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January 31 may have been actress Portia de Rossi’s 50th birthday, but her wife and former “American Idol” judge Ellen Degeneres was the one to be surprised.
“Portia surprised me at her birthday party by renewing our vows. Thank you [Kris Jenner] for officiating and [Brandi Carlile] for performing, and Portia for being the greatest gift to me, even on your birthday,” Degeneres wrote in a February 2 Instagram post, which included clips of the ceremony. A longer video was shared on “The Ellen Show” YouTube channel.
“Stand right there and do as you’re told,” de Rossi told her stunned wife while wearing her original Zac Posen dress from their August 2008 wedding.
See Degeneres and de Rossi renew their vows below.
Ellen Degeneres and Portia de Rossi Renew Their Vows With the Help of Kris Jenner
Carlile opened the surprise ceremony with a cover of Roberta Flack’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” while de Rossi waited in the hallway. As de Rossi walked into the crowded room, she approached Degeneres, whose jaw dropped as de Rossi handed her flowers and escorted her to the front of the room, where Jenner met the two to begin the renewal.
“Oh my god!” Degeneres exclaimed as Jenner got her notes out.
Jenner continued the proceedings by sharing kind words about the couple, whom she has spent time with “as their friends, neighbors, dance partners, cocktail buddies, and late-night chat sessions”.
De Rossi then took the floor, telling Degeneres, “Surprise. You don’t have to say anything at all, but when I was thinking about what would make my birthday really special, apart from being with family and friends, it was reminding you that you’re the most important thing in the world to me, in front of family and friends.”
De Rossi also called back to their 2008 nuptials, saying, “On our wedding day in 2008, I quoted Walt Whitman and I said that ‘It is a great thing to be loved, but it is profound to be understood’. Back then after knowing each other for four years, I thought we understood each other, but now 14 years later, I can truly say we understand each other, we accept each other, and how lucky am I to be with somebody who accepts me for exactly who I am?”
Degeneres found herself speechless, given the surprise of the ceremony, but was able to share a few words with her wife, saying, “Just… thank… god… I just adore you, I love you, and I would not be on this earth without you. You save me every day. Thank you for saving me every day, and I am the lucky one.” She then turned to the crowd and closed with, “And wow, everybody,” causing the crowd to erupt in laughter and cheers.
Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Were in Attendance
Given Degeneres and de Rossi’s high profile, plenty of their celebrity friends were in attendance at the vow renewal, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. TMZ has shared screenshots of the crowd from the vow renewal video where the royal couple can be seen.
People also reported on their attendance, as well as that of Degeneres and de Rossi’s other famous friends, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, Carol Burnett, Katy Perry, and Orlando Bloom, to name a few.
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