Maria Shriver, Katherine Schwarzenegger, and Katherine's Daughter, 2022 | Maria Shriver and Her Granddaughter, 2022 | Maria Shriver, 2003 | Source: Getty Images | Instagram.com/mariashriver | Instagram.com/katherineschwarzenegger
Maria Shriver celebrates her 67th birthday with her daughter and two little granddaughters.
Maria is finally free after ten years of living with a painful divorce from her ex-husband Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Maria is very grateful to be a grandmother, and her daughter shared how her mother feels in her new role.
On October 31, 2022, Maria Shriver shared an Instagram image of her and her daughter, Katherine Schwarzenegger, smiling as they posed together while cuddling her grandchild. Maria revealed that her daughter had taken her away the past weekend for her birthday.
However, she explained that it was an early gift as her actual birthday was November 6, 2022, when she turned 67. The star said Katherine wanted her mother to feel celebrated, hence the early present.
Maria Shriver on season 71 of the Today show on November 3, 2022 | Source: Getty Images
She shared how moved, touched, and humbled she was by the gesture and didn't have to organize anything and got to be surrounded by love. The journalist revealed all the things she was grateful for as the week began, stating:
"I'm grateful to be alive. I'm grateful for my children, my family, and the love of little girls..."
Maria was thankful for the little girls who grew into big ones and treated their mothers like queens. Katherine shared an Instagram clip of various times with her parent on her mother's birthday day.
In the background, someone described what kind of a mother Katherine had, saying she was overprotective, the one who picked up at first ring in the a.m. hours, the fighter and warrior. The type of mother who fought battles before their children descended upon them.
The mother who smothered and was loving to her children and her grandchildren. It was said that Maria being overprotective, was the best type of mother one could get, and Katherine wished her a happy birthday before calling her "the best!"
Maria was happy to live such a fulfilling life even though she'd previously suffered pain. She spent ten years healing from the pain caused by Katherine's father and her ex-husband, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Why Did Maria Unexpectedly Separate from Her Husband of 25 Years, Arnold Schwarzenegger?
According to the 2011 edition of the Los Angeles Times, Arnold and Maria separated after she discovered he'd gotten another woman pregnant over ten years before. The person was the family's longtime staff member.
Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger at the Inner-City Games on August 16, 2000, in Los Angles, California | Source: Getty Images
After he acknowledged the paternity, the journalist moved out of the Brentwood mansion she'd shared with the actor. The staff member had worked for the family for 20 years and retired in January 2014.
In a statement, Arnold said after he left the California governor's office, he told his wife the truth. He understood the anger and disappointment held by his family and friends and noted that he deserved it, adding:
"There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. I have apologized to Maria, my children and my family. I am truly sorry."
Maria Shriver kisses California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger after he thanked her for her support at his Special Election night party on November 8, 2005, in Beverly Hills, California | Source: Getty Images
The couple's separation after 25 years of marriage was announced in a joint statement. Before Arnold's confessions, the staff member had claimed someone else was the father of her child.
Maria [Shriver] revealed how she took nothing for granted.
The woman alleged that she left her position after achieving her goal of reaching 20 years with the family before retiring. The staff member also claimed she received her severance payment and "left on good terms."
Arnold alleged that the separation was temporary and that they'd reconcile because they loved each other. He said they were lucky to have four children and were taking things a day at a time.
However, Maria's friends claimed she had been unhappy for years, but she initially didn't say anything at the time. Arnold's ex-wife took time to feel confident enough to have her say about the matter.
Maria Broke Her Silence after Painful Split - Her Path to Becoming a Grandmother
Not long after Arnold confessed to fathering a child out of wedlock, Maria shared how she was going through a "heartbreaking" and "painful" time. She revealed that she was only concerned about her children.
First Lady Maria Shriver at the Women's Conference on October 23, 2007, in Long Beach, California | Source: Getty Images
The journalist asked the public for respect, compassion, and privacy as she and her children worked on healing and rebuilding their lives. In 2020, long after her separation from Arnold, Maria revealed how she took nothing for granted.
She acknowledged how some people never got to her age or the chance to see their grandchildren. The star said she thanked God for that daily and would celebrate Thanksgiving as a grandmother!
In 2022, Katherine shared how lucky she felt to have an "amazing role model" in her mother. She felt grateful to be a witness to how Maria balanced everything and was learning by bouncing ideas off of her as she raised two children.
Arnold's daughter said she knew having family time was most important. Sadly, Katherine's parent's divorce went through in December 2021 after it was finalized on the 28th, a decade after Maria, who was finally free, made her filing.
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