George Clooney says Amal Clooney’s birthday surprise was sweet, elaborate, and apparently a little risky.
The actor turned 65 on May 6, and Amal did not keep things low-key. A few days later, the couple attended the King’s Trust 50th Anniversary Celebration at London’s Royal Albert Hall, where Amal revealed that she had arranged more than one surprise for her husband.
“I just surprised him on his birthday, actually with a number of things that…” Amal told ‘British Vogue’ on the red carpet.
George jumped in before she could say too much. “Yeah, she had friends of mine show up posing,” he said. Amal clarified that the friends were “posing as waiters.”
George Clooney Jokes Birthday Surprise Was ‘Dangerous’
George joked that surprising someone at 65 can be a risky move.
“It’s a dangerous thing to surprise someone when they turn 65 because you could drop,” he said. “You know, that could be the end of you, so you have to be very careful when you surprise people.”
He added that he made it through the shock, though barely. “Yeah, well I’m still standing, barely,” George said.
The couple also shared a little parenting advice for their twins, Alexander and Ella. George went for the joke first. “Don’t mix grain and grape,” he said. “I think that’s important for the children to know, don’t mix the two.”
Amal gave the more serious answer, saying they want their children to stay curious, ask questions, and challenge things that do not make sense.
George immediately teased the contrast. “You see my wife, she gives an elegant answer, and then I give the important answer,” he said. Amal laughed and added, “And ask your dad when it comes to drinks!”
George And Amal’s Romance Started At Lake Como
George and Amal have now been together for more than a decade, but their first meeting still sounds like a movie setup.
George has said they met in July 2013 at his home near Lake Como, Italy, after a mutual friend asked to bring Amal along while passing through the country. “A mutual friend of ours said, ‘I’m stopping by and can I bring my friend?’” George recalled. “And I was like, ‘Of course!’”
His agent apparently sensed what was coming. “I got a call from my agent who said, ‘I met this woman who is coming to your house, who you’re going to marry,’” George said. “It really worked out that way.”
He said they stayed up all night talking, then began emailing. At first, he was not sure whether Amal saw him romantically. “I didn’t know if she wanted to go out with me. I just thought we were buddies,” he said.
The Proposal Was Almost A Disaster
By early 2014, a trip to Kenya helped George realize he wanted to marry her. He later said he saw Amal smiling at giraffes at Giraffe Manor and thought, “I think I’m going to ask her to marry me.”
The proposal itself was not exactly smooth. George later described it as “horrible,” saying Amal was so shocked that he was stuck on one knee for around 20 minutes before she answered.
She eventually said yes, and the couple married on September 27, 2014, at the Aman Canal Grande luxury resort in Venice.
Now, more than 10 years later, Amal is still finding ways to surprise him. George may joke that it is dangerous, but he clearly survived this one.
