George (65) and Amal Clooney (48) Toast Another Anniversary, and Their Golden Rule Is Simple

Hollywood marriages rarely get a reputation for staying steady, which is part of why the Clooneys keep attracting attention. George Clooney, one of the industry’s biggest stars, is married to Amal, an international human rights lawyer and philanthropist. Their relationship has become a rare example of a low-drama celebrity partnership.

The couple tied the knot in Venice in 2014, in a star-studded Italian wedding, and welcomed twins Alexander and Ella in June 2017. The twins are now 9. This week the family marked another milestone as George and Amal celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary on September 27.

Anniversaries tend to bring old interviews back into the spotlight, and this year the focus is on a pact the couple made early in their marriage. George’s marriage rule with Amal is straightforward: they agreed never to spend more than a week apart. He explained the arrangement in a 2015 interview with News.com.au, saying the only real adjustment to married life was figuring out their schedules and that the deal had worked out pretty well so far.

George has also acknowledged that the schedule can occasionally be a challenge because of Amal’s job. That candor helps explain why the rule has lasted. It gives them a simple limit to plan around rather than a long list of complicated guidelines.

The family’s main base is Domaine du Canadel, an 18th-century wine estate near Brignoles in the south of France. The couple bought the 425-acre property in 2021 for a reported $8.3 million. It includes olive groves, gardens and a 25-acre vineyard.

They also have other homes, including a villa on Lake Como and a 17th-century Grade II listed estate in Oxfordshire. Still, France is their primary residence. Wildfires forced the family to evacuate the Provence property earlier this summer, a reminder that even a quiet retreat can be unpredictable.

The move has been about privacy. George told RTL radio in December that in France, photographers don’t take pictures of children, and there aren’t paparazzi hidden at school gates. He also told Esquire that he worried about raising his kids in the culture of Hollywood.

The whole family received French citizenship last December, according to the decree published in the Journal Officiel. Amal was naturalized under her maiden name, Amal Alamuddin. The twins are being raised to speak English, Italian and French.

Amal has spoken about the challenge of keeping private moments. She told Glamour in 2025 that creating private spaces is becoming increasingly difficult, and that this is one reason the couple often entertain at home. She even keeps a basket where guests leave their phones.

That approach fits the couple’s careful attitude toward publicity. They appear together at red carpets and events, but their home life stays mostly out of view. It is a balance that has helped them maintain a reputation for privacy.

Another part of their public image is George’s claim that the two have never had an argument. He first said it in a joint CBS Mornings interview and later repeated it, joking that they were trying to find something to fight about. Amal said meeting the right person is mostly luck.

The couple have also made small adjustments along the way. After George turned 60 in 2021, he agreed to stop kissing co-stars onscreen following a conversation with Amal, according to a Daily Mail interview cited by InStyle. Those changes show how the pair handle compromise with a sense of humor.

The anniversary comes shortly after a very public moment. When George received a lifetime achievement award at the Venice International Film Festival in September, he said he was at a loss for words to describe how much he loves his wife and how proud he is of her. It was a tender moment in the city where they were married.

For fans, that mix of public affection and private routines is part of the appeal. The couple’s approach isn’t complicated, but it appears to work. Keeping to a simple promise about time together may be the most useful lesson from their marriage.

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