Céline Dion: Declaration of love for her late husband

Céline Dion (56) paid tribute to her late husband René Angélil (1942-2016) on their 30th wedding anniversary with a touching Instagram post. The manager died of throat cancer on January 14, 2016, two days before his 74th birthday.

The couple got married on December 17, 1994. The singer has now published a souvenir picture of the big day on her Instagram page. “You are still a part of our hearts every day. You are everything to us,” she wrote alongside the wedding photo. “We miss you so much. Happy 30th anniversary, mon amour.” She also signed the post with the names of their three children René-Charles (23) and the twins Nelson and Eddy (14).

The two met at an audition in 1980. Dion was only twelve years old at the time. From then on, he became her manager and the two worked together for seven years before dating in 1987. However, they initially kept their relationship secret because the singer was afraid of public opinion due to the 26-year age difference, as she told People in 1994: “I was afraid of what people would think.” They only made their relationship public after they had already been engaged for a few years. “When I was at the age where I could tell people we were together…it was like a bang! Love! Love always wins,” Dion wrote in her memoir.

The wedding at Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal was broadcast live on television in Canada. In an interview in April 2024, the singer looked back on the pompous event: “It’s a moment that I won’t forget for the rest of my life. The dress couldn’t have been big enough.” Her husband “brought out the best in me.”

Four years after tying the knot, Angélil was diagnosed with throat cancer. In 2000, the couple shared the news that he had been declared cancer-free. That same year, the couple celebrated a vow renewal in Las Vegas. In 2014, Angélil was diagnosed with cancer again.