Maria Shriver Net Worth

Maria Shriver is an American journalist, author, and former First Lady of California who has an estimated net worth of $200 million. She is also a member of the influential Kennedy political family through her mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Eunice was one of the nine children of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy.

Through this lineage, Shriver is the niece of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy and senators Robert F. Kennedy and Ted Kennedy. Over the years, she built a successful career in journalism and writing while also playing a prominent public role during her marriage to former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Shriver began her journalism career at KYW-TV in Philadelphia before joining CBS News and later NBC News. During her time in television news, she served as co-anchor of programs such as CBS Morning News and Sunday Today. At NBC she also reported for Dateline NBC and anchored several major specials, earning multiple Emmy and Peabody awards.

From 2003 to 2011, Shriver served as the First Lady of California while Schwarzenegger was governor. During that time she focused on issues such as women’s empowerment and Alzheimer’s awareness, organizing initiatives like The Women’s Conference.

Outside television, Shriver is also a bestselling author. Her books include Ten Things I Wish I’d Known Before I Went Out into the Real World and I’ve Been Thinking. She also launched The Sunday Paper, a digital newsletter focused on inspiration, health, and social issues. In recent years, she has continued working with NBC News as a special anchor covering women’s issues and other social topics.

Maria Shriver and Schwarzenegger have four children:

• Katherine Schwarzenegger – author and lifestyle blogger married to actor Chris Pratt
• Christina Schwarzenegger – producer and filmmaker
• Patrick Schwarzenegger – actor and model
• Christopher Schwarzenegger – the youngest of the four siblings

Early Life

Maria Owings Shriver was born on November 6, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois. Her father, Sargent Shriver, was a well-known politician and diplomat, while her mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, was an activist and member of the powerful Kennedy family.

Because of her family background, Shriver grew up surrounded by major political figures. As a child she witnessed her uncle, John F. Kennedy, win the U.S. presidency. Two years later, she watched the nation mourn after his assassination.

Her maternal relatives included several well-known figures in American politics and public life, such as John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, Patricia Kennedy Lawford, Jean Kennedy Smith, Rosemary Kennedy, and Kathleen Kennedy Cavendish.

Among her cousins are prominent figures like Caroline Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Jr., Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Kerry Kennedy, and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.

Shriver was raised in a Roman Catholic household and attended high school in Maryland. She later studied at Manhattanville College before transferring to Georgetown University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies.

Media Career

Shriver developed an interest in journalism while observing her father’s vice-presidential campaign in 1972. After graduating from university, she began working with CBS and eventually became co-anchor of CBS Morning News.

She later moved to NBC, where she co-anchored Sunday Today and worked on several major news programs including NBC Nightly News and Dateline NBC. Her work in broadcast journalism earned widespread recognition and multiple prestigious awards.

Shriver stepped away from her career when Schwarzenegger became governor of California in order to avoid potential conflicts of interest. After leaving the role of First Lady, she returned to journalism and joined NBC again in 2013 as a special anchor focusing on women’s issues and social topics. She also occasionally appears as a substitute anchor on Today.

Outside journalism, Shriver has appeared in films such as Last Action Hero and television series like That’s So Raven. She also served as executive producer of the HBO documentary series The Alzheimer’s Project.

Kennedy Family Fortune

Because Maria Shriver is part of the Kennedy family dynasty, she has benefited from family investments and trust funds tied to the Kennedy fortune.

Financial documents show that she receives income from assets including Vornado Realty Trust and Vornado Realty Inc., with each holding reportedly valued at around $7.5 million. Reports suggest that members of the Kennedy family have collected more than $170 million in dividends since 1998 from such investments.

Relationships

Shriver met Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1977 after they were introduced at a charity tennis tournament. The couple married in 1986 and later had four children together in Los Angeles.

In 2011, the couple announced they were separating. The split came after Schwarzenegger admitted he had fathered a child with the family’s longtime housekeeper, Mildred Patricia Baena, years earlier. Their divorce was finalized in 2017.

In 2013, Shriver began dating political strategist Matthew Dowd, who had previously worked on Schwarzenegger’s re-election campaign.

Divorce Settlement

Various reports indicated that Shriver could receive up to $200 million following her divorce from Schwarzenegger, reflecting the former governor’s substantial wealth. Despite the separation, the couple reportedly handled custody arrangements for their children amicably.

Real Estate

Maria Shriver has also made several notable real estate investments over the years.

In 2002, she and Schwarzenegger purchased a six-acre property in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles for $4.8 million. The estate features a 14,500-square-foot home, tennis court, swimming pool, and ocean views. Schwarzenegger continued living in the home after their separation.

Following the divorce, Shriver bought an 11,000-square-foot home in Brentwood for $10 million, located not far from the former family residence. In June 2022, she purchased a neighboring property for $12.2 million.

Reports in 2017 also indicated that Shriver was searching for additional homes in Los Angeles, possibly with the intention of purchasing properties for her children who had recently graduated from university.

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