Gladys Knight's spouse William McDowell took to Instagram to wish his wife a happy Valentine's Day on February 14, 2021. He posted an adorable picture of his wife smiling.

In the post, he also subtly indicated that the couple had completed 20 years together. There couldn't have been a better day for the musical couple, than Valentine’s day, to celebrate 20 years of togetherness.

The message was seemingly targeted to the people who thought and said their relationship wouldn’t last long. 

The post’s caption read, “Happy Valentines Day #20 in the books and counting. And they said it would never last…”

Afterward, fans rushed into the comment section to put down their good wishes and praise the couple.

One fan wrote, “Soulmate love lasts Forever. Happy Valentine's to you both.” Another added, writing, "Provided them wrong!!! Haters gonna hate. Congratulations to you both.” Yet another chimed: 

Haters…They would watch you walk on water & say it’s because you can’t swim. Here’s to 20 more.

As of this writing, the musician, who has a little over 1400 followers on Instagram, has received over 200 likes and over 25 comments in the said post. 

Gladys Knight's Relationship with Husband William McDowell

Knight and McDowell’s relationship dates back to 2001 when they walked down the aisle. Since then, the power couple has been living a comfortable life together. They reside in North Carolina.

Moreover, the pair’s shared passion for music makes their relationship even more special

 Both of them have loved, supported, and respected each other’s work as well, which is evident in their social media posts as well.

In one instance, McDowell shared a snap of his wife and captioned it, writing, "Just one word. Empress!" making a statement that the musician simply adores his spouse, both professionally and personally.

Moreover, on her 77th birthday, Knight's spouse posted her picture on Instagram. In the caption, he wrote, "Wishing my Queen Happy Birthday."

Gladys Knight and her spouse William McDowell at a red carpet event in September 2020. (Photo: Instagram)

All that being said, Knight’s marriage with McDowell is not her first.

Gladys Knight's Ex Husbands

The Empress of Soul had married thrice before tying the knot with her present spouse.

Her first marriage was with James Newman at the age of 16 in 1960. She had two children, James Newman III and Kenya Newman, with her first spouse.

However, her marriage to Newman only lasted 13 years, as they separated because of his alleged drug addiction.

In 1974, the singer got married for the second time. She tied the knot with record producer Barry Hankerson. Subsequently, she gave birth to a son named Shanga Hankerson with her second husband. They divorced in 1979. 

Knight was still hopeful of finding love, which drove her towards Les Brown, a motivational speaker, and author. They wed in 1995, but that marriage was short-lived as well. They divorced after only two years of marriage.

Despite her three failed marriages, the ‘If I Were Your Woman’ singer got hitched for the fourth time, this time with McDowell.

And as they say, fortune supports the brave — it takes a great deal to hold someone's hand after what Knight experienced in her love life. Today, Knight and McDowell have been married for over 20 years.