Are marriages like George and Amal Clooney’s rare?

[Lesighhh]

Saw an interview of them both released today talking about their marriage. They say they’ve never really had an argument and they’ve found marriage to be easy, in fact 'the easiest thing'. Amal says it’s 99% luck to meet the right person, and prior to meeting George at age 35 she didn’t think she’d find someone. They seem to have such love and mutual respect for each other. Is this kind of marriage the exception rather than the norm? Have they been extremely lucky or do many people have this?

Lol I thought you were going to ask if sham marriages were rare.

Of course they’re going to say in the media that they have a fantastic marriage. They probably barely see each other apart from photo ops.

Sham marriages? Probably more common than we think.

I suppose lots of the things that cause arguments in marriage won't apply to themas they are rich enough to have lots of help for housework/ childcare/ cooking etc. Also they are away a lot so not on top of each other in a tiny two bed with noisy neighbours. Both have interesting, fulfilling careers and George had well lived his life before marriage. He is not a 27 year old playing Grand Theft Auto while his baby cries!

What a boring marriage.

They seem to be super happy. i think that meeting a little later helps and they are extremely privileged so do not have the pressures that cause marriages to fail (money, lack of childcare etc.., who looks after the children etc..). They have nannies for the children so they are both able to have careers and time for self-care and to spend quality time together. That said, they both seem to be emotionally balanced and genuinely caring individuals who love each other. Good luck to them !

DP and I don’t ever argue, but I think this is only partly a) that we care about and respect each other more than we want to be right, and b) that we’re both generally laid back people who don’t get angry or upset or combative over many things generally and a whole lot of c) that frankly we don’t actually have very much to fight over: childfree, very good income with no financial worries, similar standards of domestic hygiene and both pitch in equally, matching sex drives, similar interests and social expectations. I suspect those are the main things most couples argue about - see aforementioned mismatch of expectations - and I suspect that disagreeing with each other over those sorts of major life issues breeds resentment which spills over and causes arguments about other smaller stuff.

Likewise, George and Amal won’t have many of the above worries, either: plenty of money, plenty of help with all the dull stuff in life like chores, met in later life so will each be a lot more settled and sure of themselves, which helps hugely in a relationship.

I’d have said yes, but then I just mentioned to my husband how we don’t argue, and he disagreed 😂

DH and I had a wonderful marriage. We met at 19 and 20, moved in together after 3 days, and loved each other to bits for the 16 years until his tragically early death from a brain haemorrhage, just after our second child’s birth.

So yes, such marriages do exist. The downside is that DH is irreplaceable. I have been a widow for thirty years, and raised our two babies alone.

😂😂

Sounds just like our marriage - apart from the fact we aren't followed about by cameras.

Yes this is DH and me too.

People still believe that their marriage is a genuine marriage? In 2022?

Amazed that anyone thinks things reported in ‘interviews’ with famous people represent anything like the truth.

On the rare occasions I’ve been interviewed (not famous!) it’s been almost impossible to recognise myself in the published article.

You really shouldn’t take those articles seriously, OP.

Meeting the right person probably isn't rare.

Having a marriage without any of the typical stresses of money worries, childcare, arguments over housework etc is quite rare.

I thought it was going to be about marriages of convenience/Marriage as a transaction. I need someone young enough to bear children and who will support my work/political ambitions - host dinner parties go on charitable committees etc. You get someone who will raise your profile, give you status and money.

DH and I very rarely argue. When we do it's more of a sulky situation than an angry one. We never have shouty arguments

I think this kind of arrangement is rare for normal people but more common for celebrities.

They're actors. They pretend for a living. What they present on an interview is what they decided to portray.

When you have all the money you could ever need there are a lot less of the little things to fight over. They will have people to do all the mundane tasks. If they are shattered from a long day at work they won't need to pop to co-op on the way home for food for everyone. They probably aren't hunting around the house for a lost football sock for school etc.

I’m always worried about tempting fate by saying it but DH and I have that kind of marriage. We’ve never had a full on argument and I could count our minor disagreements on one hand, after 13 years together. He’s genuinely my best friend which I think is the crux of it. I like and respect him so much I would never want to treat him badly, shout at him etc. and he feels the same. We are always kind to each other because we’re each other’s favourite people (kids aside!) There’s no one else I would rather spend my time with. We generally agree on most things and he’s very laid back so we have never struggled to come to a consensus on the big issues and our general views on life, finances, raising the kids etc align which I think is a major, major factor in our general harmony.

Marrying someone fundamentally kind and who makes you laugh is the best way to end up with a good and happy marriage IMO.

Agree with comments above in terms of both their marriage and their truthfulness in an interview.

However, that does describe our marriage until children. Now we have two small children, two full time jobs and no family support nearby, so we do get a bit short with each other at times in a way we didn't before. We both know it's just circumstances, and the old love it still there it's just buried under a hell of a lot of drudge work. If we had infinite money to pay others to do that drudge then I imagine we'd be as happy and easy going as ever.

I dunno I saw an episode of the Kardashians where Kim and Kanye had a big fight about turning the entire street into an ice rink for their Christmas party 😂

I've known three couples like this, none of them weaithy. Just obvious love, courtesy and respect after five decades and more. The courtesy seems almost the most important, saying please and thank you for even small things.

Why do people think it's a sham marriage?

I agree that the resources they have take a lot of day to day pressure off which will reduce arguments.

I guess it depends on what you mean by "argue" though. If you mean shouting at each other, slamming doors etc then no, my husband and I never argue. If you mean sometimes cross words and snapping, then yes, we argue.

I'm always suspicious of couples who say they never argue.

@Babdoc How sad 😢 .
Life can be very cruel sometimes.