A look at Beyonce and Jay Z’s marriage from the start and all their highs and lows as they reveal they’re expecting twins
The couple have revealed they're over the moon to be pregnant again, as Bey showed off her bare bump online
BEYONCE and her husband Jay Z have announced they're expecting twins together after eight years of marriage, and it's been a turbulent road to happiness.
The singer shared the surprise news on Instagram on Tuesday, posting a picture of her bare bump.
She captioned it: “We would like to share our love and happiness.
“We have been blessed two times over. We are incredibly grateful that our family will be growing by two, and we thank you for your well wishes. – The Carters.”
Now here's a look back at all Beyonce and her hubby's highs and lows throughout their love life.
Bey and Jay first met in 2001, before collaborating on hit track Bonnie & Clyde in 2002 where they began to date.
“I was 18 when we first met, 19 when we started dating. There was no rush. No one expected me to run off and get married," Beyonce previously said.
Keen to keep their romance under wraps, they didn't appear on a red carpet together until 2004, at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Three years later Beyonce sparked engagement rumours as she showed off a huge ring on that finger, and sure enough they tied the knot in a private wedding ceremony in April 2008.
While both stars' careers were still hugely popular, Beyonce announced she was taking a break from the limelight in 2010, to focus on her family.
“I did it for my sanity, my life, my relationships, my nephew, my husband, my sister and my friendships,” she said. “I can decide I want to have kids. I can be the mother I want to be."
However the star later revealed she had miscarried a child around 2010, describing it as the "saddest thing" she had ever been through.
The couple later welcomed their first child, daughter Blue Ivy, in January 2012.
Announcing that pregnancy, Beyonce chose the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards to share her happy news, showing off her bump at the end of her performance of hit single, Love on Top.
Beyonce later said in a statement: "Her birth was emotional and extremely peaceful, we are in heaven. We are thankful to everyone for all your prayers, well wishes, love and support.”
However, the pair have been forced to fight off continuous claims their marriage has been on the rocks, and the claims spiralled in 2014 when Beyonce's sister Solange Knowles was seen attacking Jay Z in a lift after a 2014 Met Gala after party.
They made amends shortly after and shared happy family photos together online.
They were later hit with more split claims when Beyonce released her visual album Lemonade, where she appeared to make reference to some alleged infidelity.
Sources close to the Carter-Knowles camp said that while the pair did go through a “rocky patch” before Bey's Lemonade was released, their marriage is now stronger than ever.
Jay Z later broke his silence on the cheating claims, when he dropped a freestyle rap which featured on the remix of Fat Joe’s song: All the Way Up.
The telling lyrics say: “You know you made it when the fact/Your marriage made it is worth millions.
"Lemonade is a popular drink and it still is survival of the littlest.”
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They have since shared almost endless snaps together, and even embarked on a joint tour, going PDA mad on stage.
The song comes from the part of the 35-year-old pop powerhouse’s album that fuelled speculation that Lemonade was a confessional about her relationship with the rapper, 46.
Alongside romantic cinematic pieces, there are loads of home video clips, including the couple cutting their wedding cake and getting matching IV ring finger tattoos.
Also there is footage of the singer wearing her bra in bed looking like she’s not far away from giving birth…
