The Ups And Downs Of Bill & Giuliana Rancic's Marriage: 'That Was A Big Fight'

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The love story between former E! presenter Giuliana Rancic and her entrepreneur husband, Bill Rancic, began when the latter was a contestant on President Donald Trump's 2000s reality show, "The Apprentice." Like millions of Americans, Giuliana was glued to the screen watching the first season of the Emmy-nominated series, except she wanted the would-be winner. 

"I definitely pursued Bill...I used my job at E! News to go interview Bill," Giuliana confessed in an episode of "Bill and Giuliana: The Podcast." Even though it took Bill some time to meet the Gracie Allen Awards winner, the pair eventually became one of Hollywood's longest-lasting couples. Bill and Giuliana said "I do" in a lavish wedding ceremony held on an Italian Island in September 2007. The pair are such a tight-knit unit that Giuliana once declared that she would never remarry after Bill. 

Much of the couple's relationship has played out publicly — their reality show, "Bill & Giuliana," aired for seven seasons through 2014 — and, as such, fans of the gorgeous pairing have had front-row seats to some of their rough patches and happy moments. From planned sentimental proposals and  fertility struggles to buying and flipping multiple homes, these are the ups and downs of Bill and Giuliana's marriage.

Bill Rancic and Giuliana Rancic often share adorable pictures of their best moments online, such as when the former paid tribute to Giuliana on her 51st birthday in August 2025. However, the couple's relationship hasn't always been glossy. On an episode of "Bill and Giuliana: The Podcast" titled "Can Our Marriage Handle These Questions?", the pair recalled one of their most heated arguments.

"We were trying to decide whose house we were going to go to for Thanksgiving...and I think that kind of stirred up a little bit," Bill recollected. The "Kitchen Casino" host revealed that he ended up going to the movies on his own. "That was a big fight," Giuliana remarked. According to Bill, Giuliana won the argument because she tends to be right. In the years that followed, the couple decided to celebrate Thanksgiving mostly with Bill's side of the family, as they lived only a stone's throw away.

Naturally, the Rancics have since shared some of their Thanksgiving celebrations with their Instagram followers. In November 2017, Giuliana posted a photo of herself and a young Duke Rancic by the beach, captioning it, "Thankful for this moment and every moment together #happythanksgiving." In November 2022, the pair hosted a dinner event in partnership with United Airlines, attended by some of their fans.

Bill Rancic and Giuliana Rancic's first date was straight out of a romantic textbook. Even though Bill left the date feeling dejected because of Giuliana's strict dating rule, that night in Malibu had gone pretty well. The pair had made plans four months in advance during a two-hour conversation, Bill told ABC News. For the author of "You're Hired: How to Succeed in Business and Life" , marrying Giuliana afterward was a no-brainer, and it was no surprise that he planned a romantic proposal.

"I knew I wanted our marriage to be an adventure, so I did something a little different," Bill told ABC News. The former reality star waited until Giuliana was due to visit him for the weekend and cooked up a lie about being away in Detroit. The night ended with the pair flying over Michigan Avenue, Chicago, where Bill dropped to one knee and asked the big question. Reflecting on the moment in 2014, Bill told the outlet, "Eight years ago, I made the best decision of my life. I asked Giuliana to marry me. She said, 'Yes.'"

Bill and Giuliana's wedding was just as special, as the former told People: "This is the real deal." The pair had a traditional religious ceremony featuring a Catholic Mass presided over by Bill's family priest. The 190-guest event featured a performance by Neapolitan dancers, a menu that honored Giuliana's Italian roots, and a vanilla-flavoured wedding cake. Giuliana wore a princess-style gown with a sweetheart neckline.

Bill Rancic and Giuliana Rancic's fertility journey is documented on "Giuliana & Bill." Early on, Giuliana admitted she was unaware of the scheduling involved in the in vitro fertilization process (IVF). In a January 2010 interview with US Weekly, the former "Fashion Police" critic expressed that she was considering IVF. The decision to have a baby, she told the outlet, had come right after they had a pregnancy scare, and the experience had "brought us even closer together."

