Costner's Aspen Holiday Amid Divorce Chaos

• celebrities

In the midst of a tumultuous divorce from his wife, Christine Baumgartner, 68-year-old Hollywood star Kevin Costner was recently sighted spending cherished moments with his children in the tranquil resort town of Aspen, Colorado.

Maintaining an unassuming presence, the acclaimed "Yellowstone" actor was spotted performing ordinary tasks such as grocery shopping, adorning a cowboy hat and sunglasses in a bid to retain his anonymity. Costner, donning a relaxed ensemble of a short-sleeved denim shirt paired with light-washed jeans, appeared focused on his parental duties.

His three children, Cayden, Hayes, and Grace, who are 16, 14, and 13 years old respectively, seemed to revel in the simplicity of the moment, guiding grocery carts gleefully towards their family vehicle.

Hawaiian Return: Family Reunion

Earlier that day, Costner had welcomed his kids back from their Hawaiian holiday with their mother, Baumgartner.

Baumgartner, a 49-year-old former handbag model, had been observed a few weeks prior, soaking up the sun on a Hawaiian beach alongside the three teenagers and an additional companion, Josh Connor. Connor, also 49, is a divorced businessman and a longtime friend of both Costner and Baumgartner.

Residing near the former couple's Santa Barbara estate in Carpinteria, California, Connor's appearance fueled speculation. However, insiders vehemently denied any romantic involvement between him and Baumgartner, insisting on their purely platonic relationship.

Baumgartner and Costner's split has been far from amicable. The divorce proceedings intensified when Baumgartner contested her prenuptial agreement's clause that required her to vacate Costner's estate 30 days after the split.

A prolonged legal battle ended with a court ruling that Baumgartner must leave the property by the end of July. Earlier, Baumgartner had requested $248,000 a month in child support, a figure which Costner countered as excessive, suggesting a reduced figure of $51,940.

After a protracted legal wrangle, Baumgartner emerged victorious, receiving $129,755 per month. After spending 18 years together, the couple's seemingly irreparable rift now requires them to confront their divorce's legal aspects.

They are due to attend a court hearing on August 2, aiming to resolve the dispute over legal fees, marking yet another chapter in their ongoing separation saga.