France Grants Citizenship to George, Amal Clooney and Their Twins/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ George and Amal Clooney, along with their twins, have officially been granted French citizenship, solidifying their deepening ties to the country where they now primarily reside. The family has embraced life in southern France, with Clooney praising the quiet lifestyle for raising their children away from Hollywood. Local officials celebrated the news, calling it a testament to the Clooneys’ affection for France.
Clooney Family Citizenship Quick Looks
- France grants citizenship to George, Amal, Ella, and Alexander Clooney
- The Clooneys purchased their French estate in 2021
- George cites raising kids away from Hollywood culture
- Amal listed under maiden name in official records
- Clooney learning French but jokes he’s “horrible” at it
- The family resides near Brignoles in southern France
- Mayor praises Clooneys as “simple and accessible” locals
- French privacy laws help protect children from paparazzi
Deep Look
Clooneys Receive French Citizenship, Embrace Quiet Life in Southern France
PARIS — George Clooney, his wife Amal, and their twins Ella and Alexander are now officially French citizens. The famed actor and humanitarian family were granted French nationality in a move confirmed by the government’s Journal Officiel, which publishes all official state decrees.
The naturalization notice listed Amal Clooney under her maiden name, Amal Alamuddin, and included George Clooney’s full name, George Timothy Clooney. The 64-year-old Hollywood star and his 47-year-old human rights lawyer wife have owned property in France since 2021, when they purchased an 18th-century estate near Brignoles in the southern region of Provence.
In recent interviews, Clooney described the family’s French home as their primary residence. He said the decision to move was rooted in a desire to give their children a quieter, more grounded upbringing, far from the celebrity culture of Los Angeles.
“I was worried about raising our kids in L.A., in the culture of Hollywood,” Clooney told Esquire in an October interview. “I don’t want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi. I don’t want them being compared to somebody else’s famous kids.”
Clooney added that life in rural France has been a healthy change for the family. “They’re not on their iPads, you know? They have dinner with grown-ups and have to take their dishes in. They have a much better life.”
While the French government’s Interior Ministry has not publicly commented, the mayor of Brignoles, Didier Brémond, spoke to local media and warmly welcomed the family’s new status as French citizens. In an interview with BFMTV, Brémond called the Clooneys “a very simple and very accessible family,” noting that George Clooney shops locally and even attended the opening of the town’s new cinema.
“Here, he wants to live normally, and that’s what he is trying to do,” the mayor said, emphasizing that their citizenship reflects Clooney’s “love for our country.”
The family has also benefited from France’s strong privacy laws, which shield public figures and their children from unauthorized photography. This was likely a major consideration for the Clooneys, who have long been vocal about protecting their children’s privacy from invasive media attention.
Amal Clooney, born in Lebanon and raised in the United Kingdom, was already an internationally recognized figure before her marriage to the Oscar-winning actor. Their twins, Ella and Alexander, were born in London in 2017 and are now eight years old. With the French citizenship decree, the children now hold British and French nationalities — and possibly American and Lebanese, depending on their parents’ citizenship status.
George Clooney, though now a French national, has not confirmed whether he retains his U.S. citizenship. While some countries require renunciation upon gaining new citizenship, France allows for dual nationality, as does the United States.
In recent media appearances to promote his latest film Jay Kelly, Clooney shared that he’s trying to learn French using a language-learning app. But he admitted his progress has been slow.
“It’s horrible, horrible,” he joked in an interview with French broadcaster Canal+, noting that his wife and children already speak French fluently. “They speak French in front of me so they can say terrible things about me to my face and I don’t know.”
Local media continue to report that the family spends significant time at their villa in southern France, nestled among vineyards and olive groves. It offers the Clooneys a retreat from the spotlight, aligning with their desire to raise their children in a calm, community-focused environment.
With their official French status now confirmed, the Clooneys’ bond with France appears stronger than ever — not just as visitors or property owners, but as citizens deeply integrated into local life.
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