George and Amal Clooney last night hosted the third annual awards ceremony for their charitable foundation. The Albies—named after the anti-apartheid hero Albie Sachs, who received the organization’s inaugural lifetime achievement prize in 2022—aims to shine a spotlight on human-rights defenders, and set eyeballs on the persecutors who threaten their heroic efforts. This year’s event also marked a more personal milestone for the couple, taking place on the eve of their 10th wedding anniversary.
And so, the Clooneys posed hand in hand on the steps of the New York Public Library in gala-appropriate black tie. (Amal in a velvet Atelier Versace gown and George in bow-tie tailoring.) “I have some presents ready to be unveiled at midnight,” Amal told reporters on the red carpet, to which George replied: “I’m taking her to a Cincinnati Reds game.” A not insignificant number of the couple’s friends were there to ring in the celebrations: among them Doja Cat, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Gabrielle Union, Emily Blunt, and Cate Blanchett.
The designer Donatella Versace and make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury—whose brands sponsored last year’s ceremony—were behind a handful of those looks. “When I think about Charlotte, some words that spring to mind are… trailblazer, brilliant, spiritual, savvy, compassionate, fun, dancefloor, Champagne, all-nighter. I should probably stop there,” Amal said of Tilbury at the 2023 Fashion Awards. “I adore this woman, she is a dear friend to me and my family – she is generous without limit or calculation – not only to those she loves, but also through her charitable work. George and I are so grateful for her support for the Clooney Foundation. She is all heart and an inspiration to us all.”