Ellen DeGeneres marked her 18th wedding anniversary with wife Portia de Rossi over the past weekend, sharing a touching tribute on Instagram. The 68-year-old former talk show host expressed her gratitude, calling herself "lucky" to spend her life with de Rossi.
"Happy anniversary to my favorite person in the entire world," DeGeneres wrote on Sunday. "I can't believe how lucky I am that I get to spend the rest of my life with you. What an adventure we are having!!" She accompanied the message with a photo of the couple embracing outdoors. IMAGE1
Friends and fans congratulated the couple in the comments, including Kris Jenner, who wrote, "Happy Anniversary beautiful friends we love you!!!!" IMAGE3
DeGeneres and de Rossi first met in 2001, with their paths crossing again three years later. After ending previous relationships, they began dating and confirmed their romance publicly in 2005 at a Golden Globes after-party. DeGeneres has previously spoken about the significance of their public debut, noting that it was a "big deal for her to be seen with me" at the time. The couple announced their engagement in 2008 and married later that year in August during an intimate ceremony at their Los Angeles home. IMAGE5
In 2016, DeGeneres shared insights into their marriage, telling People, "Portia and I constantly say to each other, 'We are so lucky.' Sometimes it's lying in bed at night before I go to sleep, and I just say thank you to whatever, whoever is out there." She added that she felt settled and certain of their enduring relationship. IMAGE7
The couple renewed their vows in February 2023, with Kris Jenner officiating the ceremony. IMAGE3
Recent years have seen DeGeneres and de Rossi navigate relocation and career shifts. The couple purchased a $27 million property in Montecito, California, last year, though a source indicated they plan to spend only a few months of the year there while maintaining their primary residence in the UK. IMAGE2
This move followed issues at a previous Cotswolds estate, including flooding and local complaints regarding building work, which led them to a different property in the area. DeGeneres and de Rossi had left the United States following the 2024 presidential election. IMAGE2
DeGeneres's public life also saw significant changes, including controversy surrounding accusations of a toxic work environment in 2020, for which she later apologized. Her long-running talk show, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," concluded in 2022 after nearly two decades on air. IMAGE4
DeGeneres is set to return to acting, reprising her voice role as Dory in an upcoming short film, a character she previously voiced in Disney's "Finding Nemo" and "Finding Dory."