Fortunately, Giuliana got pregnant, but her joy was short-lived. In late 2010, the couple revealed that Giuliana had suffered a miscarriage. "The pregnancy was going great," Giuliana recalled in an interview with HLN. "Eight weeks in, we went for just a routine ultrasound and they told us we lost the baby." As fans would expect, the news was heartbreaking for the former reality television stars. "At first, there was a lot of anger, [and] there was a lot of sadness," Giuliana shared. "Now that we've had time to think about it, we realized that it [IVF] worked."

Bill and Giuliana did not give up on their dream. In a November 2010 interview with US Weekly, the couple revealed that they were trying to conceive for a second time. Once again, the schedule was intense, as Giuliana sometimes had to receive up to three injections a day for several days in a row. As usual, Bill was the ever-supportive spouse who administered the injections, but the couple revealed that they were keen on exploring options such as adoption and surrogacy.

Giuliana Rancic was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011. At the time, the former E! reporter was undergoing a medical checkup in preparation for another round of IVF when a mammogram unfortunately revealed the early-stage disease. The diagnosis came as a shock to the People's Choice Awards nominee, especially since she came from a family with no known history of cancer. "I was totally blindsided at 36 years old — totally blindsided. No family history of breast cancer, and I got diagnosed," Giuliana told CBS News in a 2019 interview.

According to Giuliana, she was overwhelmed with emotion and broke down in tears. Giuliana was scheduled to undergo rigorous treatment, which included surgery and a little over six weeks of radiotherapy. She and Bill Rancic had to put their plans of having a baby on hold.

As expected, Bill was her caregiver. Speaking during a talk at Elmhurst College in 2018, the entrepreneur explained that, even though their spirits were crushed, he had to be more composed. "It was a very emotional time. But the most important role is to be the one who can help make decisions based on knowledge rather than emotion," Bill said. Giuliana was eventually prescribed cancer medication, one of the side effects of which was weight loss. By 2019, the former "Celebrity Rap Superstar" executive producer had been in remission for seven years.

Celebrities are known for real estate ventures, and Bill Rancic and Giuliana Rancic are no exception. In 2011, the Rancics reportedly sold a five-bedroom home in Chicago. Bill and Giuliana lived in the Hinsdale home for only three months. The pair decided to relocate so Bill could join Giuliana in Los Angeles, where she was working, and they had every reason to smile, having left The Windy City $3 million richer.

In 2022, Bill and Giuliana sold a remodeled home in Idaho for a reported $5.6 million. The entrepreneurs reportedly bought the five-bedroom mansion in 2016, then renovated it. The 4,386 sq. ft. space epitomized elegance, featuring a modern bathtub and luxurious marble surfaces. For their real estate needs, the couple has often collaborated with interior designer Lonni Paul.

While showcasing one of their makeovers, a home in downtown Chicago, in 2015, Paul told E! News, "I've worked with Giuliana for years, so I really do understand her design aesthetic and she doesn't need to use inspiration photos for us to be on the same page." Three years later, Giuliana and Bill put the Gold Coast mansion on the market for a reported $6.8 million. The duo was set to make a hefty profit, having bought the home a few years earlier for $2.1 million. In the end, the Rancics closed the deal for $5 million.

Giuliana Rancic and Bill Rancic welcomed their son, Duke Rancic, in August 2012. An elated Bill took to social media to share the good news with their fans, writing (via X), "The 'Duke' has landed! Edward Duke Rancic was welcomed into the world last night at 7lbs 4oz. G & I feel blessed beyond words...We did it!" In a statement to E!, Giuliana confirmed that she and Bill were in the room when Duke was delivered via surrogacy. The mother of one expressed gratitude to everyone who stood by them throughout their journey.

Bill and Giuliana documented Duke's birth on "Giuliana & Bill." Fans watched the duo flash wide smiles as they witnessed his delivery. "Watching Delphine [the couple's surrogate] push is pretty surreal," Giuliana expressed in a confessional (via E! Rewind). "Of course, I wish I could have gone through this whole process...I'm just so happy that we're in this moment." Bill had a special bonding experience with Duke when he cut the umbilical cord.

