George Clooney and Amal Clooney's Relationship Timeline

George Clooney and Amal Clooney wed in 2014 and welcomed twins in 2017

George Clooney was fairly certain he'd never get married — that is, until he met his wife, renowned human rights lawyer Amal Clooney (née Alamuddin).

When they were introduced by a mutual friend over dinner at George's home in Italy, there was an instant connection between the pair. After communicating over email for several months, George and Amal finally met up for their first date in London.

From there, things moved quickly for the couple. Less than a year after meeting, George popped the question with a surprise proposal.

"I knew fairly quickly that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Amal. When I asked her, we had never talked about it. There wasn't like 'Maybe we should get married.' I dropped it on her … I have someone … who I care about more than I've cared about anything, so it's really nice," the actor said after proposing.

Since then, the couple have tied the knot, welcomed twins and committed their lives to their philanthropic work.

From their first dinner date to raising their children, here's everything you need to know about George and Amal's relationship.

July 2013: George and Amal are introduced by a mutual friend

George was at his home in Italy when he was first introduced to Amal by a mutual friend. The pal was heading over for dinner and asked if he could bring another guest — who happened to be the human rights lawyer. Before Amal's arrival, George even got a call from his agent, who predicted that the actor would one day marry his unexpected dinner guest. When Amal arrived, there was an instant connection between the duo, and they spent the whole night talking.

"It's the wildest thing. A mutual friend of ours said, 'I'm stopping by and can I bring my friend?' And I was like, 'Of course.' I got a call from my agent who called me and said, 'I met this woman who's coming to your house who you're gonna marry.' The funniest thing was my mom and dad were visiting, so my parents were there, and we just talked and we stayed up all night talking and then," George shared.

July 2013: George and Amal begin communicating over email

At the end of George's dinner party, he exchanged email addresses with Amal so that she could share some photos she took during the evening. Pretty soon, the duo were regularly communicating — and realized things had taken a romantic turn.

"I thought she was beautiful, and I thought she was funny and obviously smart … Then she sent some pictures from when she was here, and we were writing each other, emailing, talking, mostly about what was going on in each other's lives, and over a period of time it became clear we were more than just friends," George explained.

October 2013: George and Amal go on their first date in London

George and Amal communicated over email for several months before they were able to get together in person for their official first date. The pair met up while George was in London supervising the recording of the score for his film Monuments Men. Amal visited George at Abbey Road Studios before they headed out to dinner — which was all captured by the paparazzi.

"That was a good first date. Then we went for dinner. She said, 'Let's go to this place.' It was one of those places that was incredibly hip and chic. And when we came out, there were 50 paparazzi there. But she handled it like a champ," George said.

December 25, 2013: George and Amal spend Christmas in Cabo San Lucas

The actor later said that once he was in London working, things escalated "pretty quickly" for the couple, who spent the Christmas holiday together in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

February 2014: George and Amal travel to Africa together

In February, George and Amal traveled to Africa together — and it ended up becoming a trip that would change everything for the couple. George says that it was looking back on photos from the experience that made him realize he wanted to spend his life with Amal. Unbeknownst to his future wife, George started planning his proposal, down to the background music.

"We went on a safari in Kenya. Amal loves giraffes; they're her favorite animal. She went to this place called Giraffe Manor, where the giraffes stick their heads through the windows and kiss you. I had a picture of her, looking back, smiling at these giraffes and I said, 'I think I'm going to ask her to marry me,' " he shared.

April 28, 2014: George proposes to Amal during a date night at home

Just a few months after their trip abroad, George put his plan into action and proposed to Amal during a casual date night at home. After making a pasta dinner, George asked Amal to retrieve a candle lighter from a drawer where he had hidden the engagement ring for her to find.

"I did all the stuff, got down on my knee and did all the things you're supposed to do. I had a playlist with my Rosemary [Clooney] songs on it, and I was waiting for this song, 'Why Shouldn't I?' … And it played, and she's like, 'Holy shit!' And she just kept staring at the ring, going, 'Oh, my God.' It was 20 minutes of me on my knee, waiting for her to say yes, because she was so shocked. She only said yes when 'Goody, Goody' came on, which isn't very romantic — it's kind of mean: 'So you met someone who set you back on your heels, goody, goody,' " George explained.

