Céline Dion's Grown-Up Son René-Charles Makes Us Feel Old

Dec 10, 2020 by apost team

Céline Dion is arguably one of the most talented singers of our generation. The Canadian performer sang herself into our hearts when we first got to see her in the 1980s when she won the Eurovision song contest.

Not only is she an accomplished songstress, but Dion has also gone on to have a beautiful family as well. Together with her late husband René Angélil, she has had three sons: René-Charles, 19, and twins Nelson and Eddy, 10. The world first got to see the little twins outside Caesars Palace in Las Vegas back in 2011 as newborns. A lot of time has passed since then and Dion's elder son René-Charles Angélil is all grown up and clearly takes after his famous mom.

Céline Dion is known the world over as being an incredible singing diva, but her roots are much more humble than one might imagine. Born in Charlemagne, Quebec on March 30, 1968, young Céline was one of 14 children. Her large family wasn't wealthy, in fact, five of them shared a bed, but despite their poverty, they shared warm family time together, much of which revolved around music. George-Hebert Germain, Dion's officially authorized biographer, said that:

"She was born in a house where everybody was singing or playing music. Guitar, piano, drums, everything. And she was raised in this family where the music was so important."

By the age of two, the future star was singing on the dining room table for her family, and by the age of five, she performed at her brother Michel's wedding after he'd asked her to. She fondly thought back on the experience and described it in an interview with CNN:

"And I remember singing for my brother, at his wedding. I sang a couple songs. When I started to feel the love and the warmth of the audience it got me. I said to myself, 'Really this is what I want to do all my life. I want to be a singer.'"

When Dion was 12, her mother wrote her a song titled It Was Only A Dream. The demo recording of this song eventually made its way to René Angélil, who was immediately impressed with her voice and set out to become her manager and, famously, her eventual later husband.

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Dion and her late husband René Angélil have quite a love story. The pair met when Dion was just 12 years old when he first became her music manager. According to Huffington Post Canada, Dion eventually fell in love with Angélil at around 17-18 years old. Their 26 year age gap, however, would make their love a difficult one to pursue. She revealed to the outlet that her mother was not at all happy with the couple and their emerging relationship, as most mothers would be. Dion eventually came to understand her mother's position, as she told the Huffington Post.

"If I reversed roles—when I had my first son, RC, if I think of him and he comes [to me] with this lady who has kids and she's 45 and she thinks she knows best, [I'd be] like, 'Take your hand off of my son," she admitted.

In the meantime, Dion's career was soaring. After becoming an international sensation in her native Canada, France, and elsewhere, the then-20-year-old sang at the Eurovision Song Contest 1988, which took place in Dublin, Ireland, and won the top prize. It was after this that Angélil began negotiations to secure Dion's first English-language album, with their eyes set on the United States. Her success only continued to grow, as she won an Academy Award and Grammy for her duet from the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast, all at the young age of 24. More hits followed, securing her fame in the States.

But unknown to fans at the time was her romantic relationship with Angélil, which the two of them had been keeping secret for five years. So in the liner notes of her 1993 album The Colour of My Love, Dion went public with her relationship. She later told CNN:

"I wrote a note behind my album. Rene is my love, I can't keep this secret inside of me anymore. It's getting too powerful. Let me paint a truth and show you how I feel. Rene, you are the color of my love."

The same interview revealed that Mia Dumon, Dion's friend and former publicist, was in charge of planning their wedding. After asking the songstress what she wanted, she was told "I want something I'll remember all my life." So Dumont went ahead and gave Dion and Angélil "a fairy-tale wedding," on December 17th, 1994.

In 2001, they had their first child, René-Charles Angélil. Raising their son made it apparent to the doting parents that they absolutely wanted to have another child. Unfortunately, they were finding it difficult to conceive naturally, so the couple sought help and started receiving IVF treatment in 2007. 

The couple still struggled, however, with Dion opening up to Oprah in 2010 about her miscarrying while undergoing the treatment. Despite the adversity, they were still determined to have another child. Then finally in 2010, Angélil and Dion announced she was 14 weeks pregnant with their second-born children, twins. 

Later that same year on October 10, Dion gave birth to Eddy and Nelson at St Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. Their names have a particularly important meaning for Dion, with Eddy being named after her favorite songwriter, Eddy Marnay, and Nelson being named after Nelson Mandela, according to People. 

Tragically, the boys lost their father at a young age, when he succumbed to a years-long on-and-off battle with cancer. 

“When you see someone who is fighting so hard, it has a big impact on you,” Dion told People in 2015. “You have two choices. You look at your husband who’s very sick and you can’t help, and it kills you. Or you look at your husband that’s sick and you say, ‘I got you. I got it. I’m here. It’s going to be just fine.’"

It was just two days before his 74th birthday when René Angélil passed away in 2016. 

"Knowing that now he’s in peace and is resting and is always within me. I see him every day through the eyes of my children. He gave me so much strength,” Dion told Hello at the time.

”To be honest, I think I’m at the best of my life right now and I want to enjoy and embrace every moment of it and really enjoy it,” she added.

"It’s like I’m having a second wind, like I’m having the wind beneath my wings. I’m having a good time.”

Now aged 10, the twins seem to have inherited their parent's love for showbiz! That much is evident in a photo uploaded by their mom on their 7th birthday, which was apparently Michael Jackson themed. 

“Can’t believe you are already 7 years old… Time flies! Happy birthday, my loves! I’m so proud of all my boys! Mom,” Dion captioned the photo.

For their 10th birthday in October 2020, Dion shared a heartwarming post to Instagram, highlighting not only how much they've grown-up, but also how proud they make the entire family, including Angélil. The photos showed the boys playing in a beautiful autumn setting, which Dion captioned: 

"Nelson and Eddy, you have been bringing so much joy, love and laughter into our lives every single day for the past 10 years. You make me, your big brother and your Dad, who is for sure watching over you, so very proud. Happy birthday my beautiful boys! We love you so very much... - Mom, RC and Dad xx..."

Dion is definitely a doting mom, as her Instagram feed is full of photos of her wonderful boys. In a photo uploaded earlier this year, you can see just how much her oldest son René-Charles Angélil has grown. The family resemblance is hard to deny, with her son bearing his famous mother's piercing eyes and uplifting smile. Dion also posted a celebratory message on Instagram for his birthday in January. Alongside a photo of him as a baby, as well as one of him today with her, Dion wrote:

"My dear René-Charles, I’m so proud of the way you’re conducting yourself in life. You’re a true gentleman, and I want you to know that your father’s guidance continues to support and protect you… as I do. Keep being the best of yourself… strong, passionate, and wise, as you pursue all of your dreams in life—the sky’s the limit!  And above all, have a good time!.... Your happiness, is my happiness. I love you so much, my dear son!  Mom xx…"

Despite the sad loss of the family's patriarch a few years ago, Dion has done a wonderful job raising her three sons René-Charles, Nelson, and Eddy Angélil since then. She's an internationally renowned singing sensation and a wonderful mother to her three boys—who would have thought that Céline Dion could do it all and so well? She's truly an inspiration to women all over the world.

Who do you think Dion’s sons resemble more? Let us know in the comments, and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!