Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas celebrated their birthdays on September 25 with gushing tributes that proved their love is still as strong today as it was 25 years ago.
Catherine, 57, posted first on Friday morning, sharing an intimate photo of the happy couple kissing in the ocean.
The Chicago actress appeared to be wearing a white bikini as she wrapped her arm around Michael's neck for their passionate embrace.
Captioning the photo, she wrote: "Happy Birthday darling! A birthday kiss to my husband Michael, sharing this special day with you, is as special as the day itself. Love you."
Michael, 82, soon followed suit and shared a glamorous red carpet snap of the couple, alongside a touching message that included an excerpt from his memoir, One Helluva Ride!
© Instagram"I had never fallen in love on a movie screen before. Until I saw Catherine. She was magic, in a way that went beyond beauty. And I was certain, as much as I had ever been about anything, that she was the one," he wrote.
"It's the kind of moment that only comes around once in your life, if you're lucky. The one time that you know, without any doubt in your mind, that you're meant to be with someone."
© InstagramHe added: "Happy Birthday Catherine! I love you always and forever!"
Touched by his sweet words, Catherine responded in the comments: "Thank you darling. Thank you. Happy Birthday to you too my love."
Relationship timeline
© Getty ImagesCatherine and Michael met at the Deauville American Film Festival in France in August 1998, after being introduced by Danny DeVito.
They got engaged on New Year's Eve in 1999 at his Aspen home after he proposed with a $1 million diamond ring. They went on to tie the knot at a star-studded event at the Plaza Hotel in New York on November 18, 2000.
Although the couple experienced many ups and downs throughout their marriage – including a six-month split in 2013 – they have remained as close as ever.
© Getty ImagesIn a 2021 interview with WSJ Magazine, the actress said the secret to making their marriage last is having lots of fun together.
She also shared that "constant love and respect" and maintaining a "sense of humor" are key to marital success.
They share two children, Dylan, 26, and Carys, 23. Michael also has another son, Cameron, 47, from his first marriage to Diandra Luker.
© InstagramAfter their kids left home, Catherine noticed a significant shift in her marriage to Michael. During an appearance on late-night TV, she said: "It's like, 'What's gonna happen?' Oh, it's like, you're gonna look at your husband and go, 'Remember me?' No!"
Her concerns were short-lived as she confirmed there are some benefits to their kids getting older and flying the nest. "We're good," she said of her and Michael.
"And the coolest thing is our kids, who are now 25 and [22], like to hang with us. And that's the best," she continued, jokingly adding, "But if I was a kid, I'd want to hang out with Michael Douglas, too."
