Céline Dion's 3 Children: All About René-Charles, Nelson, and Eddy
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- UPDATED JUNE 22, 2024
by Tasha Mayberry
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Céline Dion may be a superstar, but she considers her role as a mom to be her greatest “privilege.” The “My Heart Will Go On” singer and her late husband, René Angélil, welcomed three sons together: René-Charles, 23, and twins Nelson and Eddy, 13. Angélil passed away in 2016 from throat cancer, and since then, Dion and her sons have continued to support each other.
In a 2007 interview with PEOPLE, Dion shared that singing never gave her life real purpose, unlike her children. “I’m not really a singer. My life is to be a mom,” she said. “It is what I enjoy the most. It is my most amazing reward. I will take a chance with my music. I don’t take risks with my family.” In June 2024, Dion told PEOPLE that her twins have been practicing emergency drills with her and her physical therapist to ensure they know what to do during a “crisis” episode. “We have panic buttons in the house and they know how to put me on my side,” she said. “The idea of telling them and showing them was not to frighten them. It is for them to know, ‘I’m your mom and it’s my responsibility. You’re old enough to understand I might need your help.'” Here’s everything to know about Céline Dion’s children: René-Charles, Nelson, and Eddy.
René-Charles Angélil
René-Charles, named after his father, was born on January 25, 2001, in Loxahatchee, Florida, weighing 6 lbs., 8 oz. Dion and Angélil welcomed their first child together when she was 32 and he was 59 after a round of in vitro fertilization treatments. Dion has referred to her eldest child as a “miracle child.” In May 2006, when René-Charles was 5, she told PEOPLE how much she loved being a mom to him. “It relaxes me to read stories to him, do finger painting, play with Play-Doh. I think people have a hard time imagining I can have a normal life, but I do,” she said. After nearly two decades of touring, Dion started her first residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas from March 2003 to December 2007 to create a stable routine for her family. She told PEOPLE, “I am a full-time mom. That’s my priority. Then I go and sing a few songs at night.
Nelson and Eddy Angélil
After six rounds of IVF and one miscarriage, Dion and Angélil announced in 2010 that they were expecting twins. Angélil told PEOPLE they were “ecstatic” about the news. “Celine is just hoping for a healthy pregnancy. She was hoping for one baby and the news that we are having two is a double blessing.” Fraternal twins Eddy and Nelson were born on October 23, 2010, in West Palm Beach, Florida, weighing 5 lbs., 4 oz. and 5 lbs., 10 oz., respectively. Eddy was named after producer Eddy Marnay, who produced Dion’s first five albums. Dion’s rep said, “He was like a father to her. Eddy is a major influence in both Céline and René’s lives.” Nelson was named after Nelson Mandela, whom Dion once met while on tour. “Céline and René want their children to be inspired by their names because they were so inspired by these men,” her rep added. Even as infants, Dion could identify the distinct personalities of her twin sons.
Céline Dion and René Angélil's Relationship: A Look Back
The Grammy-winning singer was married to her former manager for 22 years until his death from throat cancer in 2016. Dion and Angélil began working together professionally when she was just 12 years old. Their relationship turned romantic when she was 19, but they kept it private for years. In 1993, they announced their engagement, and they married the following year.
They later welcomed three children together: René-Charles in 2001 and twins Nelson and Eddy in 2010. Angélil was diagnosed with cancer three times, and Dion took time away from her career to care for him. In 2021, six years after his death, she shared that she still feels Angélil’s presence in her daily life. “I feel like René has given me so much through the years and still today,” she said. “I see my kids. I look at them — we live with him. We still live with him. He’s part of our lives every day, so I have to say that I feel very, very strong.”
Since Angélil’s death, Dion has faced her own health problems. In an emotional Instagram video in December 2022, she revealed her diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological condition that can cause debilitating muscle spasms. Dion’s Prime Video documentary, I Am: Celine Dion, premieres on June 25, 2024, providing a “raw and honest behind-the-scenes look at the iconic superstar’s struggle with a life-altering illness.” From their emotional first meeting to honoring his legacy, here’s everything to know about Céline Dion and René Angélil’s romance.
