couple with the Buddhist leader, and wrote: “A very special moment just a few minutes ago... Getting blessings for our precious to come.. we couldn’t announce it before telling HH Dalai Lama (sic)”

The blonde beauty then went on to repeat her message in her native Spanish.

The new arrival will mark the first child for the couple, but the second for each of them separately. ‘Pretty Woman’ actor Richard already has 18-year-old son Homer James Jigme with ex-wife Carey Lowell, whilst Alejandra has a five-year-old son named Albert from a previous marriage.

Richard and the businesswoman tied the knot in an Indian-inspired ceremony in New York in April and admitted at the time he wakes up every morning with a smile on his face because he feels so blessed to have her.

He said: "I'm the happiest man in the universe. How could I not be? I'm married to a beautiful woman who is smart, sensitive, committed to helping people, who's fun, patient, who knows how to forgive, who's a great cook - and who makes the best salads in the world! Alejandra meditates, she's a vegetarian, a great mother, has the touch of an angel... and she's also Spanish: the land of kings and queens, of Cervantes and Buñuel... You can't get any better than that."

The couple met four years ago through a mutual friend in Positano, Italy, and they knew almost instantly that they were meant to be together forever.

She said: "Love stories with a difficult beginning make you grow closer because of all the rough patches and difficult moments. I am sure that at some point I must have had doubts. In the beginning he was more confident than I was. But it wasn't long until both felt we were meant to be together. We haven't rushed anything. We have made this decision after four years together - but I still feel butterflies in my stomach."