Hollywood star and action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger married journalist Maria Shriver, who belonged to the Kennedy family clan, in 1986. It was difficult for others to imagine more dissimilar people who decided to link their lives. However, 25 years of family experience and four children practically dispelled doubts of skeptics when the couple suddenly announced their separation, barely celebrating a silver wedding. It turned out that for more than 10 years Arnold had deceived his wife, hiding from her illegitimate son from the connection with the housekeeper.
Opposites
Maria Shriver - a young, attractive, educated girl from a famous family - met Schwarzenegger in 1977 at a party to celebrate the annual tennis tournament in memory of Robert F. Kennedy. They were introduced by NBC TV presenter Tom Brokaw. They got married 9 years later, in April 1986, and it was difficult to find people less suitable for each other. Their differences were related to origin, upbringing, occupation and even political views.
Maria Shriver was born in November 1955. Her mother Eunice Kennedy was the sister of famous politicians - John and Robert Kennedy. Father Sargent Shriver ran for Democratic Vice President in 1972 and previously served as US Ambassador to France. Maria graduated from Georgetown University and pursued a career in journalism. By the time she was married, she had already become the star of the morning news on CBS.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was 8 years older than his chosen one. He was born and raised in Austria, but from an early age dreamed of moving to the United States. In 1968, after an impressive victory in the "Mr. Universe" bodybuilding competition, he managed to carry out his plan and get to America. The immigrant did not know English well and was in the country illegally for a long time. Only in 1983 he was granted the status of a US citizen. By that time, Schwarzenegger had his first success in cinema, when the movie "Conan the Barbarian" (1982) was released, and two years later he starred in his most successful project - "The Terminator". Despite an affair with a representative of the famous democratic Kennedy clan, Arnold declared himself from the first steps in politics as a convinced Republican. In the prime of his acting career, he supported first President Reagan and then George W. Bush. From the Republican Party, Schwarzenegger later went into politics himself.
However, these differences did not prevent the couple from joining the knot. The wedding took place in Hyannis, Massachusetts and was performed in a Catholic manner. The gala reception took place at the Kennedy clan's family residence, located here.
The role of the bridesmaid went to her cousin Caroline Kennedy, and the best man of the groom was the winner of the "Mr. Universe" Franco Columbo. The event was attended by the widow of the President, Jacqueline Kennedy, with her son John and longtime friend, diamond merchant Maurice Tempelsman. Among the guests were also the movie star Joan Kennedy with ex-husband Teddy, artist Andy Warhol, many sports and politics stars. By the way, shortly before the wedding, Arnold presented the parents of his future wife with an original gift. By his order, Andy Warhol created a silk-screened portrait of Mary.
A quarter of a century together
The family resided permanently in the Los Angeles area in a luxurious 1,000 sq. m. They also had country residences in the resort town of Sun Valley, Idaho and on the Atlantic coast in Hyannis.
All four children of Arnold and Maria were born in sunny California. The firstborn was daughter Catherine, who was born in December 1989. Two years later, another daughter, Christina, joined her. In 1993, the couple welcomed their first son, Patrick, and in 1997, his younger brother Christopher.
Maria Shriver provided her husband with tremendous support on his way to the post of Governor of California. Despite the difference in political views, she, as an experienced representative of the political clan, helped Schwarzenegger win the sympathy of the electorate. During the election campaign, the couple attended the show of Oprah Winfrey, a close friend of Mary. She helped Schwarzenegger create his own team, found the best speechwriters for him, and sometimes she herself composed excerpts for performances.
When, on the eve of the elections, journalists wrote that at the beginning of his acting career, Arnold was caught in several cases of sexual harassment, it was his faithful wife who saved him from collapse. She made a fiery speech to women on television. Then Maria went with her husband on a bus tour of the state, during which Schwarzenegger publicly apologized to voters for rash words and actions from a distant youth.
After Arnold's gubernatorial victory, the successful journalist Shriver decided to leave her native NBC channel, because her work on television conflicted with the position and opinion of the first lady of California. In 2007, Maria announced that she no longer plans to return ever to the news format.
Betrayal
In May 2011, America was shocked by the news of the separation of one of the strongest couples from the world of cinema and politics. Maria left the family mansion. Soon the newspapers were full of headlines that in 1997 the former governor had become the father of an illegitimate son born of an affair with Mildred's housekeeper Patricia Baena. Moreover, his legitimate son, Christopher, was born just a week earlier than Joseph, the son of his mistress.
Later, in his memoirs, the actor told this shocking story in more detail. After a short sexual relationship with Baena, which occurred during the departure of his wife and children, he did not immediately believe in his paternity. The housekeeper was also married and had three children. When asked by Schwarzenegger, she replied that she became pregnant from her husband. As Mildred continued to work in their family, he could watch the child grow and change. Every year little Joseph became more and more like Arnold.
When Baena's husband, suspecting something was wrong, divorced her, Schwarzenegger began to provide the woman with material support. But still, he did not have the courage to confess his wife's deeds until Maria herself asked her husband about this at a reception with a family psychoanalyst. Arnold's betrayal was one of the tests that befell the journalist in a short time. Her mother recently died, followed by her father, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease.
But Shriver, like a strong woman, withstood this difficult period. Her children supported her, and, on the contrary, a boycott was announced to her father. Over time, all members of a large family were able to forgive each other and come to civilized communication. True, after 8 years, the former spouses are still not officially divorced. They say they are stopped by the lack of a marriage contract and the need to share a fortune of $ 400 million. Although they appear together at family gatherings, there is no talk of reconciliation. Everyone has been living their own lives for a long time, and Schwarzenegger even managed to have an affair with physiotherapist Heather Milligan.
