Celine Dion is a doting mom-of-three and family is everything to her. The My Heart Will Go On hitmaker shares sons René Charles, 23, and twins Eddy and Nelson, 13, with late husband René Angélil, and has largely kept them out of the spotlight in order for them to have as normal a childhood as possible.
Now though, the star will be leaning on her kids more than ever as she battles Stiff Person Syndrome, which has resulted in her taking a step back from the spotlight. She has also allowed unprecedented access to her two youngest children in her new Amazon Prime documentary, I Am: Celine Dion.
Celine is the sole parent to her children following the tragic death of husband Renè in 2016, following a battle with throat cancer. From what Celine has said about parenthood, and from what is known about her three children, it's clear they have a very close bond.
She once told the Daily Mail back in 2013: "‘In the morning one of my biggest pleasures is to have my kids round me and coffee with double cream, no sugar. I hold the cup like it’s a little bird nest. It comforts me. At night I go to bed and my kids are sleeping and I can’t wait for tomorrow to have my coffee and my kids. It’s the simple pleasures of life that make the most sense."
René Charles, 23
Celine and René welcomed their oldest son on January 25, 2001. René was named after his father, and was at the time, referred to as the star's "miracle child", as she conceived him following a round of IVF.
Since her husband's death, Celine has been navigating the ups and downs of the teenage years with her firstborn, but it sounds like René Charles has made it incredibly easy!
In an interview on Lorraine in 2019, the star opened up about trusting her son. She said: "As any teenager, they have to try things because if you say no to so many things ― they will turn around and still do them. So I am giving him more space. I trust him. He does stuff sometimes that I have to say, not necessarily agree with what he chooses to try, but as long as he's using his intelligence and his mind and brain, I trust him."
In the same interview with Lorraine, Celine said of her firstborn: "His dad's sending him good energy. I told him that I will always have my heart and my hand for him to hold onto because we love him so much and we wish him the best in whatever he decides to do in life as long as he’s happy, because he's a great human being."
René Charles is also very sporty, with Celine revealing to People back in 2015 that he was "very athletic" and that he loved to play golf and hockey.
He is also following in his mom and dad's footsteps in the music industry. He released two songs on SoundCloud in 2018, which went to No. 1 and 2 on the platform's R&B & Soul New & Hot chart. The talented musician spoke to the Montreal Gazette about his music soon after they were released, telling the publication about the moment he played the songs to his mom for the first time. "I just felt like keeping it on the low. But she loved it. She was just kind of stunned at first, because she'd never heard anything from me," he revealed. Since then, René Charles has released an EP, Casino.5.
Celine was more than proud, writing on Instagram at the time: "I'm so proud of my son. My love for him is so strong, and it touches me deeply that one of his passions is also one of mine."
Eddy and Nelson, 13
Celine and René welcomed twin boys Eddy and Nelson on October 23, 2010, following six rounds of IVF and a miscarriage. The boys were both given very special names, in tribute to people close to the couple.
Eddy was named after Eddy Marnay, who produced Celine's first five albums. The star considered Eddy to be a father figure, with her rep saying at the time: "He was like a father to her. Eddy is a major influence in both Celine and Rene's lives."
Nelson was named after Nelson Mandela, who Celine met while on tour. The rep added: "Céline and René want their children to be inspired by their names, because they were so inspired by these men."
The twins couldn't be more different when it comes to their personalities. Talking to HELLO! in November 2010, she said: "One is more gutsy than the other. Nelson seems to have a little stronger personality right now. He’s the tougher of the two. They are fraternal twins, but they look very alike. Nelson weighed more at the birth, but the doctor told us in a week or two, they’re going to be the same."
She went on to tell the Daily Mail in November 2013: "They have very different personalities but both of them love to wake up first thing in the morning and go to their closet and decide what they will wear." Celine also previously said that Eddy and Nelson were both "mature for their age" during a Q&A session in 2019.
Celine's close bond with her twins in her documentary
The Canadian superstar's amazing parenting skills with her two youngest sons were evident in her Amazon Prime documentary. Celine is seen telling the boys "je t'aime", throughout and showering them with love and affection.
In one particularly cute scene, the singer play fights with them in one of their two epic games rooms at her Las Vegas mansion. As Eddy plays a video game using a VR headset, Celine perches on a beanbag and applauds his skills. She also tells Nelson to say thank you to their butler as he delivers him a made-to-order strawberry milkshake.
Before jetting out of town for a work commitment, Celine squeezes in a bit of quality time with her boys in their second games room, eating her breakfast as she catches up with them about their days. It's plain to see the close bond the family shares and the importance they place on words of affirmation.