Ellen DeGeneres moved to tears on TV by wife Portia de Rossi's birthday gift

Photo credit: NBC

Ellen DeGeneres has just celebrated her 60th birthday in a special episode of her hit television show and was moved to tears by a special gift from wife Portia de Rossi.

The meaningful present is establishment of The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Rwanda.

Portia gave it to Ellen during a star-studded show that also featured appearances by Michelle Obama, Jimmy Kimmel, Chance the Rapper and more.

"This gift had to be really special, and it had to represent who you are and what you really care about - not just now, but what you've always cared about," Portia said.

She explained that Ellen's hero has long been Dian Fossey, a conservationist who specialised in gorilla research, up until her tragic murder in 1985.

Dian's story was immortalised in the 1988 film Gorillas in the Mist.

"It's the best gift," Ellen said through tears, after receiving her present.

"When we got married, Portia's line was, 'It's good to be loved, [but] it's profound to be understood'. She understands me, because that is the best gift that anybody could have given me."

Newshub.

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