Celine Dion and René Angélil’s love story spans decades, but fans are shocked to learn the age Celine was when they first met. Reports reveal Celine was just 12 years old when René, who was 38 at the time, became her manager.
Their story began in 1981 when René discovered Celine singing in her brother’s karaoke club in Montreal. René was so moved by her voice that he began to cry. Celine recalled “While I was singing he started to cry. I knew then I had done a good job.”
René became Celine’s manager and helped launch her international career. However, their romantic relationship did not begin until several years later.
Celine confirmed they went on their first official date when she was 19 in 1987. But in her memoir, she revealed that their romance actually started when she was 18 and René was 44 years old.
Celine wrote that she secretly pined for René for years. In 1988, at the age of 19, she “threw myself into his arms… I was happy about being alone with the man I loved.”
After René’s death in 2016, Celine said he was the only man she had ever kissed. “The man that I love, the only man that I kissed, the only man that I loved…I never kissed another man in my life.”
They got engaged in 1991 when Celine was 23. They publicly acknowledged their relationship in 1993 and married on December 17, 1994. Celine and René renewed their vows in 2000.
They welcomed three children together: son René-Charles in 2001 and twins Eddy and Nelson in 2010. René passed away in 2016 at age 74 after a long battle with cancer.
While Celine and René’s love story spanned decades, the revelation that they first met when Celine was just 12 years old has left many fans puzzled and uncomfortable. Some have criticized the significant age gap when their romantic relationship began years later.
However, Celine has always spoken fondly of René and credited him with launching her career and supporting her dreams. In a 2017 interview, she said “My husband was my backbone, my main support… He taught me so much about work ethic, discipline, and love.”
Their story shows the complexities of love. While the age difference raises questions, Celine and René’s bond was clearly deep and lasting. Ultimately, only they knew the nature of their relationship from the beginning. But the revelation of Celine’s young age when they met has understandably left many fans with mixed feelings.