September 7, 2014: George shares details about his and Amal's wedding

After the couple spent the summer celebrating their engagement, George and Amal stepped out for one of their first events together — the Celebrity Fight Night Gala in Florence, Italy. At the event, George took the stage to accept a Humanitarian Award, and during his speech, he revealed that the couple were marrying in just a few weeks.

"I met my lovely bride-to-be here in Italy, whom I will be marrying, in a couple of weeks, in Venice, of all places … I would just like to say to my bride-to-be, Amal, that I love you very much and I can't wait to be your husband," he said on stage.

September 27, 2014: George and Amal tie the knot in Italy

Later that month, George and Amal walked down the aisle in a stunning ceremony at the Aman Canal Grande resort in Venice. The groom was suited by Giorgio Armani while the bride wore a dress by Oscar de la Renta. The event was attended by many of the couple's famous friends including Matt Damon, John Krasinski and Emily Blunt.

While the couple were initially trying to keep their nuptials as secret as possible, they decided to lean into the experience once the public caught wind of their plans.

Related: Kaitlyn Dever Recalls When George Clooney Made His Costars Pizza at His Home: 'Nicest Person'

"We didn't tell anybody else that we were going to do it but eventually somebody figured it out. Oh, my God! Once people got wind of it, it became an event. We took a bus from here to Venice, then we got on a boat, and once we got on the boat, there were so many paparazzi and so many people standing there waiting. We were sitting down in the boat, and I was like, 'You know what? Why are we hiding? Why are we ducking? We shouldn't be ashamed of this.' And we got up and waved," George explained in an interview.

January 11, 2015: George and Amal make their red carpet debut

In January, George and Amal stepped out for their first major event as a married couple at the Golden Globes, where George was receiving a lifetime achievement award.

May 10, 2015: George says Amal has changed his life

Following the wedding, George got candid about how his life was changed by marrying Amal, telling PEOPLE that meeting the human rights lawyer altered his vision for the future.

"All I know is that it sort of changed everything in terms of what I thought my future – my personal future – was going to be. But I've always been an optimist about the world. I wasn't always completely optimistic about how it was going to work out personally for me. But now I am," he revealed.

May 20, 2015: George says he and Amal aren't thinking about kids yet

Less than a year into the couple's marriage, George fielded questions about their plans to expand their family. At the time, the actor said it wasn't something that was high on their list of priorities.

"I don't really [think about it]. I mean, I've thought about it, I suppose, but it hasn't been high on my list. I've been asked it a lot lately because I've gotten married and I'm doing a movie with kids in it," he said during a CBS This Morning interview.

June 3, 2015: Amal visits George's hometown

In June, Amal accompanied George to a family reunion in his hometown of Augusta, Kentucky. Not only did they get to spend time with family but they also visited lots of local sights including the high school and a popular bakery.

February 2016: George reveals the secret to his successful marriage

After over a year of marriage, George shared the secret to his successful relationship with Amal. He explained that it all has to do with communication and keeping in touch even when apart.

"FaceTime, we'll do that. Mostly it's just try not to go very long … We spend an awful lot of time together. We try not to have these huge gaps. We're able to manage, so far, between my work and her work and the things we're doing; we're able to manage it pretty well," he shared in an interview.

September 27, 2016: George and Amal celebrate their second wedding anniversary

George and Amal marked their second anniversary with a low-key celebration at home. While George joked it had been a "very, very big celebration" with fireworks, he later admitted that it was just a night at home.

"I made dinner. I don't think she's ever quite impressed with my cooking. If I slap something together — spaghetti and meatballs —s he doesn't know that it comes in a jar, so I can just fool her with that one," George said of his cooking for the occasion.

