The secret lives of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s twins

For much of Knox and Vivienne Jolie-Pitt’s short lives, they’ve been holed up at Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s huge mansions in LA and France, but Now has got the lowdown on their daily lives.

A family friend reveals: ‘Angie wanted to keep them sheltered from prying eyes. It means it’s been easier for the twins to have a routine. The babies both love playtime and are creative, thanks to being surrounded by their older brothers and sisters.

‘Viv’s very much a girl’s girl; she loves dolls and little tea sets, while Knox is crazy about his toy cars and loves playing in the mud. They have reading time before bed at around 7pm and an iPod with sleepytime music that helps them nod off.

‘Knox always has an arm round Viv. Brad and Angie sometimes have to leave them with a big team of nannies and security minders when they go away on UN trips or filming, but their routine never changes.’

Unlike their more outgoing siblings Maddox, eight, Pax, five, Zahara, four, and Shiloh, three, Brad and Angie feared the twins were too vulnerable to cope with any paparazzi intrusion.

That’s because Vivienne was born at just 5lb and is reportedly allergic to milk and both she and Knox suffered severe colic caused by digestive problems since birth.

A family friend says: ‘The twins’ digestive enzymes just weren’t functioning properly, especially Vivienne’s – she has a lot of food allergies, including cow’s milk, so feeding them has been really tricky.

‘They don’t go out nearly as often as their siblings because Angie and Brad just feel incredibly protective of them. The babies have had trouble sleeping and Angie says she can’t remember the last time she slept two hours straight.’

See the full story about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s kids in Now magazine dated 19 October 2009 – out now!