Why the Clooneys picked France as their second home and citizenship

Why the Clooneys picked France as their second home and citizenship

• George and Amal Clooney and twins gained French citizenship in late 2025
• Family chose France for privacy and a quieter life away from Hollywood media
• French government cited their cultural contributions and ties to France

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The French citizenship of the Hollywood actor, human rights lawyer, and their twins was officially formalized at the end of 2025 in the Journal Officiel de la République Française. The naturalization has been confirmed by the French government, which says that the family met the eligibility criterion under laws reserved for foreigners who contribute to France's international influence and cultural life. It also followed their decision to make southern France their principal residence.

A quieter life, away from the limelight

The family's primary reasons for taking French citizenship have been touted to be based on a desire to raise their children away from the intense glare of Hollywood and American media. George Clooney has spoken of moving the family to the French countryside to protect twins Ella and Alexander from ceaseless paparazzi attention and scrutiny from celebrity media. In France, stringent privacy controls make it more difficult for media outlets to publish personal information like home addresses or images of children, which caters to the family's desire for normalcy.

Personal and family connections to French culture

For many years now, George and Amal Clooney have maintained close connections with France. In 2021, they bought a big estate near the town of Brignoles in the south of France and spent quite some time there. This already established presence and more personal relation to French life made the naturalization more organic than a strategic move. While George has said his French is still a work in progress, Amal speaks the language fluently, and their children regularly do, showing deeper personal integration.

Official recognition of their contributions

The French government, on the other hand, justified the grant of citizenship as a recognition of services rendered by the Clooneys to the international profile of France. It was specifically claimed that George's worldwide status in cinema and Amal's work as a lawyer, more particularly in cooperation with academic and international institutions in France, were qualifying factors under French naturalisation provisions. Officials have emphasized that their naturalization was conducted through proper legal channels, not as an exception.

Balancing public life with private peace

For the Clooneys, dual citizenship is symbolic of a balance between international careers and more down-to-earth private lifestyles. France offers a lifestyle that allows this family to stay connected to the global cultural and professional community while giving their children a childhood that is more ordinary and less media-driven compared with life in the United States.

Finally, becoming French citizens both reflects a practical choice for privacy and family stability and an embracing of a life that feels right for their children's upbringing and their own long-term comfort.