The first and only woman to marry two presidents of two different countries is Graca Machel.
Graca was once married to the first president of independent Mozambique, Samora Machel. He died in a plane crash inside the South African border in 1986.
Graca and Samora got married in August 1975, months after Mozambique became an independent nation.
She became the first lady and also doubled as the Minister of Culture and Education.
After the death of her husband, she resigned as a minister of the country. She mourned her husband for five years.
Graca Machel opened a foundation to address poverty in the country.
In the 1990s, she was always seen with Nelson Mandela, who later became the first black president of South Africa.
In 1990, when Mandela was released from prison, they met and became friends after Mandela divorced his wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. Their friendship later turned to love.
When Mandela celebrated his 80th birthday on 18th July 1998, he officially got married to Graca, making her the only and first woman in history to marry two presidents of different countries.
Despite being married in South Africa, she was still a political and economic force in Mozambique.
While commenting on her marriage, she said, “It is not two leaders who fell in love with me, but two real people. I see it as a great privilege to have shared my life with two exceptional men.”
Nelson Mandela died in December 2013.
