Beloved Hollywood duo Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas are celebrating 25 years of marriage, and fans can’t get enough of their enduring love story.
The “Legend of Zorro” star, 56, marked the milestone with a heartfelt Instagram post on Nov. 18, sharing a romantic series of photos from their wedding day and beyond. “25 years ago today, I walked down the aisle,” she wrote. “The intoxicating aroma of flowers, the glow of the candles, the resounding harmonious Welsh choir and you at the end of the long walk waiting for me, looking at me the way only you can. I love you today as I did then. Thank you sweetheart♥️.”
Her post included snapshots of the couple posing at the Taj Mahal and kissing on their wedding day, as well as a touching image from “the first time we met,” showing her gaze fixed on Douglas. Fans filled the comments with love and admiration, with one writing, “Happy Anniversary to the two of you! I wish you both many more blessed years together.??,” and another adding, “If I don’t get a love like that, I don’t want anything??.”
Douglas, 81, shared his own tribute on Instagram, posting a throwback photo of the two embracing. “Happy 25th anniversary, my darling Catherine. Who knew? All my love, Michael ❤️,” he wrote.
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The beloved couple first met at the Deauville Film Festival in France in 1998, after Douglas, captivated by Zeta-Jones’ performance in “The Mask of Zorro,” asked his publicist to arrange an introduction. Recalling the encounter on “The Jonathan Ross Show,” Douglas said he boldly told her, “You know, I’m going to be the father of your children.” Zeta-Jones quickly replied, “You know, I’ve heard a lot about you, and I think it’s time that I say goodnight.” Years later, she joked to “Access,” “You know what the worst thing is? He was right!”
The two got engaged in Aspen, Colorado, during a New Year’s Eve trip in 1999 and tied the knot the following November in a lavish ceremony at New York’s Plaza Hotel, attended by stars including Tom Hanks, Whoopi Goldberg, and Brad Pitt. They’ve since welcomed two children: son Dylan, 25, and daughter Carys, 22.
Douglas and Zeta-Jones, who share a 25-year age gap and even the same birthday, have long been open about how their bond continues to grow. Speaking at the 2019 Golden Globes, Douglas said their love “continues to grow,” adding that working in the same industry helps them understand each other’s world. In a 2021 interview on *Today*, he reflected on life as empty nesters: “You look at each other and go, ‘Well, it’s just you and me, babe.’ … All those good years of paying attention to each other are paying off now.”
The couple’s devotion—and humor—remain as strong as ever. Last year, Zeta-Jones celebrated Douglas’ 80th birthday with a cheeky black-and-white photo of herself in her “birthday suit.” She captioned it, “After over 25 years of sharing my birthday day with my husband, I am running out of gift ideas! This is gift option two, golf balls being option one… of course ?.”
After a quarter-century of marriage, countless milestones, and two children grown, Catherine and Michael’s love story continues to be one of Hollywood’s most heartwarming examples of lasting commitment.