George and Amal Clooney are officially citizens of a new country after deciding to raise their kids away from LA
The Hollywood actor explained what he liked most about the European country
Ellie Kemp
George and Amal Clooney have been granted citizenship in a new country after choosing to continue raising their children abroad, embracing a quieter family life away from Hollywood.
The Jay Kelly actor, 64, and his wife, international human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, 47, are proud parents to eight-year-old twins Alexander and Ella.
Amal first revealed she was pregnant with twins on CBS talk show The Talk in February 2017.
She gave birth four months later on June 6, 2017. While the couple have been keeping their children out of the spotlight, they've been vocal on their desire to raise them outside of the US.
Advert
Alexander and Ella have been largely raised in Italy, with Clooney owning a huge villa by the sought-after Lake Como since 2002.
Clooney once revealed that both his kids speak fluent Italian, while he and Amal, who is Lebanese and British, do not.
During a 2020 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Clooney joked: "We've armed them with a language."
He went on to detail Alexander and Ella's cheeky attitudes, explaining: "I'll say, 'Go back in and clean your room',and they'll be like, 'Eh, papa stronzo', which literally means 'turd', though colloquially it's an equivalent to 'a**hole'."
He quipped: "I'm from Kentucky, English is a second language to me."
Now, the family has gained a new citizenship, this time for France.
The French government signed off on the decision over the weekend, reports the New York Times.
Official documents from their Ministry of Justice confirmed that the couple and their eight-year-old twins were granted citizenship.
The Clooneys own a farmhouse near the town of Brignoles in the Provence region, which they bought in 2021.
The stunning property features vineyards, olive groves, a lake, a pool and a tennis court, serving as their base in the south of France.
Speaking to French broadcaster RTL earlier this month, Clooney explained why he and his family loved the country so much.
"Here, they don’t take photos of kids. There aren’t any paparazzi hidden at the school gates. That’s number one for us,” he said.
“We also have a house in the United States, but our happiest place is on this farm where the kids can have fun.”
Clooney also said he was attempting to learn the local language via Duolingo, but admitted it wasn't easy.
Now, the Clooney kids will have yet another language to cheekily roast their parents in. Keep us posted on that Duolingo streak, George.