LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: Celine Dion and René Angélil were one of the few couples of Tinseltown, who were madly in love and had immense respect and devotion for each other. Despite a 26-year age gap, the two made a very successful pair and had three children together.
As per reports, the Canadian singer and Angélil’officially began dating in 1987. At the time, the ‘My Heart Will Go On’ songstress was only 19 and was not sure of people’s reaction to their romance. She told Good Housekeeping, “I was afraid of what people would think,” before noting, “When you're in love, you want to scream it to the world.”
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‘I was very frustrated’
Dion also had to face issues at her home as her mother was not happy with her and the talent manager’s relationship. She shared, “It was very difficult for her. When I told her I had some really strong feelings for René she tried everything to kill him and make me snap out of it.”
“I was very frustrated and mad at first but she tried to make me understand that this man tried marriage twice before, he has three children, he's not responsible... Then it was so strong that my whole family was in love with him and she had no choice,” she disclosed.
Celine Dion and René Angélil had three children together
In 1994, the pair exchanged vows and became husband and wife. However, things went south when in 1998, Angélil tested positive for throat cancer. For the next few years, Dion’s only purpose in life became to take care of her husband, and in 2002, the Canadian musical producer’s condition got better.
Amid the challenging times, the duo became parents to their son, René-Charles Angélil, in 2001. Also, with the help of IVF, they became parents of fraternal twin boys: Nelson and Eddy in October 2010. But once again, their happiness did not last long, as in 2013 Angelil's cancer came back. Three years later, in 2016, Angelil died while his wife was doing a night performance.
‘I want you to just go in peace’
Angélil had, however, sent his last message to his wife. Dion told TODAY in 2019, “He called me before a show and give me a little message: 'I love you.’ And when I came home that night, it was very, very late ... And I didn't want to come and wake him up to give him a kiss, to wake him up, and then he can't find sleep again. And the next morning, he was gone.”
Besides, after Angélil’s death, the ‘A New Day Has Come’ singer requested him to die in peace. She said as per news.com.au, “I started to talk to him and I said, ‘You know what, I want you to just go in peace. I want you to not worry. You were worrying about my career. You were worrying about the children. You were worrying about everything. It’s enough. Do you trust me? Please do. Trust me.’”
She revealed, “(I said), ‘The kids are fine. I’m fine. I promise you we’re gonna be OK. Please leave in peace. I don’t want you to worry’. I covered him because he was very cold, I took one of his bathrobes and I put one on him and one on me. I talked to him in his ear and I kissed him so much.” However, Dion still has one regret. She added, “He wanted to die in my arms. I cannot live with regret but this I do. He did not die in my arms but I think he died in my heart.”
‘I would be lying if I said I’m fine’
The “Queen of Power Ballads” stated, “But I am at peace because I know that he doesn't suffer. And I know that, right now, the courage that I have, he has given it to me all my life.” She also expressed, “I miss to be touched. I miss to be hugged. I missed to be told, ‘You're beautiful. I miss what a boyfriend and I miss what a husband would do.”
Last year, she paid a heartwarming tribute to her late husband as she shared on Instagram, “I would be lying if I said I’m fine, I think of you at least a hundred times, cause in the echo of my voice I hear your words just like you’re there… I miss you – Céline xx…”
In 2021, Dion posted, “René, it’s been 5 years already… There’s not one day that we don’t think about you. We’re reaching out to you now more than ever, to guide us, protect us, and continue to watch over us. And we pray that you'll shine your love on the entire world, to all those at this very moment, who are facing incredibly difficult times. You are in our hearts and in our lives forever. We love you, Celine, René-Charles, Nelson, and Eddy xx…”
Meanwhile, about her dating life, Dion reportedly made clear in 2019 that she does not “date”. She reportedly added, “I'm not ready to date. I'm very lucky and happy to have so many people in my surrounding to make me — they make me laugh.”