As the former First Lady of California, Maria Shriver once led a very public life…
until she didn't. Did her divorce from Arnold Schwarzenegger have anything to do with it?
Or was Shriver just fed up with the spotlight? Keep watching to find out.
Perhaps one of the most important things to know about Maria Shriver is that she wasn't
born into your typical American family. On the contrary, she is a member of the Kennedy family,
a true American dynasty. Her uncle was President John F. Kennedy,
and her mother, Eunice Kennedy, actually started the Special Olympics.
"I was always a Kennedy without a first name."
So, it's safe to say that Shriver has pretty much always been a driven person,
as she was literally born into a highly successful family. As she wrote on her website,
"I have always been surrounded by extraordinary people doing extraordinary things. At times,
it's been challenging. But more often than not, it's been motivating."
Shriver has spent her life in the spotlight, and with a family like the Kennedys,
it's no wonder she grew up to be the smart, successful, graceful woman she is today.
Still, all the pressure Shriver has dealt with for her entire life couldn't have been easy,
and this might have something to do with her desire for privacy.
Maria Shriver might not be the first person who comes to mind when you think of a successful
journalist, but she's actually had a long and outstanding career in the field. For years,
Shriver worked as a journalist — something she loved — both on and off television.
According to Britannica, she began her journalism career in 1977
after graduating from Georgetown University and quickly worked her way up the ladder.
As Shriver wrote on her website, she was quite busy at the start of her career, explaining:
"I've had a great career, working my way up from writer to producer to anchor at both CBS News
and NBC News, and traveling around the world interviewing presidents,
kings, activists, and humanitarians."
Clearly, Shriver's career has been special and important to her,
and she truly blossomed in her early years.
On April 26, 1986, Maria Shriver married Arnold Schwarzenegger. The two met at
a celebrity tennis tournament and tied the knot nearly ten years later. Because Shriver
and Schwarzenegger were both pretty well-known already and had prominent families and lives,
the wedding was always going to be huge, but you might be shocked to learn just how huge it was.
The wedding was a big, historic event. Shriver married Schwarzenegger in Hyannis,
Massachusetts, in front of about 500 guests. But it wasn't just big because of the guest
count — it was also big because of Shriver's family. Her cousin Caroline Kennedy was her
maid of honor, and Schwarzenegger's best man was a former Mr. Universe,
Franco Columbo, according to History.com. Additionally, the reception took place
at the infamous Kennedy compound. The wedding, to be frank, was a big deal.
After Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger got married,
they seemingly led a happy, semi-normal life.
"This woman here has been the most incredible friend
and the most incredible wife and mother that you can even think of. No, really."
They had four children, and Schwarzenegger was elected governor of California with Shriver
serving as first lady of the state from 2003 to 2011. Things were good. That is until they
announced that they were separating in 2011, the same year Schwarzenegger wrapped up his time as
governor. As ABC News reported, the pair released a joint statement explaining the situation.
The statement explained that they would be living separately as they decided on the, quote,
"future of their relationship." The statement continued,
"This has been a time of great personal and professional transition for each of us. After
a great deal of thought, reflection, discussion, and prayer, we came to this decision together."
It was a tough time of transition for Shriver, who had to leave her journalism career
in order to avoid conflicts of interest while her husband was Governor. But what
would unfold during their separation was more dramatic than anyone could imagine.
Perhaps the most shocking and infamous scandal associated with Maria Shriver and her marriage to
Arnold Schwarzenegger was when Schwarzenegger's affairs came to light — and one such affair
resulted in a child. It was this devastating blow that caused Shriver to leave Schwarzenegger,
and when it became public in 2011, she was understandably humiliated and moved out. As
hard as it was for Shriver, Schwarzenegger also explained that he knew he made a huge
mistake. In a 2015 interview on The Howard Stern Show with Howard Stern,
Schwarzenegger discussed the affair that ended his marriage, telling the host:
"This was, without any doubt, the biggest setback and the biggest failure."
However, it doesn't seem as though the couple has any chance of getting back together.
With an affair that public, it's no wonder Shriver has desired more and more privacy as time went on.
