Christel Khalil’s Private Family Life Unveiled — Two Beloved Sons and a Secret Wedding

For over two decades, Christel Khalil has captivated daytime television audiences as Lily Winters on The Young and the Restless. While her on-screen presence is hard to miss, the actress has maintained a remarkably quiet personal life. Behind the cameras she is a devoted mother of two and—after years of guarded romance—a newlywed to a businessman husband. Here’s an insider look at the hidden chapters of her life that only recently began to surface.


Two Sons, One Heart: Michael and Remy

Khalil is the proud mother of two sons, yet both children have been deliberately shielded from the intense glare of the spotlight. Her eldest, Michael Caden Hensley (born April 17, 2010), arrived during a challenging chapter in her life. His father: musician Stephen Hensley, to whom she was married from 2008 – 2011.

In 2023, Christel and her partner announced they were expecting a second son. Their newborn, Remy Restagno, was officially introduced via a minimalist Instagram nursery reveal and quietly welcomed into the world around December.

Michael’s story
From photos of his taxi-shaped barbershop chair to posts marking his birthday milestones, Michael has been gently documented by his mother—yet always at arm’s length from full celebrity exposure. Khalil once confessed that Michael “helped show me what life is really about and what really matters.”

Remy’s arrival
With Remy, the tenor shifted. In March 2024 Khalil shared the first glimpse of his nursery, softly lighting the path to his name being revealed. “Nursery reveal! So in love with the peaceful vibes for our baby Remy…” she captioned.

Together, Michael and Remy represent different eras in Khalil’s life—one from a former relationship with a musician, the other sprouting from her current partnership with a businessman. Their sister-series of stories weave through Khalil’s evolving identity: actress, mother, partner.


The Quiet Romance Behind the Scenes

While her role as Lily Winters made headlines, the real romance was curiously off-camera. Khalil’s previous marriage to Stephen Hensley ended in 2011, and though the union produced Michael, the next chapter unfolded in relative silence.

Enter Sam Restagno: the Canadian businessman and entrepreneur who would become the central figure in Khalil’s covert family story. The two linked up years ago, announced their engagement in April 2022, welcomed son Remy in late 2023, and tied the knot in October 2024 at the enchanting Masseria Grieco resort in Puglia, Italy.

Friends and fans alike were surprised—and delighted—that Khalil kept the wedding so intimate and private. A makeup-artist Instagram clip showed her in bridal splendour, but details remained scarce beyond that. The choice to wed abroad and keep the moment close-held speaks volumes about Khalil’s desire to preserve personal spaces away from soap-opera glare.


A Private Life in the Public Eye

What sets this story apart isn’t glamour, but restraint. For many celebrities, family becomes content. For Christel Khalil it has remained sanctuary. She’s steadily returned to The Young and the Restless following maternity leave, but has balanced motherhood and screen work with a quiet command.

Her personal timeline reads almost script-like: early motherhood, a high-profile career, then a second chance at love and family built on her terms. She’s said little publicly, choosing instead to let glimpses—Michael at the barber, Remy’s nursery reveal—sketch the tableau of her life.


Dynamics: Actress • Mother • Wife

The Actress
Khalil has been part of The Young and the Restless since 2002, earning a Daytime Emmy and acclaim for her role as Lily Winters. Yet alongside that is a deliberate retreat: reducing her contract to focus on motherhood, and returning when the time felt right.

The Mother
Michael’s arrival at age 22 reshaped Khralil’s priorities: “I feel like I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I hadn’t had my son,” she once said. For Remy, the second son, the narrative has been bolstered by a curated introduction to the world—less fanfare, more family anchor.

The Wife/Partner
Her marriage to Sam Restagno indicates a shift: from industry-set romances to a partnership grounded outside show-business. The businessman husband represents both support and a stable axis around which her private life now spins.


What This Means for Her and For Fans

For fans of Lily Winters, the knowledge that Christel Khalil leads a fulfilling, multi-layered life adds texture to the actress behind the character. It demonstrates a woman navigating the dual worlds of daytime drama and domestic normalcy—sometimes in tandem, sometimes distinctly.

Her choice to keep her husband and children out of the tabloid apparatus signals a boundary-setting posture rarely seen in celebrity culture. The private wedding, the discreet family announcements, the quiet return to television—all convey that she defines what is shareable and what remains sacred.

From a storytelling angle, the arcs mirror those found on The Young and the Restless: love found again, motherhood’s joys and trials, reinvention, and the challenge of balancing public identity with personal truth.


Final Act: Family First

In a world where social-media lives are amplified and personal narratives monetised, Christel Khalil’s path bucks the trend. She’s an Emmy-winning actress, yes—but her headline is heart, not hype. Her two sons anchor her present, her union with Sam Restagno marks a new chapter, and her public image remains unwaveringly professional and reserved.

For viewers who have watched Lily Winters fight, love and prevail, now they see Christel building her own legacy—quietly, powerfully—and beyond the glare of Genoa City.