Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ex-Wife Maria Shriver’s Relationship History – All You Need to Know

The iconic Arnold Schwarzenegger and American journalist Maria Shriver were married for nearly 25 years and were at the top of the list of Hollywood’s favorite power couples. From raising four children, to becoming a political phenomenon, the couple reached the pinnacle of glory, together in those 25 years. However, despite the decades-long union, their relationship came to a hurtful end. Now, as the pair’s separation marked the end of an era, the fandom was left to ponder over the evolution and the ultimate end of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver’s relationship. Let’s take a look at the relationship timeline of the 7x Mr. Olympia champion, Schwarzenegger, and Emmy-winning journalist, Maria Shriver.

When Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver met for the first time

In the year 1977, the bodybuilder and the TV journalist met for the first time at RFK Pro-Celebrity Tennis Tournament. The event was organized to honor the journalist’s late uncle, Senator Robert F. Kennedy. The 7x Mr. Olympia was one of many high-profile celebrities who were invited to grace their presence in the tournament. It was a mutual acquaintance, the former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw, who introduced them to each other. The impromptu meeting sparked a love affair between the two and they began dating soon after. The couple dated for 9 long years and then finally, in 1986, the pair decided to get married.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shirver’s luxurious wedding

On April 26, 1986, Schwarzenegger and Shriver’s wedding ceremony took place at the Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church in Massachusetts. The pair’s wedding RSVP list flaunted guests from both politics and Hollywood. There were around 500 people who came to bless the couple. Among the 500 guests was Caroline Kennedy (the daughter of John F. Kennedy), who was the maid of honor, and former Mr. Universe Dr. Franco Columbu served as the best man. Nonetheless, the opulent nuptials were held at the Kennedy compound in nearby Hyannisport.

Schwarzenegger and Shriver welcome their first child

On December 13th, 1989, the couple welcomed their first child together, daughter Katherine Eunice Schwarzenegger. Their daughter’s middle name is an homage to Shriver’s maternal grandmother, Eunice Kennedy (the younger sister of President John F. Kennedy). Now all grown up, Katherine completed her Alma Mater at the University of Southern California in 2012. Soon after that, she went on to pursue her interest in writing.

She is the author of two children’s books and three self-help books, which were hailed globally. Interestingly, along with being an author, she also is an animal rights advocate, who never shies away to voice her concerns regarding environmental issues. Moreover, the 33-year-old is married to Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt and shares two daughters with him. 

All the children of the former ‘famous Hollywood couple’

On July 23, 1991, Schwarzenegger and Shriver became the parents of their second daughter, Christina Maria Aurelia Schwarzenegger. Following her mother’s footsteps, Christina attended Georgetown University in Washington D.C. After graduating in 2013, she followed her father’s vocation and kick-started her career as a film producer. With the guidance of her mom, Christina produced the 2022 Netflix film, ‘Take Your Pills’, which was widely recognized by critics and bagged a hoard full of reviews.

On September 18th, 1993, the pair welcomed their first son, Patrick Arnold Shriver Schwarzenegger. Like her elder sister Katherine, Patrick studied at the University of Southern California and after graduation, chose to pursue his interest in acting. Hence, epitomizing his father’s footprints, Patrick rose to fame after delivering some blockbuster performances in Hollywood. He appeared as a protagonist in movies like ‘Midnight Sun’ (2018), ‘Daniel Isn’t Real’ (2019), and Moxie (2021).

Read More: Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Son Patrick Exposes Dad’s Hilarious Fashion Sense

On September 27th, 1997, the couple welcomed their fourth child, Christopher Schwarzenegger. The youngest of all, Christopher completed his alma mater at the University of Michigan in 2020. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s extra-marital affair with ex-housekeeper

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s marriage with Maria Shriver took a sloppy trajectory after his affair with housekeeper Mildred Baena came to light. The infidelity in the pair’s relationship sparked, allegedly, when the family was on vacation and the actor stayed back for a project in 1996. The Austrian and Baena’s son Joseph Baena was born on October 2, 1997. The affair was kept in the shadows until 2011 when the Los Angeles Times pulled off the curtains from the story. 

Nonetheless, Mildred Baena kept working for the family for nearly 20 years before retiring in 2011. Nonetheless, after the news got public, Joseph’s identity was disclosed and the Austrian finally decided to address the rumors surrounding his marriage. However, following his public statement, Shriver decided to end their relationship of 25 years.

How did Maria Shriver react to the revelation of Schwarzenegger’s affair?

On May 10, 2011, Schwarzenegger and Shriver released a statement that asserted that the couple had decided to part ways. The statement said, “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”. The Emmy winner addressed the media by saying, “This is a painful and heartbreaking time…As a mother, my concern is for the children. I ask for compassion, respect and privacy as my children and I try to rebuild our lives and heal“. 

More so, Shriver visited a convent following her split with the bodybuilder. “I went to a convent, a cloistered convent, and to be in silence and look for advice“, revealed the NBC journalist. After completing her sangfroid therapy with the Reverend, Shriver gave herself closure and moved forward. She added, “Then I was like, ‘Okay, God, let’s go. I’m going to take this and learn everything I can about my role and what I need to learn“.

 On July 1, 2011, Maria Shriver filed for divorce from Arnold Schwarzenegger. She requested shared custody of Patrick Schwarzenegger and Christopher Schwarzenegger, who were 17 and 13 respectively at that time.

The day the well-known pair finally got divorced

While Shriver submitted the petition to divorce Schwarzenegger in 2011, it took 10 more years for the judge to put a final stamp on the request. On December 28th, 2021, the couple finalized their legal separation after a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge rubber-stamped the final paperwork and entered it in the court’s filing system. This way, the 25-year-long union finally came to an end. However, the pair still share friendly relations with each other, as they are often spotted together to celebrate family extravaganzas.

How did Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver cope with their divorce?

Despite the hurtful episode in their lives, the couple remained a family unit and were devoted parents to their four children. Be it a family member’s birthday or a graduation ceremony, the pair never shied away from appearing together at those events. More so, in 2020, the duo celebrated the bodybuilder’s birthday and Shriver even wished him a happy father’s day that same year. Shriver took to her Instagram handle and penned, “Happy father’s day to all dads here on earth who father day in and day out, and to you, Arnold. We wish you the happiest Father’s day”.

Nonetheless, Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger are dedicated grandparents to Katherine Schwarzenegger’s daughters, Lyla Maria, and Eloise Christina. Clearly, following their divorce, the pair’s family played a vital role in keeping Shriver and Schwarzenegger’s amity alive.

Schwarzenegger and Shriver’s current partners and what are they doing now

Arnold Schwarzenegger is currently in a relationship with a physical therapist, Heather Milligan. The two started dating in late 2012, well over a year after he got separated from Maria Shriver, and have now been together for over a decade. On the other hand, Maria Shriver has been dating political analyst, Matthew Dowd since 2014. They first met back in 2006 when Dowd was helping the Austrian with his elections. However, it was not until 2014, that Shriver and Dowd officially started dating.

The Austrian Oak is now anchoring his focus on his upcoming Netflix project – FUBAR. The spy-thriller, action-adventure series is now all set to grace Netflix screens in May 2023. Maria Shriver, at the moment, works as a Special Anchor for NBC News and covers prime-time shows as a co-anchor for NBC’s Today segment. 

Watch This Story: Arnold Schwarzenegger pays tribute to Reddit fans with a legendary picture