Harry Styles happy to be single

Harry Styles doesn't want to be tied down.

The One Direction singer - who was recently romantically linked with US singer Lily Halpern - will make a "nice" boyfriend one day but his mother Anne Cox insists he is currently happy to be single, though he wants to settle down and have children eventually.

Anne said: "He'll make a nice boyfriend when he's ready. He's very sensitive and isn't a Jack the Lad. At the moment he doesn't want to tie himself down. He had one or two girlfriends when he was younger, but no one very special.

"I'd love Harry to have a family one day, and he'd love one, too. He'd make a fantastic dad.

"He's also a very romantic guy. He makes good stir-fries."

Harry, 18, previously dated 32-year-old TV presenter Caroline Flack and though their age gap sparked a lot of controversy, Anne - who at 44 is 10 years younger than Harry's father - insists she was never worried.

She told the new issue of heat magazine: "I have met Caroline Flack, but I don't want to go into things about the two of them. That's over now. I never really thought about the age gap, but I had an age gap with Harry's so I suppose that's what he saw. I don't think it's very important, to be honest."

However, Anne admits she does worry about Harry being on the road but they have remained close and are constantly in touch, even though he is often away from home.

She added: "I do worry about Harry, as any mum would but so far it's been amazing the way he's taken it all in his stride and remained so grounded. I know I'm biased, but he's genuinely a lovely lad, just a normal 18 year old doing abnormal things at the moment.

"He's a mummy's boy. Sometimes, he phones up to five times a day. When there's a time difference, he tends to text saying, 'I love you, Mum,' or 'I miss you'. He's still my little boy.

"He's a very caring and lovely guy - being in the group is the best thing that could have happened to him, because Harry wouldn't enjoy being out on the road on his own."