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Inside Beyoncé and Jay-Z's 15 years of marriage: from their secret wedding to their net worth

Crazy in Love hitmaker Beyoncé wed Jay-Z in 2008

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Phoebe Tatham
Content Writer
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Beyoncé and Jay-Z are one of Hollywood's hottest power couples. The talented duo are known globally for their phenomenal contributions to the world of music, earning Beyoncé the famous moniker, Queen Bey. It's fair to say that the 52-time Grammy winners have established themselves among celeb royalty…

From their top-secret wedding to Jay-Z's widely reported affair, read on to discover the finer details of their very public relationship…

WATCH: Beyoncé and Jay-Z: A family story

How did Beyoncé and Jay-Z meet?

The music legends first crossed paths during their teenage years. Speaking to Seventeen in 2008, the Single Ladies songstress revealed: "I was 18 when we first met, 19 when we first started dating… There was no rush – no one expected me to run off and get married."

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The couple met as teens

Beyoncé explained how the duo built a strong friendship before dabbling in dating. In a candid chat with Oprah Winfrey, the star said: “We were friends first for a year and a half before we went on any dates."

By 2003, the talented pair were a global sensation thanks to their instant hit, Crazy in Love. Fast forward to 2004, and the new lovebirds hit headlines around the world with their loved-up VMAs appearance. Their romance was officially out in the public.

RELATED: Beyonce opens up about motherhood and the love she has for her children

MORE: Beyonce reveals secret room inside home with Jay Z

When did they get married?

The smitten couple opted to keep details of their wedding out of the spotlight. They married in secret in 2008, without even telling fans that they were engaged. It was later revealed that the couple tied the knot on 4 April in a very intimate wedding ceremony.

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Beyoncé and Jay-Z joined forces on stage

Opening up about their big day, Jay-Z told Vibe magazine: "I just think it's really a part of your life that you gotta keep to yourself… You have to, or you'll go insane in this type of business.

"You have to have something that's sacred to you and the people around you… I shared so much of my life, my childhood, and my family, the death of my nephew with the world."

beyonce jay z singing© Getty
The loved-up couple wed in secret

Whilst the duo have kept hush-hush about the more intimate details of their nuptials, the likes of Michelle Williams, Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin featured on the duo's star-studded guestlist.

MORE: Beyoncé's $12k second wedding dress was worlds apart from one mother designed

MORE: Beyoncé shares rare photo of twins Rumi and Sir - and they're so grown up!

A stunning black and white snapshot showed the newly-weds joyously making their way down the aisle in front of cheering crowds. In terms of decorations, the star allegedly had 70,000 of her favourite flowers – white dendrobium orchids – flown in from Thailand.

When did the couple become parents?

Beyoncé suffered a heartbreaking miscarriage two years prior to welcoming her first child. In an emotional interview with ELLE, the star explained: "I began to search for deeper meaning when life began to teach me lessons I didn't know I needed. I learned that all pain and loss is in fact a gift.

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The songstress welcomed Blue Ivy in 2012

"Having miscarriages taught me that I had to mother myself before I could be a mother to someone else."

SEE: A tour of Beyonce and Jay Z's incredible £71million home in Bel Air

Later in 2011 Beyoncé dropped a major bombshell: the star finally admitted that she was pregnant after much speculation. Sharing the news with her fans at the VMAs, the Halo songstress announced: "I want you to stand up on your feet. I want you to feel the love that's growing inside me."

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The star spoke candidly about motherhood

The star welcomed daughter Blue Ivy Carter in 2012. Whilst Beyoncé's daugher has enjoyed much of her childhood out of the spotlight, the youngster has made several red carpet appearances alongside her famous parents. Beyond this, Blue Ivy has starred on her parents' soundtracks and has even narrated Matthew A Cherry's storybook, Hair Love

Touching on her life-changing motherhood experience, the 41-year-old later revealed: "Then I had Blue, and the quest for my purpose became so much deeper.

