Fact Check: Was Ellen DeGeneres-Portia de Rossi Divorce News Ever Real?

No, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are not divorced, not even close. Despite waves of rumors and tabloid tattle, the couple recently celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary (per E! News) in August 2025, proving their bond is still very much intact. In fact, they’ve been side by side through thick and thin: relocation, controversy, and grief.

For the unversed: DeGeneres and de Rossi are not only still married, but they’ve also packed up their California dream and moved to the UK following the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Whether that decision was spurred by political fatigue or privacy, but their unity in the move says more than gossip ever could.

The couple first tied the knot in August 2008, in an intimate ceremony at their Beverly Hills home, shortly after same-s*x marriage was legalized in California. Despite the passage of Proposition 8 casting doubt on their legal status, the California Supreme Court later confirmed their marriage as valid. Portia de Rossi even officially changed her name to Portia Lee James DeGeneres in 2010 (per TMZ).

Still, the rumors have only grown louder after DeGeneres’ For Your Approval Netflix special, which insiders claim “did nothing to reverse her bad reputation,” according to InTouch Weekly. Some even allege their marriage is “in terrible shape”. Despite it all, the couple hasn’t publicly flinched. So, is the divorce real? Not even remotely. 

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi’s Marriage Controversies Explained

Behind every fairytale, there’s a footnote and Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi’s love story has had its share. They reportedly first crossed paths in 2001 at a Rock the Vote concert but didn’t become a couple until 2004. When they finally got together, both were in relationships, DeGeneres with photographer Alexandra Hedison, and de Rossi with singer Francesca Gregorini.

Their joint decision to end those relationships and pursue each other, as DeGeneres once told People in 2005, wasn’t easy:

Gregorini later reflected on the breakup in a 2014 The Advocate interview, calling the split “harrowing” but ultimately expressing peace with it. But the past is never quite past in the public eye. Even their shared values haven’t escaped scrutiny. The couple turned vegan in 2008, but Ellen DeGeneres  drew criticism in 2012 when she revealed she ate eggs from a neighbor’s chickens. The backlash prompted her to confirm in her 2018 special Relatable (per Business Insider) that she was no longer vegan.

When The Ellen DeGeneres Show ended in 2022 following workplace misconduct allegations, the dominoes started to fall. Per Buzzfeed News, DeGeneres’ carefully crafted “be kind” brand took a public battering, and although Portia de Rossi stood by her, it wasn’t without criticism. According to Mercury News, one viral tweet read:

Still, the couple endured. Until DeGeneres’ 2024 Netflix special stirred the pot again. The InTouch Weekly insider claimed it only “intensified” concerns about their relationship, especially among Hollywood friends. The inside source alleged to InTouch Weekly:

Their joint decision to move to the UK only added fuel to the fire. Some framed it as political, others claimed it was about escaping scrutiny. One source suggested:

And now, in the UK, they’ve reportedly already clashed with a local figure over a “technical breach” involving an extension that could “disturb Roman remains” and “increase flood risk”. We learned this from the Daily Mail.

Complete Timeline of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi’s Relationship

The Ellen DeGeneres Show | Credit: YouTube

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi have shared a deeply loving and supportive relationship for over two decades. Since 2004, they have been open about their love, navigating the highs and lows of life together. Here’s their relationship timeline (per PEOPLE):

The DeGeneres-de Rossi story challenges the gossip mill’s narrative and proves that true love can weather both public scrutiny and personal battles.

Are they just quietly rewriting the rules of Hollywood marriage? Or is this enduring relationship setting a new standard for what real commitment looks like in the spotlight? Drop your thoughts below!