Late 2016: George and Amal establish the Clooney Foundation for Justice

In late 2016, George and Amal decided to take their philanthropic efforts to the next level when they established the Clooney Foundation for Justice, which aims to advocate for justice through accountability for human rights abuses around the world. Since founding the organization, the couple have made efforts to help those in need all across the globe by doing things like building schools for Syrian refugees, aiding the people of Ukraine and making a $1 million donation to the Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization that combats hate groups.

February 2017: PEOPLE confirms George and Amal are expecting twins

In February 2017, news broke that George and Amal were pregnant with their first child. While the couple's rep didn't release a statement, sources confirmed to PEOPLE that George and Amal were actually expecting twins. At the time, the source revealed that the parents-to-be had "let everyone in both families know quietly," and that everyone was "very happy" about the upcoming arrivals.

February 20, 2017: George comments on the couple's pregnancy

After the news of their pregnancy was made public, George shared that he was very excited for the couple's next adventure during an interview on French television.

"We are really happy and really excited. It's going to be an adventure. We've sort of embraced it all … with arms wide open," he shared.

June 6, 2017: Amal gives birth to twins

The couple officially became parents on June 6, when Amal gave birth to their son Alexander and their daughter Ella at St. Mary's Hospital in London. In a statement, George and Amal confirmed the happy news about the twins, who were born just minutes apart.

"This morning Amal and George welcomed Ella and Alexander George into their lives. Ella, Alexander and Amal are all healthy, happy and doing fine. George is sedated and should recover in a few days," they said.

September 6, 2017: George opens up about learning they were expecting twins

Reflecting on the couple's pregnancy journey, George revealed that after they tied the knot, he and Amal started talking about having children, despite the fact that they hadn't discussed it previously.

"We just felt we'd gotten very lucky, both of us, and we should share whatever good luck we've got. It would seem self-centered to just have that belong to us," he explained during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

George added that he was with Amal at the ultrasound where they learned they were having twins, which came as a somewhat shocking surprise.

"He goes, 'Well, there's one.' And I said, 'Great.' And then he goes, 'And there's the second one.' And I was like, 'What?' We just sat there, staring at that piece of paper they give you, and I kept thinking there was a mistake," he shared.

September 9, 2017: George and Amal make their first public appearance since becoming parents

In September 2017, George and Amal made their return to the spotlight after welcoming their children. The couple stepped out for the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival, where George was promoting his directorial effort, Suburbicon.

February 8, 2018: George opens up about what makes his relationship with Amal different

In a wide-ranging interview on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, George spoke openly about his relationship with Amal.

"I felt that I had met someone who I would absolutely, you know, trade my life for. I met someone who her life meant more to me than my life. And I'd never had that experience before," he shared.

April 2018: Amal gushes about George ahead of their fourth anniversary

Just a few months before the twins' first birthday, Amal opened up about falling in love with George – and how she almost thought it wasn't going to happen.

"It felt like the most natural thing in the world. Before that experience, I always hoped there could be love that was overwhelming and didn't require any weighing or decision-making. It's the one thing in life that I think is the biggest determinant of happiness, and it's the thing you have the least control over. Are you going to meet this person? I was 35 when I met him. It wasn't obvious that it was going to happen for me. And I wasn't willing or excited about the idea of getting married or having a family in the absence of that," Amal told Vogue.

May 19, 2018: George and Amal attend Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding

George and Amal attended the wedding of their close friends Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2018. Spending time with the royals was nothing new for the couple though, with George later saying that they often went on double dates together.

"We live not too far from one another and we have dinners and stuff and we're friends with them for all the reasons that you're friends with anybody. They're just really nice, fun, kind people, they're a very loving couple," he explained.

June 7, 2018: Amal opens up about the early days of their relationship

Amal got candid about the early days of her relationship with George during a speech at the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award Gala, where George was receiving the AFI Life Achievement Award.

"I met George when I was 35 and starting to become quite resigned to the idea that I was going to be a spinster. Then we met and started hiding out in my London flat and very soon it felt like, no matter what happened, I would never want to be with anyone else. I couldn't sleep when we were apart. And I am told I would display a particular grin and head tilt when reading his text messages or the letters that he would hide in my bag. Five years later none of that has changed. He is the person who has my complete admiration and also the person whose smile makes me melt every time," she shared.

