Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez will marry this weekend in Madeira, returning to the footballer's birthplace after nearly a decade together. The 41-year-old Portuguese forward and the 32-year-old influencer and television personality share five children.
Georgina will walk down the aisle at Funchal Cathedral, located in the historic centre of Madeira's capital, which seats approximately 800 people. Following the service, the couple will make a five-minute drive or 15-minute walk to the five-star Savoy Palace hotel.
The Savoy Palace features six swimming pools, a spa, panoramic views, multiple five-star restaurants, and 24/7 service. Although Ronaldo owns a multi-million-pound, seven-storey luxury mansion overlooking the Atlantic Ocean just a stone's throw away, the couple and their family are believed to be staying at the hotel for the wedding celebrations.
The Reserve and Hotel Amenities
Ronaldo and his family have previously stayed at the Savoy Palace inside The Reserve, an exclusive luxury hotel-within-a-hotel situated on the upper floors with prices starting at £1,100 a-night. Guests at The Reserve have access to private spaces including the Jacarandá Lounge & Club, which offers a private rooftop infinity pool, a solarium, dedicated dining, and a personal butler.
Upon entering the 352-room Savoy Palace, guests pass doormen into a grand entrance hall dominated by a 33-ft-high metal chandelier with fresh floral arrangements beneath it. The hotel features an extravagant green-coloured bar where a pianist plays in the afternoons, as well as a grand curved filigree-shaped staircase leading down to an 18-metre swimming pool.
Outdoors, guests can relax on sofa-sized sun loungers while listening to live music or take a dip in the sea. The Savoy Palace shares waterfront access and facilities with the adjacent five-star Savoy Royal hotel. Inside their rooms, the couple can enjoy ocean views, walk-in wardrobes, a his-and-her bathroom layout, and a luxury pillow menu allowing housekeeping to deliver their chosen feather and scent options.
Dining and Wedding Spaces
The hotel offers multiple event locations for the celebration, ranging from the Grand Ballroom, which accommodates large gatherings of up to 1,000 guests, to the Galáxia rooftop spaces. The rooftop area provides 360-degree views of the island and the Atlantic Ocean, along with a picturesque infinity pool backdrop for wedding photos.
Wedding guests can dine at the Galáxia Seafood restaurant, where Chef Roberto Barros guides diners through local flavours with a contemporary twist. The hotel also features a private dining experience inside its Nikkei restaurant.
Spa, Fitness and Family Facilities
The Savoy Palace houses one of the largest wellness sanctums in Europe, designed with tunnels, caves, and numerous water features. The spa offers 26 distinct treatments, including an £80 manicure, a £226 massage, and a £325 facial. For fitness, the hotel provides a 24-hour gym equipped with cardio machines and an Olympic squat rack.
The couple's younger children can use the hotel's children's playroom, which features a variety of games and toys. Ronaldo and Georgina are parents to daughters Alana and Bella, as well as twins Eva Maria and Mateo, who were born via surrogacy. Georgina is also step-mother to Ronaldo's 16-year-old son, Cristiano Jr., whose biological mother's identity remains private and for whom Ronaldo has full custody.
Ronaldo's Madeira Roots
Holding the wedding in Madeira carries deep personal significance for Ronaldo, who has an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion. Growing up in poverty, he shared a single room with all of his siblings before leaving home at age 11 to join Sporting Lisbon. Today, Madeira features a bronze statue of Ronaldo as a major tourist attraction, along with his own museum, Museu CR7, and a hotel named after him, Pestana CR7 Funchal Hotel.
Ronaldo had previously stated his intention to marry Georgina after this year's World Cup, where Portugal were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Spain. Speaking to Piers Morgan prior to the tournament, Ronaldo said, "I hope to arrive at my wedding with the champion's trophy." He added, "I'm going to marry her because I believe it's the right time. Not just because she's the mother of my children - but because she's the person I love most."
Engagement and Move to Saudi Arabia
The couple first met in 2016 when Georgina was working as a sales assistant at a Gucci store in Madrid. They became engaged last August after eight years of dating, when Ronaldo proposed late at night. Georgina later announced the news on Instagram with the caption, "Yes, I do."
Describing the proposal to Piers Morgan, Ronaldo recalled, "It was like 1 am. My daughters were in bed sleeping. One of my friends gave me the ring to offer Gio, and as I was giving her the ring, my two kids come in and say, 'Daddy, you're going to give the ring to mum and you're going to ask her to get married.'" He added, "I said, 'Wow, this is the right moment to say yes.' It was the time. I knew that I was going to do it one day, but I hadn't planned to do it then." Ronaldo also noted his effort in finding the ring, saying, "She asked me for a ring to offer her because it was one of her dreams to have a good stone. And I work hard, work hard and finally I find what she loves."
In 2022, the family relocated to Saudi Arabia after Ronaldo signed a £175 million-a-year contract with Al-Nassr, effectively ending his career at the top European level after a hoped-for move to a Champions League club failed to materialise. Earning £300 a minute and holding an ownership stake in the club, Ronaldo admitted last year that he wishes he could leave and play exclusively for the Portugal national team.
