Matt Lauer’s wife ‘flees to Holland’

Annette Roque, the wife of Matt Lauer, has allegedly fled their New York home with their two youngest children and has returned to her native Netherlands.

A source told Page Six: ‘Annette has taken their two younger kids out of school and is believed to have left the US and gone to her family in her native country.’

The source said she was last seen at the family’s Hamptons home on Wednesday. 

Lauer and Roque have three children: 16-year-old Jack, 14-year-old Romy and 11-year-old Thijs.

Sources have told Page Six that Annette Roque, the wife of Matt Lauer, has returned to her native Netherlands with their two youngest children. The couple is pictured in August 2017

Roque previously filed for divorce from Lauer in 2006 but dropped her suit. They are pictured together in India in 1998, the year they were married

Roque previously filed for divorce from Lauer in 2006 but dropped her suit. They are pictured together in India in 1998, the year they were married

The news comes as a report claimed that Lauer was seeking a $30million payday, which drew a strong response from executives at NBC on Friday.

A source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to DailyMail.com that Lauer would not be receiving any payday or salary beyond his last day of work at the network.

That was first reported by CNN, who noted that Lauer’s morals clause likely allows NBC to withhold his salary.

It was also noted that Lauer could choose to sue the network in an attempt to receive additional pay, but they will not agree to hand over any money to the disgraced anchor.

Also on Friday, a memo sent to staff by NBC News Chairman Andy Lack revealed that an internal investigation as underway into the matter of Lauer’s ‘appalling behavior.’

‘A team of the most experienced NBCUniversal Legal and Human Resources leaders have begun a thorough and timely review of what happened and what we can do to build a culture of greater transparency, openness and respect for each other,’ read the memo.

‘At the conclusion of the review we will share what we’ve learned, no matter how painful, and act on it.’

The former NBC host was seen in a jeep as he drove out from behind the gates of his $33million estate on Thursday while still wearing his wedding ring. 

Lauer’s mid-morning outing came shortly after Today read the ex-anchor’s full apology on the air at the start of the program on Thursday.

Lauer (pictured with his children, from left to right Jack, Romy and Thijs) has been accused of sexual misconduct my multiple women

Lauer (pictured with his children, from left to right Jack, Romy and Thijs) has been accused of sexual misconduct my multiple women

‘There are no words to express my sorrow and regret for the pain I have caused others by words and actions. To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry,’ said Lauer.

‘The last two days have forced me to take a very hard look at my troubling flaws. It has been humbling.

‘Some of what is being said about me is untrue or mischaracterized. But there is enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed.

‘I regret that my shame is now shared by the people I cherish dearly.’   

Lauer’s apology, read out on the show, came hours after more graphic details of the allegations against the host emerged.

In one allegation, a married NBC staffer claimed she woke up in Matt Lauer’s office with her pants halfway down her legs after having sex with the anchor until she passed out.

The woman told The New York Times that the longtime Today Show host’s assistant had to take her to see a nurse after the alleged encounter in 2001.

The former employee, who was in her 40s at the time, said Lauer first made advances towards her while covering a story away from their New York headquarters in the late 1990s.

She described moving away from him during a car journey to the airport because he was sitting ‘uncomfortably close’, to which he apparently replied: ‘You’re no fun’.

Then, in 2001, she claims the married Lauer summoned her to his office at 30 Rock in New York to discuss work. She says he then used a button under his desk to lock the door and then told her to unbutton her blouse.

The former NBC host was seen in a jeep as he drove out from behind the gates of his $33million estate on Thursday while still wearing his wedding ring. Lauer and Roque are pictured together during happier times

The former NBC host was seen in a jeep as he drove out from behind the gates of his $33million estate on Thursday while still wearing his wedding ring. Lauer and Roque are pictured together during happier times

She said the veteran broadcaster then stepped out from behind his desk, pulled out a chair, bent her over, and started having sex with her until she fell unconscious.

The woman told The Times she woke up a while later on the floor of his office with her pants halfway down her legs, prompting his assistant to take her to seek medical attention.

The ex-staffer, who has not been named, is one of a string of women who have come forward accusing Lauer of sexual misconduct.

She did not tell NBC about the alleged incident at the time because she thought she could have done more to stop Lauer’s actions, and she left around a year later.

NBC executives fired Lauer on Tuesday night soon after they saw a string of lewd messages and explicit photos he sent an intern during the Sochi Olympics, reports suggest.

His departure was announced by visibly-shaken co-hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb on Wednesday morning, and a number of explosive stories on his alleged conduct during his time at the Rockefeller Center quickly followed.

He has been accused of flashing his penis at one woman and buying another a sex toy.

There was also a stunning revelation that he had a button under his desk that would lock to the door to his office.

It was a security-measure used by most high-profile employees at NBC, but Lauer allegedly used it at least once so he could have sex with the NBC staffer in 2001.

The NBC investigation that led to his spectacular downfall was sparked by an intern who accused him of sexually assault at the beginning in 2014 at the Sochi Olympics.

She shared her account with the human resources and legal departments of NBC News on Monday – Lauer was fired just 24 hours later.

He was sacked so quickly because of lewd messages he sent the female staffer, and at least one explicit picture.

Variety also spoke with 10 past and present workers at the company who accused Lauer of a vast array of sexual misconduct, including the intern who claims she was attacked at Sochi.

Previously, it was revealed that Lauer visited his son Jack at his prep school to tell him the news in person.

Roque previously filed for divorce from Lauer in 2006 but ended up dropping it. 



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk