Celine Dion may be one of the best vocalists of our generation and among the world's best-selling artists, but none of that are as important to her as her family.
The mom-of-three has repeatedly gushed about her brood, and made it clear that they are her greatest achievement.
Dion and her late husband, René Angélil, met in 1980, when she was just 12 years old and he was 38. He became the Canadian-born starlet's manager soon after their initial encounter. Seven years later, the pair's relationship took a personal turn when they started dating.
Dion admitted that at the time she knew how much controversy their age difference would stir up, so they "kind of kept it cool" to avoid ruining her career.
"I was living that love secretly," she explained to People. Then, "when I was at the age to be able to say to people," she says, "It was like bang! love! Love always wins."
The couple became engaged in 1991, and made their union official when they tied the knot on December 17, 1994.
The lovebirds were working hard at advancing Dion's career, so they appeared to not have been ready to start a family for a while. However, in May 2000, it was revealed that Dion had trouble conceiving and had to undergo two small operations at a fertility clinic to help the process.
She eventually opted for in-vitro fertilization, and the couple welcomed their firstborn son, Rene-Charles, on January 25, 2001.
Over the years, Rene-Charles has been spotted alongside his mom at events and on magazine covers, but the young boy remained largely out of the spotlight for most of his childhood.
Back in 2007, he was photographed with his mom in front of Sleeping Beauty's castle at Disneyland. Rene-Charles was just seven years old at the time, and still had his long flowy locks.
Nowadays, he looks all grown up and just recently celebrated his 17th birthday. Dion took to Instagram to share a sweet photo and a message commemorating the special day.
The "My Heart Will Go On" singer gushed about how proud she is of the man her oldest son has become and the unwavering love she has for him.
"Happy Birthday RC!.....I love you more and more each day, and I'm so proud of the young man that you've become. Love Mom xx..." she wrote in the caption.
Fans of the singer couldn't help but comment on how grown up Rene-Charles looks, especially with the beard he's rocking.
"I cannot believe he is 17! What a handsome boy!" wrote one user. "When did he grow up!?" another chimed in.
Rene-Charles looks like he went through an overnight growth spurt since we last saw him. In 2016, he attended his father's funeral with his mother and 8-year-old twin brothers, Nelson and Eddy, and delivered a eulogy at the service.
Just like most kids his age, Rene-Charles has been active on social media and has been offering people a glimpse into his life as a high-schooler, hockey player, golfer, adventurer and son of a superstar.
Take a look:
Rene-Charles also recently showed off a new haircut, and he's looking even more mature than usual.
It doesn't seem like he'll be following in his mother or father's footsteps by taking up a career in the music industry. Based on his Instagram activity, he's hoping to find success as an athlete.
We're looking forward to seeing what the future holds for Rene-Charles!
