Inside Celine Dion And Rene Angelil's Relationship, Had 26 Yrs Age Gap, He Wanted To Die In Her Arms

Celine Dion is one of the most renowned and beloved singers. She is also known as an entrepreneur and philanthropist. Owing to her powerful and technically skilled vocals, Celine has been dubbed the “Queen of Power Ballads.” Throughout her career, Celine has sold over 200 million records worldwide, making her the best-selling Canadian recording artist and the best-selling recording artist overall. 

To mention, Celine released her last album, Courage, back in 2019. Now, Celine is preparing to return to the stage after years, especially since revealing her stiff-person diagnosis. Celine is said to perform ten shows at Paris La Défense Arena from September 12, 2026, to October 14, 2026. Amid the good news, fans have become curious about the Grammy-winning star's personal life. So, without further ado, let us take a look back at Celine Dion's relationship and 22 years of marriage with her late husband, Rene Angelil. 

Celine Dion met Rene Angelil for the first time when she was 12 years old 

Celine Dion recorded her first original song with the help of her mother, Therese, when she was pretty young. The song in question was called Ce n'était qu'un rêve. After she was done recording, one of Celine Dion's brothers sent it to Rene Angelil after finding his name on the back of Canadian singer, Ginette Reno's album. The manager, who was 38 at the time, invited the 12-year-old Celine to audition for him in person. This marked their first meeting in 1980. Later, Celine revealed to People, "While I was singing, he started to cry. I knew then I had done a good job."  

Rene Angelil signed Celine Dion and mortgaged his home to fund her first record 

Not long after meeting Celine, Rene signed her as he believed in her talent. Interestingly, he even mortgaged his home in order to find Celine's debut album titled La voix du bon Dieu. Soon after its release, the album became a success in Quebec, leading the young singer to become well known for her chart-topping hits there in 1981.  

Celine Dion started dating Rene Angelil before she was 19 

Seven years after Celine and Rene first met, their relationship shifted from professional to something a little more personal. Reportedly, at the time of their first date, Celine was 19, although she later admitted they had started dating a year or so earlier, in 1987. As you can imagine, the couple preferred to keep their relationship out of the spotlight because of their 26-year age difference. During a conversation with People in 2016, Celine said that she was “living that love secretly,” but when she reached the age where she could openly talk about her relationship, “it was like bang! Love! Love always wins.” In her memoir, Celine Dion: My Story, My Dream, the singer once again opened up about pining for Rene in secret. Recalling the night she won a singing competition in 1988, Celine wrote: 

“I threw myself into his arms. Later that night, I was seated at the head of the bed, legs folded under the covers. I was happy about being alone with the man I loved.” 

Celine Dion and Rene Angelil got engaged when the former's career was on the rise 

In 1990, Celine Dion released her first English-language album. Thanks to her duet with Peabo Bryson on the song, Beauty and the Beast, Celine shot to international stardom. Just a year later, in 1991, she faced another major life change when Rene got down on one knee to propose to her. Even after getting engaged, the couple kept their love a secret, especially because Celine's career was on the rise at the time.  

Celine Dion and Rene Angelil went public with their relationship in the liner notes of The Colour of My Love 

After years of keeping their romance a secret and away from the spotlight, Rene and Celine went public with their relationship in 1993. Well, it was actually Celine who decided to reveal her relationship with her manager in the liner notes of The Colour of My Love. According to Reuters, addressing Rene, she wrote that for many years she kept their “special dream locked away” inside her heart. Celine confessed in a 1994 interview with People that she was afraid of what people would think about their relationship, but said, “When you're in love, you want to scream it to the world.”  

Celine Dion and Rene Angelil got married at the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal  

On December 17, 1994, Celine and Rene tied the knot in a lavish ceremony held at the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal. For those unaware, their wedding was broadcast live on Canadian television. During the broadcast, viewers could see Celine looking absolutely stunning in a Mirella and Steve Gentile gown. She accessorised the look with an iconic Swarovski headdress.  

Celine Dion and Rene Angelil renewed their vows when the latter was declared cancer-free  

In 1999, Rene was diagnosed with throat cancer. This led Celine to take a two-year hiatus from her career so that she could focus more on her husband as he underwent two surgeries and radiation treatment. In 2000, Rene was declared cancer-free, and to celebrate the same, the pair renewed their vows in Las Vegas at an Arabian Nights-themed ceremony.  

Celine Dion and Rene Angelil welcomed their first baby after going through fertility treatments 

If reports are believed to be true, Rene and Celine welcomed their first child, Rene-Charles, after undergoing fertility treatments on January 25, 2001. In July of the same year, Rene-Charles was baptised. In 2007, while reflecting on the birth of her son, Celine called him a “miracle child.”  

Celine Dion and Rene Angelil's twins were born in Florida  

On October 23, 2010, Celine and Rene expanded their family once again by welcoming fraternal twin boys. Reportedly, they were born in Florida. The couple lovingly named them Nelson and Eddy, respectively. Nelson was named after South African President Nelson Mandela, while Eddy was named after Eddy Marnay, a French singer-songwriter who produced Celine's first five albums. The twins were baptised in LA in March 2011.  

Celine Dion promises Rene Angelil will “die in my arms” after his second cancer diagnosis  

After Rene got a tumour removed from his throat in December 2013, he was diagnosed with cancer for the second time in 2014. During a March 2015 interview, Celine revealed that she had promised her husband that she would keep his last wish. She said: 

"I'll say, 'You're scared? I understand. Talk to me about it.’ And René says to me, 'I want to die in your arms.' Okay, fine, I'll be there, you'll die in my arms." 

Rene Angelil passed away on January 14, 2016, just two days before his 74th birthday. This marked the end of his 22-year marriage to Celine Dion.  

Also read: Meet Katie Couric's Husband, John Molner, The Banker Behind Her Second Chance At Love

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