As TMZ reported, Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger never signed a prenup
before they got married, so the divorce has been particularly difficult. While they were married,
they reportedly amassed a fortune of close to $400 million, so figuring out how to divide
that up makes things even more complicated. Add in the custody arrangements they had to
figure out while their kids were still minors, and you've got yourself one seriously messy divorce.
However, the divorce proceedings were still underway when their kids aged out of being
minors, making custody no longer an issue. Additionally, a source explained to TMZ that
the two were continuing to work towards an amicable divorce in 2017, six years
after Shriver first filed. Needless to say, the couple's divorce has taken years to complete.
Growing up in a family like the Kennedys, who are known for their political power
and charitable work, it's not surprising that Maria Shriver felt a strong pull to help others.
But because of a personal connection, she has been extremely passionate about finding
a cure for one disease in particular. On her website, Shriver explained that her father was
diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2003, and since then, she's felt empowered to fight for and,
hopefully, find a cure for the devastating disease. Shriver wrote:
"My mission is to wipe out Alzheimer's disease once and for all because it is destroying
millions of lives. Young and old. Patients and caregivers. And, it's bankrupting our country."
Alzheimer's has no known cure, but, if Shriver has her way, that will soon change.
"You can make a difference. Today you have the power to make a difference."
Even if you'd never heard of Maria Shriver, you've probably heard of her daughter, Katherine
Schwarzenegger Pratt, who married a certain A-list actor in 2019. Yes, Shriver's kid tied the knot
with Chris Pratt. According to USA Today, it was a bittersweet experience for Shriver. While she
was thrilled for her daughter at the wedding, she also felt a little conflicted, explaining:
"As a mother, you go through many emotions, right? So you're trying to be both excited,
you get a new member of your family, [but] you're kind of losing your child as they were."
Obviously, Shriver had to adjust to her daughter getting married,
but the fact that she married another celebrity goes to show
that Shriver will probably live her life in the public eye indefinitely.
Not long after Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt got married,
she welcomed her first child into the world. In August 2020, Schwarzenegger Pratt's daughter,
Lyla Maria Schwarzenegger Pratt, was born, and if you caught that little tribute to Shriver,
you're right. Clearly, Schwarzenegger Pratt and Shriver are very close for
her to name her daughter after her mom. In an interview with FOX 11 Los Angeles,
Shriver explained that she already had formed a bond with baby Lyla, telling the hosts:
"I have my own little private thing going on with my granddaughter. I just am beside myself
about it. [...] There are people my age who don't get to my age, and who never have that
chance to see a grandchild, so that's one of the things I thank God for every day [...]"
Before Maria Shriver became a wife, mother, and first lady of California, she had a very
successful career in broadcast journalism. And though there were some fluctuations in
that career, she's actually still working on television. Yes, you might just see Shriver on
your screen if you tune in at the right time, and she'll look perfectly at home there, too.
Still, despite her break during Arnold Schwarzenegger's time as governor of California,
Shriver has managed to continue her impressive career. Not only does she
write her own weekly newsletter and conduct interviews for her own YouTube channel,
but she also regularly appears on and hosts the Today show. Shriver got right back to her career
after her marriage to Schwarzenegger came to an end, as she returned to work at NBC in 2013.
Though she couldn't work in journalism while her husband was a public official,
she returned to work as soon as she could, proving her love for the media is pretty strong.
It's no secret that anyone in the public eye, especially someone married to a president,
senator, or governor, is expected to engage in plenty of philanthropic efforts — and
Maria Shriver is no exception. However, she has gone above and beyond her call of duty to do her
part in helping the world. Shriver was even named Variety's Entertainment Philanthropist of the Year
in 2020. So it's pretty safe to say that she's dedicated plenty of her time to helping others.
And while much of her focus has been on finding a cure for Alzheimer's, she has supported many
other causes over the years. Shriver raises money and awareness for Best Buddies International,
which focuses on helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Shriver also helps hotel room attendants, women impacted by Alzheimer's disease, and so much more,
because she truly wants to make a difference.
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