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RELATED: Beyoncé's daughter Blue Ivy dances to famous mum's song in must-see video

"I died and was reborn in my relationship, and the quest for self became even stronger. It's difficult for me to go backwards. Being 'number one' was no longer my priority."

In 2017 Beyoncé gave birth to twins Sir and Rumi. The star announced the arrival of her little ones via Instagram in a seriously sweet post. Sharing news of their safe arrival, she penned: "Sir Carter and Rumi 1 month today.

View post on Instagram
 

Fans and friends flocked to the comments section with messages of congratulations. "Simply beautiful," gushed one, while a second remarked: "Omg pure heaven. Absolutely beautiful." 

Speaking on her 2018 Homecoming documentary, the singer opened up about welcoming twins. The Formation singer said: "I was supposed to do Coachella the year prior, but I got pregnant unexpectedly. And it ended up being twins which was even more of a surprise to me." 

View post on Instagram
 

Beyoncé loves nothing more than being a mother and previously opened up about being a parent during a rare television interview on Good Morning America in 2019. She said: "Being a mother, my family is my biggest priority. It's not many films that the parents can come and feel the way I feel about The Lion King, and feel that and pass that legacy onto their kids." 

MORE: Beyoncé's daughter Blue Ivy is all grown up in rare photo for her birthday

RELATED: Blue Ivy Carter, 10, bids $80k for diamond earrings at charity auction

Did Jay-Z cheat on Beyoncé?

News of Jay-Z's affair rocked the world in May 2014 when footage emerged of Beyoncé's sister – Solange Knowles – seemingly attacking the rapper in an elevator. At the time, the family released a statement which read: "The reports of Solange being intoxicated or displaying erratic behavior throughout that evening are simply false.

"At the end of the day, families have problems and we’re no different. We love each other and above all we are family. We’ve put this behind us and hope everyone else will do the same."

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The couple hit a low point in 2014

In April 2016, Beyoncé achieved 'icon' status when she dropped her bombshell visual album, Lemonade. At the time, the 'Beyhive' was abuzz with serious speculation regarding Beyoncé's cryptic lyrics. The infamous line, "Becky with the good hair," certainly set the internet alight…

Seemingly confirming his infidelity, Jay-Z released a song in June 2017 referencing his "shame". "I apologize, our love was one for ages and I contained us, and if my children knew, I don't even know what I would do / If they ain't look at me the same / I would prolly die with all the shame."

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Beyoncé's album hinted at her husband's infidelity

Despite a very public roller-coaster relationship, the duo appear to have moved on from their marriage woes. In June 2018, they released a joint album, Everything is Love, and in 2022, Beyoncé dedicated her Renaissance album to her beloved family.

On her website she penned: "I want to give a special thanks to Rumi, Sir, and Blue for allowing me the space, creativity, and inspiration. And a special thanks to my beautiful husband and muse, who held me down during those late nights in the studio."

Their net worth

Beyoncé's jaw-dropping net worth is thought to be around $500 million. And according to Forbes, Bey's husband's net worth exceeds $1 billion, bringing their combined net worth to an eye-watering $1.5 billion. 

From her album sales alone, the singer has allegedly made a cool $30.5 million. As for her global tours, the singer is predicted to earn nearly $2.1 billion from her Renaissance World Tour.

Bey performing on stage in Warsaw © Getty
Beyoncé performing on stage in Warsaw

Beyond this, Queen Bey has supplemented her income with an array of sponsorships and brand deals including a whopping $50 million deal with Pepsi in 2012. Over the years, the power couple have amassed a stunning property portfolio brimming with spectacular architectural gems. 

Between them, Beyoncé and Jay-Z own several swanky homes in New York City, New Orleans and Los Angeles. Most recently, the musicians shelled out a staggering $200 million in cash for a modern mega-mansion in Malibu. Their palatial property is currently the most expensive home ever sold in the entire state of California.

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