In September, they’ll celebrate their 11th wedding anniversary – which is practically a lifetime by Hollywood marriage standards. But, while George and Amal Clooney remain as devoted to each other as ever, there’s no denying that speculation has been grow surrounding the state of their relationship over the past few months. After all, for two very famous faces who try to eschew the public eye as much as possible, any sighting they do make is forensically scrutinised and analysed. And so, over their Christmas break in St Tropez, a seemingly tense interaction between the married pair inevitably sparked rumours that there was trouble in paradise.
'Neither of them looked happy,' one onlooker said. 'As soon as they realised they were being photographed, he reached for her, but it did look like they’d had some kind of issue between them.'
Almost immediately, the rumour mill went into overdrive – suggesting that the couple’s long distance commitments over the next few months (Amal is based in France with their twins, Ella and Alexander, seven, while George has temporarily relocated to New York ahead of his Broadway debut in March) have created a rift between them. Some commentators even suggested that, as a result, they were headed for divorce. But according to our insiders, the reality is very different indeed. Like any couple, George, 63, and Amal, 46, have moments of disagreement – owed in no small part to the fact that they are both incredibly headstrong and determined people, which is what simultaneously keeps them so compatible. But any whisper of divorce couldn’t be further from the truth: they’re both in it for the long haul, and they’re both committed to weathering the ebbs and flows of marriage until death do they part.
'It’s not always a bed of roses, but the notion that they’re divorcing has been completely dismissed,' says an insider close to the superstar couple, who famously wed in a star-studded, four-day extravaganza in Venice in 2014. 'They’re both very clear this is a lifelong commitment, and they’re prepared and willing to work through any issues that come up. It’s annoying to be constantly shooting down rumours that they’re splitting up, but they try to keep it in perspective. The fact is, they have this image of being a perfect couple, so any time they’re caught having the slightest conflict, the rumour mill goes into overdrive. They try to laugh it off and not let it get to them, but of course it gets frustrating.'
Part of the reason why there’s so much scrutiny on George and Amal is the fact that, as two highly successful and ambitious people at the heights of their respective fields, they often inevitably end up spending time apart. George can often be called away on shoots abroad, and is now temporarily based in New York ahead of his performance in the stage adaptation of his 2005 acclaimed drama Good Night, And Good Luck. As a leading human rights barrister, Amal is likewise pulled in different directions, with her Chambers based in London.
The couple and their twins split their time between their villa in Lake Como, their wine estate in Brignoles, France, their mansion in Berkshire, UK, and their houses in LA and Mexico; but with Ella and Alexander now believed to be studying full-time in France, the family can’t be quite so nomadic – especially during term-time. So, while Amal is mainly working from France, it inevitably means that she and George are navigating some long-distance love in the meantime. As our source explains, it can be challenging, but they’re both putting in the effort to make it work.
'Yes, they’re spending more time apart than usual because he’s in New York rehearsing for his play, and she’s busy with her own work that takes her all over the world, but their marriage is still as much a priority as ever,' says our source. 'Whenever George has a break in his schedule, he hops back to Europe to see Amal and the kids. Last year, they made a big effort to reconnect and put the focus back on their marriage. They started doing date nights and taking romantic holidays, and they were able to totally reinvigorate the romantic side of things. And now, even when they’re thousands of miles apart for work, they’re sticking to those rules. They’ve even resorted to having a few dates over Zoom, just to have that quality time to catch up and talk about more than just the kids and their schedules.'
Despite being pictured looking frosty in St Tropez, the Clooneys have also put in several loved-up appearances over the past year. Last summer, they were spotted enjoying a series of date nights in Lake Como – including sharing a romantic kiss while dining together at the five-star hotel Villa d’Este. As our source explains, neither one of them is the kind of person to give up or throw in the towel if things get rocky. Instead, they approach their relationship like they approach every other aspect of their successful lives: with passion, ambition, and determination to be the very best of the best. And, as a result, it seems they’re pouring water on any fiery rumours that they’re heading for divorce, and are instead approaching their 11th anniversary in September more committed than ever.
'They love each other and don’t want to risk things slipping away so they’re putting in a big effort to make sure they keep their marriage strong, and they stay connected, even when they have to do long distance,' we’re told.
'Amal will of course be there to see George’s play on opening night on 3 April, and when the run is finished in June, they are planning to celebrate together with a romantic getaway – just the two of them.'