May 6, 2019: George celebrates his 58th birthday with Amal

For George's first birthday since becoming a dad, he spent some quality alone time with his wife. Not only did they have George's 58th birthday to celebrate, but Amal was also marking a career milestone.

"I turned 58, nothing's fun. I had a good day though. My wife and I had dinner just the two of us at home, which was really nice. But my wife has been, for the last year, working literally every single day with a gentleman named Steven Adler, who runs Reuters, and a brilliant lawyer named Gail Gove to get and to free the Reuters journalists from Myanmar. A year of working on it, and last night they walked out of prison. So we were very happy," George shared on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Sept 27, 2019: George and Amal celebrate their fifth anniversary

George and Amal celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary with friends Rande Gerber and Cindy Crawford in New York City. The group spent the evening together, where they dined at 4 Charles Prime Rib restaurant.

"George and Amal were in the best mood. They celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary with Rande and Cindy. They enjoyed dinner for several hours. It was a happy group. They ordered a lot of food and wine. Rande treated them," a source told PEOPLE.

April 2020: George and Amal isolate at home during the pandemic

When the COVID-19 pandemic started in early 2020, the couple hunkered down at their home in Los Angeles. In April, George and Amal made over $1 million in donations to assist with relief efforts. They spread their donation among several charities, including Motion Picture and Television Fund, the SAG-AFTRA Fund, the Los Angeles Mayor's Fund, the Lebanese Food Bank and the National Health Service.

Months later, George revealed that the family ended up spending much of the year at home, in part to protect their son Alexander, who has asthma.

"This has been a crappy year for everyone. Started badly and ran badly all year long, until recently…But I'm very lucky. I ended up having a successful career. I wound up living in a home with some space in it. We can walk around outside … My son has asthma. They say it's not so bad on young people. But do we know that? We don't know anything about the long term of this yet," he shared.

November 17, 2020: George says Amal was the reason he changed his mind about settling down

In the middle of quarantining, George opened up about his life with Amal. George explained that prior to meeting his wife, he felt his life was complete and it wasn't until Amal entered the picture that he realized how wrong he was.

"[I thought] I'm gonna work, I've got great friends, my life is full, I'm doing well. And I didn't know how un-full it was until I met Amal. And then everything changed. And I was like, 'Oh, actually, this has been a huge empty space.' … I'd never been in the position where someone else's life was infinitely more important to me than my own," he said.

December 2020: George says he never argues with Amal

Nearly a year after the pandemic began, George revealed that spending time at home with his family had been a pleasure. He explained that while he knew quarantining had been hard on some couples, he had never had an argument with Amal.

"I feel very lucky in so many ways to have met her. We haven't ever had an argument. You know, everybody's been slammed together because of the coronavirus and a lot of friends' relationships have been tested. For us, it's been really easy," he shared.

October 2021: George reveals the one movie he won't let Amal watch

After many movie nights during the pandemic, George revealed there was one film he wouldn't let his wife watch — Batman & Robin. He explained that he added the film to his banned movie list because he claimed, with characteristic self-deprecation, that he "destroyed" the franchise and didn't want to be embarrassed in front of Amal and their children.

"There are certain films I just go, 'I want my wife to have some respect for me,' " he said.

Not all of George's films are off limits though, as he later revealed that Amal and her friends are big fans of One Fine Day.

February 8, 2022: George and Amal accept the Catalyst Award together

In February 2022, George and Amal accepted their first joint award together during a virtual ceremony for the Elevate Prize Foundation. The couple were recognized for their work with the Clooney Foundation for Justice and honored with the Catalyst Award, which recognizes prominent individuals who use their platform to inspire social change. Amal shared that the $250,000 prize from the award would go to their TrialWatch program, which monitors criminal trials around the world and defends individuals who are unjustly detained.

