Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are celebrating an incredible milestone: 20 years of life together.
The couple, who recently moved from California to a charming farmhouse in England’s picturesque Cotswolds, marked the occasion with a heartfelt tribute shared by Ellen on Instagram.
The former talk show host, 66, posted a cozy selfie with Portia, 51, against the backdrop of their idyllic countryside retreat. In the caption, Ellen poured her heart out, reflecting on their two-decade-long journey and the adventures still to come.
"20 years ago today we began this relationship not realizing what a long beautiful adventure this would be," Ellen wrote in the December 1 post. "You are the best thing that ever happened in my life. You take care of me. You help me see the good in everything. You help to guide me and pick me up when I feel off or down."
She continued, "You are a beautiful soul that I am so very grateful to have as a partner to navigate this crazy life with. My wife. My best friend. The love of my life. Thank you for being you and loving me. So happy we get to travel and explore the world together in the next 20 years, and looking forward to our first snowy Christmas."
Always quick with a touch of humor, Ellen couldn’t resist addressing recent weather concerns, adding, “P.S. for those of you concerned, our UK farmhouse did NOT flood,” referring to the heavy rains brought by Storm Bert that recently hit the U.K.
Portia, who tends to keep a lower profile on social media, didn’t post about the anniversary herself. Her last Instagram post, shared back in January, was a heartfelt birthday tribute to Ellen. But there’s no doubt she shares her wife’s excitement as they celebrate two decades together.
The couple’s enduring love story began in 2001, when they first met backstage at a concert. For Portia, it was an unforgettable moment. “I remember thinking that she [Ellen] was the coolest, most fascinating, beautiful, funniest person I'd ever met,” Portia recalled to People.
But their romance didn’t blossom immediately. At the time, Portia was not yet publicly out, and navigating her sexuality was a deeply personal journey. “I really wasn’t comfortable with my sexuality,” she admitted. “I just knew that being with her would be a bit of a thing for me, so we didn’t get together after that for about three years.”
It wasn’t until 2004, at VH1’s Big in ’04 Awards, that the stars aligned. Reuniting after years apart, Ellen and Portia struck up a conversation that would change everything. “We saw each other and started talking, and that was it,” Ellen shared. “She opened up and said she’d been thinking about me. And it surprised me. It was a big deal for her to be seen with me.”