Cornelus was born and raised in Fontainebleau, a small city in the region of Paris. His parents are Dutch but moved to France in their 20s, which is why Cornelus also speaks Dutch fluently. When he was six years old, Cornelus attended an international school where he learned English, sparking a passion for language learning. To entertain this passion, Cornelus learned Spanish, Chinese, and Russian, acquiring significant experience and knowledge in the process of learning new languages.

Currently, Cornelus is pursuing a degree in Biomedical Sciences at the Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam. To further his interest in languages, Cornelus offers tutoring in French. In addition to his studies, he excels in rowing at a high level and is a member of the French national under 23-year-old rowing team.