Ellen DeGeneres has celebrated her 18th wedding anniversary with wife Portia de Rossi, gushing that she feels lucky to spend the rest of her life with her favorite person in the entire world. The 68-year-old former daytime television host shared a heartfelt social media post over the weekend to mark the milestone with her long-time partner.
Writing on her main Instagram page on Sunday, DeGeneres uploaded a photograph of the couple relaxing together outdoors under bright sunshine. The pair sat cozy alongside one another, linking arms and flashing subtle smiles toward the camera as they celebrated 18 years of marriage.
DeGeneres captioned the post with an emotional message expressing gratitude for their relationship. "Happy anniversary to my favorite person in the entire world," she wrote. "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!!"
Fans and celebrity friends quickly flooded the comment section to congratulate the couple on the milestone, including reality television personality Kris Jenner. "Happy Anniversary beautiful friends we love you!!!!" Jenner wrote under the post. Representatives for DeGeneres have been contacted by the Daily Mail for comment, but have yet to respond.
Relationship History and Marriage
DeGeneres and de Rossi, a 53-year-old Australian-American former actress known for her roles in television series such as Ally McBeal and Arrested Development, first met at a concert back in 2001. They crossed paths again three years later in 2004. Although both women were involved in separate relationships at the time, they began dating after those respective relationships came to an end.
The couple officially confirmed their romance in 2005 when they made their first public appearance together at a Golden Globes after-party. Speaking to People magazine in a previous interview, DeGeneres recalled how significant that public outing was for their relationship.
"It was a big deal for her to be seen with me," the comedian said. "The very first time we were photographed together was when I joined her at the Golden Globes after party. And that's when everyone knew that we were together."
In 2008, the couple announced their engagement. Later that same year in August, they tied the knot during an intimate wedding ceremony held at their home in Los Angeles, California.
Reflecting on their marriage during an interview with People in 2016, DeGeneres spoke about the deep appreciation she and de Rossi share for one another. "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 said.
The television host added at the time that she felt completely settled in her personal life. "I've gotten to a place where I really am just settled. Really. I know that I'm not going anywhere. She's not going anywhere," DeGeneres explained.
The pair celebrated another significant relationship milestone in February 2023 when it was revealed that they had renewed their wedding vows. The ceremony was officiated by their close friend Kris Jenner. More recently, in June of this year, DeGeneres and de Rossi were spotted sharing a kiss while vacationing on a luxury yacht alongside Jenner.
Move to the United Kingdom
The anniversary celebration comes following a major relocation for the couple. DeGeneres and de Rossi chose to leave the United States after Donald Trump was re-elected as the 47th President of the United States in November 2024.
Upon moving overseas, the couple initially settled into an $18 million property located in the Cotswolds, a scenic rural region in south-central England famous for its rolling hills and historic stone villages. However, their new life in the English countryside soon encountered setbacks when the six-bedroom estate suffered severe flooding caused by Storm Bert.
An insider previously informed the Daily Mail about the difficulties the couple faced shortly after their arrival in the United Kingdom. "Ellen and Portia have had several issues with the place they initially moved into," the source disclosed. "First there was the flooding, of course, then there was an issue with some locals complaining about some building work carried out at the property."
In addition to local building disputes, plans for a riding arena at their Cotswolds estate were recently dashed. Following the complications at their initial home, DeGeneres and de Rossi moved into a second property in the area, situated roughly a 30-minute drive from their original house.
Montecito Property and Future Plans
Despite establishing a life in England, speculation has persisted regarding whether the couple might eventually return to North America. Late last year, an insider told The Mail on Sunday that there remains a possibility the couple could move back to the United States even while Trump remains in office.
In November of last year, DeGeneres and de Rossi purchased a $27 million mansion in Montecito, an affluent coastal community in Santa Barbara County, California. The couple were spotted at the property for the first time in February, when they filmed themselves spending time in the backyard of the estate.
However, a separate source subsequently clarified to Us Weekly that the pair have no intention of making a permanent return to California. "They are still planning to live full-time in the UK but will spend a few months of the year in Montecito," the source stated.
Talk Show Exit and Screen Comeback
The past several years have marked a period of transition for DeGeneres, who hosted the award-winning daytime series The Ellen DeGeneres Show for nearly two decades. In 2020, the comedian was embroiled in widespread controversy after former staff members made allegations regarding a toxic work environment on the set of the show. DeGeneres later issued a public apology for the workplace issues.
The long-running talk show officially came to an end two years later in 2022. Addressing the turbulent end of her talk show in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, DeGeneres reflected on what she learned from the experience.
"I have to just trust that whatever happened during that time, which was obviously very, very difficult, happened for a reason," she told the publication. "I think that I learned a lot, and there were some things that came up that I was shocked and surprised by. It was eye-opening, but I just trust that that had to happen."
DeGeneres is now preparing to return to screen acting. In April, it was revealed that she has landed her Hollywood comeback role, set to reprise her voice role as the friendly blue tang fish Dory in an upcoming short film. DeGeneres previously voiced the beloved character in Disney and Pixar's animated blockbuster Finding Nemo in 2003 and its 2016 sequel Finding Dory.