The proud dad eventually honored the special day by getting a tattoo of Duke's name and date of birth. He hilariously revealed the ink while Giuliana's parents were around, prompting Giuliana to want to get a tattoo of her own. While there is no record of Giuliana keeping that promise, she did cut down on work to accommodate her growing family. "I pulled back from the career I love, and it was the best decision I ever made — to just be home and be a mom," Giuliana disclosed in an interview with "The View." Duke has grown up so fast.

Bill Rancic and Giuliana Rancic planned to have a second baby when their son, Duke Rancic, was only seven weeks old. "A lot of people have one kid and it's enough. But for us, we're just having so much fun that we'd love to have another child," an excited Giuliana expressed in an interview with Entertainment Tonight (via CBS News). The Italian native also let the publication know that she had undergone IVF again and had a couple of embryos prepared for transfer.

Once again, the couple had chosen to use a surrogate. In 2014, Bill and Giuliana had two embryos successfully planted. The couple's journey to parenthood hit a rough patch when their surrogate, Delphine, suffered a miscarriage at nine weeks. In a chat with People, Bill said that the news came as a shock, as they "were pretty close to getting into the safe zone." Despite the setback, the couple vowed to keep trying.

Bill and Giuliana's last embryo was also transferred in 2014, but unfortunately, their final chance of having another child was unsuccessful. The duo was left heartbroken. "It was painful," Giuliana shared in a 2015 chat with People. "We were so optimistic with this last embryo. We thought, 'This is definitely going to work. This is our last shot.'" Still, the "Ready for Love" hosts remained determined to expand their family. Giuliana revealed that they were considering other options, including adoption.

Although their reality show ended in 2014, the Rancics still share bits and pieces of their lives with their social media followers. Bill Rancic and Giuliana Rancic's marriage may have its strange moments, but one thing remains certain: they sure do love a nice getaway. In August 2025, Giuliana posted a series of family vacation pics, including one of her and Bill posing during a gorgeous sunset. She captioned the post (via Instagram), "Bahamas, you were something else."

Similarly, the former "Fashion Police" critic posted a picture of a generous serving of tacos during a November 2015 trip to Disney World in Orlando. "First meal of an already great vacay," Giuliana wrote in the caption (via Instagram). And, of course, some getaways are all about fashion. In a March 2019 post, Giuliana showcased her vacation ensemble, featuring a two-piece bikini set and a gorgeous, patterned, loose-fitting cover-up.

Bill and Giuliana took things a step further when they were ordained into the ministry during a 2014 couple's retreat in Tahiti, Mexico. Giuliana had taken the course online and, as a testament to her consideration for Bill, secured his certification. In the episode of "Giuliana & Bill," the pair put their ministry to good use by officiating a vow renewal ceremony. Still, it wasn't their first time in Mexico. Giuliana had previously shared a picture of Bill and Duke vacationing at the Rosewood Mayakoba in 2013. She captioned the photo (via X), "Best family vacay ever at @RWMayakoba w/my two favorite guys...@BillRancic & baby duke:) #mexico #sunandfun."

Giuliana Rancic's seven-year run as a critic on "Fashion Police" had its fair share of drama. One such moment came in February 2015, when actor Zendaya showed up at the Academy Awards with thick dreadlocks styled with a side part. "She has such a tiny frame to me that this hair overwhelms her," Giuliana said of the look (via ABC). "I feel like she smells like patchouli oil, or maybe weed." The comment didn't sit well with fans, some of whom took to X to voice their disappointment.

Giuliana eventually apologized to the "Euphoria" star, acknowledging that she had pushed things a bit too far. She explained the backlash she received schooled her about the impact of stereotypes. Zendaya herself had taken to Instagram to address the comment, writing, "There is already a harsh criticism of African-American hair in society without the help of ignorant people who choose to judge others based on the curl of their hair." The controversial remarks were life-changing for Zendaya, inspiring a Barbie doll dedicated to the look.

Bill Rancic eventually defended his wife. In a chat with "Today,"  he said, "We knew that she didn't do anything wrong." He also revealed why he had kept a low profile at the time: "As a husband it was hard, because as a husband we are the defender, we want to protect our family and I just kind of had to be muzzled." In the end, he said, the bond between him and Giuliana grew stronger.