Amal Clooney, George Clooney at The Albies, Clooney Foundation for Justice on September 26, 2024 in New York, New York. © John Nacion

George and Amal Clooney's love story: How did they meet?

From a chance meeting in Lake Como to a lifetime of love and partnership


Daniel Neira - Los Angeles
Senior WriterLos Angeles
OCTOBER 14, 2024 11:31 AM EDT

George and Amal Clooney felt an instant connection after they first locked eyes on each other. Their first encounter seems like it came out of a fairytale, and they continue to share their love and admiration for each other, always traveling together and showing support for their projects.

“I always hoped there could be love that was overwhelming and didn’t require any weighing or decision-making,” Amal said in 2018 when talking to Vogue about the first time she met her now-husband. “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," she said to the publication. George talked to David Letterman about their first encounter in July 2013 while he was vacationing in his villa in Lake Como.

© Robert Kamau

George Clooney and Amal Clooney seen out and about in Manhattan on October 1, 2019 in New York City.

Amal was visiting Italy and it was a mutual friend who brought them together, after visiting his lavish home. "It's the wildest thing,” George said. “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," he detailed. 

© Vittorio Zunino Celotto

George Clooney and Amal Clooney walk the red carpet during the 74th Venice Film Festival at Sala Grande on September 2, 2017 in Venice, Italy.

Their first romantic date and first trip together:

We were a team from right off the bat. Immediately, we felt we were just happy, and we have been happy ever since," the actor explained to The Hollywood Reporter. He also discussed his first official date with Amal in London. 

“She was living in London and I went to London to score a movie. And I thought, if you’re ever gonna impress anybody, it’s at Abbey Road with a 150-piece orchestra," he said, explaining that their romantic date happened in October 2013. "I called her up and said, ‘You want to come see and visit over at Abbey Road?’ ”

© Tim P. Whitby

Amal Clooney and George Clooney on September 07, 2022 in London, England.

“That was a good first date. Then we went for dinner," he said. "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. And pretty quickly, things escalated once I was in London.”

The pair started to travel together in 2014, visiting Kenya and enjoying their time together on a safari. “Amal loves giraffes; they're her favorite animal,” he said to THR. “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,” he explained, “And I said, ‘I think I’m going to ask her to marry me.’"

© Ernesto Ruscio

George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin at Canal Grande on September 28, 2014 in Venice, Italy.

Their intimate wedding in Italy:

George planned a special marriage proposal shortly after that, and they celebrated their love in Italy at the historic Aman Canal Grande Venice with 100 of their closest friends and family members on September 27, 2014. 

 “The wedding was so unbelievably special, it was legendary. These three days – the friends, the families, the atmosphere, everything – will stay with me all the rest of my life," Amal's mom revealed to People. 

© ALBERTO PIZZOLI

George Clooney and his wife Amal Clooney attend the red carpet of the movie "Wolfs" at the 81st International Venice Film Festival on September 1, 2024.

Their family life after welcoming their kids:

Three years after their union, they expanded their family by welcoming twins Ella and Alexander Clooney in June 2017. "When you have twins and you're raising [them] the same time, the same way, and they're completely different human beings, you realize how little say you have in who they are," the actor said to Good Morning America. 

The pair continue to go strong in their relationship, enjoying their life as a family and supporting each other, after celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary in September 2024.