"One of the Elevate Prize Foundation's core values is human safety and freedom – a goal we share at the Clooney Foundation for Justice as we work to free the innocent and punish the guilty, waging justice one case at a time … Our goal at the foundation is to free the innocent and punish the guilty. I think we're both inspired by the young people out there challenging injustice in their communities, a new generation that won't accept the status quo," George said during the speech.

March 2022: Amal opens up about her marriage to George

After being named one of TIME Magazine's 2022 Women of the Year, Amal shared details about her marriage to George, calling him inspirational and supportive. "Marriage has been wonderful. I have in my husband a partner who is incredibly inspirational and supportive, and we have a home filled with love and laughter. It is a joy beyond anything I could ever have imagined. I feel so lucky to have found a great love in my life, and to be a mother — this is how I get my balance," she said.

September 7, 2022: George and Amal attend London premiere of Ticket to Paradise

George's new film, Ticket to Paradise, is slated to hit theaters in October 2022.

The actor was joined at the film's London premiere by his wife, Amal. The two were all smiles as they posed on the red carpet. George donned a tailored, three-piece navy suit, while Amal stunned in a mint green slip dress and Cartier jewels.

The couple were spotted chatting with George's co-star Julia Roberts, who looked stylish in a custom Alexander McQueen gown. Ticket to Paradise follows a divorced couple, played by Clooney and Roberts, who travel to Bali to stop their daughter from getting married.

September 14, 2022: George Clooney discusses twins Ella and Alexander following in his acting footsteps

During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Clooney said he isn't sure if his kids will pursue a career in the arts, but noted that they "can do whatever they want."

"My guess is that they're a little smarter than me, so, they'll probably do something — they already speak three languages, so, I'm still working on English," Clooney added.

September 27, 2022: George and Amal celebrate their 8th wedding anniversary in New York City

George and Amal stepped out in N.Y.C. to celebrate eight years of marriage. Amal was photographed in a zebra-print pleated skirt and matching clutch while George wore a black suit and black button-down.

September 28, 2022: George and Amal reveal parenting mistake on CBS Mornings

While chatting with Gayle King, George and Amal shared a potential parenting flub with their twins, Ella and Alexander.

"We've made a terrible mistake," the Ocean's Eleven star shared, explaining, "We taught them Italian. But we don't speak Italian, so we've armed them with a language they can harm us with. And we both don't really know what they're saying."

October 17, 2022: George and Amal attend Ticket to Paradise Los Angeles premiere

George and Amal walked the red carpet together at the Ticket to Paradise premiere in L.A., which took place at the Regency Village Theatre.

The actor looked handsome in a silver suit, while Amal dazzled in a red dress from Alexander McQueen's Spring 2003 collection.

December 3, 2022: George and Amal attend the Kennedy Center Honors

George, along with Amy Grant, Tania León, Gladys Knight and U2, was honored at the 45th annual Kennedy Center Honors for his lifetime achievements. He and Amal, who wowed in a red Valentino gown, walked the red carpet together.

July 17, 2023: George and Amal enjoy a romantic date night in Italy

The couple were spotted on a romantic date night at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo in Lake Como, Italy. Amal dazzled in a floor-length white dress, while George looked handsome in a suit.

August 31, 2023: Amal calls George the "brightest light" at DVF Awards in Venice

George supported Amal at the DVF Awards in Venice, where she was honored with the DVF Leadership Award. The human rights lawyer turned heads in a blush lace dress, while the actor looked effortlessly handsome in a black suit.

“I am here in Venice with my husband; he is a rising star,” Amal joked during her acceptance speech. "Venice is the place where almost nine years ago we were married. I just wanted to say, you, my love, like this city, take my breath away, and you make our lives magical. It is sometimes hard to believe you exist, so thank you for being the brightest light in my life.”

September 28, 2023: George and Amal host The Albies

The Clooney Foundation for Justice's second annual Albies was held at the New York Public Library. Amal, who dazzled in a white Versace gown, and George, who donned a tuxedo, were the evening's hosts.

"She does all the heavy lifting and the law-degree work, and I try to make it loud. I think it's kind of a good team effort," the actor told The New York Times of their human rights work.

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