'I've never kissed another man in my life': Céline Dion says she is not ready to move on from death of lifelong lover and husband René Angélil

Céline Dion says she has never been with any man other than her husband.

'I love him. I'm still in love with him,' she told CBS Sunday Morning of the late René Angélil, who died in January of throat cancer.

Interviewer Mo Rocca had asked: 'Do you hope that you'll fall in love again?' to which she'd replied: 'Not now.'

The 48-year-old, who on Saturday rang in her 1000th performance at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, said on CBS: 'I'm still married to him,' and confided: 'I've never kissed another man in my life.'

Scroll down for video

'I love him': Céline Dion told CBS Sunday Morning that 'I'm still married to' her husband René Angélil, who died in January of throat cancer

'I love him': Céline Dion told CBS Sunday Morning that 'I'm still married to' her husband René Angélil, who died in January of throat cancer

Small wonder, given that - as Rocca pointed out - she met Angélil when she was 12 years old, whereupon he became her manager. 

His dedication to nurturing her career reportedly drove him to mortgage his home so that he could provide funding for her 1981 debut album La Voix du bon Dieu.

During their first meeting, when he was 38 years old, 'I thought he looked very beautiful,' Dion told Rocca. 'He looked great. I felt confident that this man was not treating me as a "Oh, hi, little pumpkin" or "Hi, little sweetie" or like a little baby.'

'The man of my life': The mother of three reflected that watching her husband languish, whom she met when she was 12 and he 38, 'was very, very difficult for all of us'

'The man of my life': The mother of three reflected that watching her husband languish, whom she met when she was 12 and he 38, 'was very, very difficult for all of us'

When he died, he was 73 years old and had been married to the My Heart Will Go On singer for 21 years. 'Before he left, it was very, very difficult for all of us - for me, especially, and my children - to see the man of my life die a little bit more every day.'

Haltingly, she explained that 'the man of my life was my partner, and we were one. So, when he stopped suffering, I said to myself: "He's okay, and he deserves not to suffer."'

When Rocca finally floated the idea of another paramour, she waved the notion off, reflecting: 'I love. I love. I love him. I'm still in love with him. And I have the love of my children. I have the love of my fans. I love the people that I work with. So, my life is not empty of love.'

21 years strong: The couple married in 1994 at the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal

21 years strong: The couple married in 1994 at the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal

She broke into a line from 'a song from Sia:' I Go To Sleep, which the 40-year-old covered in 2008. 'I go to sleep,' Dion sang, 'and imagine that you're there with me.'

The Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur elaborated to Rocca that 'I go to bed with him and I come onstage with him, and...so, I'm still married to him.' 

Dion and Angélil officially began dating in 1987, when she was 19 years old and he 45. By 1991 they were engaged.

Business with pleasure: Angélil was also the singer's manager

Business with pleasure: Angélil was also the singer's manager

It was only in 1993, however, that she publicised their romance, slipping the announcement into the liner notes of her album The Colour of My Love.

In December 1994 they married in Montreal's Notre-Dame Basilica, which this year also became the venue for Angélil's funeral. It was, of course, Dion's first marriage, but her new husband's third, and the wedding was filmed for TV in Canada.

Notre-Dame Basilica also played host to the christening of René-Charles Angélil, whom Dion gave birth to in 2000. Ten years later, the couple had twin sons called Nelson and Eddy.  

Two days after the family patriarch died, on what would have been his birthday, Dion lost another family member to throat cancer: her brother Daniel, 59.

Dion's latest album, Encore Un Soir (One More Night), was released in August and is a tribute to her late husband.

Onstage during Saturday night's landmark show at Caesars Palace, she said, according to the Daily Mirror: 'My wonderful dear husband is here tonight with us. I am so sure.'

'I am so sure': During the Saturday night performance, she said, according to the Daily Mirror that 'My wonderful dear husband is with us tonight'

'I am so sure': During the Saturday night performance, she said, according to the Daily Mirror that 'My wonderful dear husband is with us tonight'

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now