A Deep Dive Into The Scandalous Love Life Of Henry Kissinger

Henry Kissinger was involved in plenty of political and love affairs during his time in the spotlight. Kissinger was known for being a skillful politician who helped put an end to the Vietnam War and encouraged "diplomatic relations with China," among many other political endeavors, per Politico. And, it turns out that in his 100 years of life, he was not only successful professionally, but personally, too.

At the time of his death, Henry was happily married to philanthropist and political researcher Nancy Kissinger, per The U.S. Sun. The couple first met when Nancy attended Harvard and ran into Henry during her school career. However, it wasn't until after she graduated and started working as a researcher for the Republican politician that they began a relationship. The couple's romance blossomed, and it wasn't long before they tied the knot in 1974. Henry was very private about the ceremony, but according to The New York Times, they tied the knot in an intimate 4-minute ceremony in Virginia before jet-setting off to Mexico for their honeymoon. Henry stayed married to Nancy up until his death in November 2023.

But long before he settled down with Nancy, believe it or not, Henry was quite the player, and was even dubbed the "Playboy of the West Wing," per WWD. So, here's everything we know about the political figure's scandalous love life.

They weren't kidding when they said Henry Kissinger was the "Playboy of the West Wing." The political figure had a long list of famous exes. According to Reuters, Kissinger dated the likes of Candice Bergen, Shirley MacLaine, Diane Sawyer, and many more. Although many knew of his notorious bachelor behavior, Kissinger did his best to keep it out of the spotlight.

One of his longer-lasting relationships did make it outside just a simple fling. In the early 70s, Kissinger began dating "Diamonds Are Forever" star Jill St. John, who played a Bond girl in the movie, per The Hollywood Reporter. In 1972, Kissinger made his relationship public when he took St. John to a fundraiser for President Richard Nixon's campaign. St. John joked with reporters, "Henry has been trying for three years and he's finally gotten me to support the president." The political figure responded by joking that he hadn't been "wasting his time" in Hollywood, and St. John was an example of that.

Kissinger seemed to have an irresistible charm to him because even those who initially disliked him ended up falling head over heels. "M*A*S*H" actor Sally Kellerman recalled "being horrified" over being set up on a date with Kissinger in her memoir, "Read My Lips," per The Hollywood Reporter. But as soon as the political figure sparked a conversation, Kellerman fell hard. So, from actors to journalists to everyone in between, Kissinger could seemingly charm anyone into a romance.

Twenty-five years before he walked down the aisle with Nancy Kissinger, Henry Kissinger tied the knot to someone else. According to The U.S. Sun, the former secretary of state was married to his high school sweetheart, Anneliese Fleischer. The couple met in New York before Henry was later recruited to serve in the army. In 1949, after he returned from serving, the pair decided to take the next step in their relationship and tie the knot during his schooling at Harvard College.

For the next 15 years, the couple would be happily married and even welcome two kids into their lives, David and Elizabeth. The pair split in 1964, although it's unclear as to why. Similar to Henry, Fleischer remarried. She and scientist Dr. Saul G. Cohen said "I do." After her split from the political figure, Fleischer and her daughter remained largely out of the public eye. As for the former couple's son, David, he has embraced the spotlight and has praised his father for his work.

For his dad's 100th birthday, David shared a touching piece to Henry in The Washington Post. He wrote, "My father's longevity is especially miraculous when one considers the health regimen he has followed throughout his adult life. The other secret to my father's endurance is his sense of mission. Although he has been caricatured as a cold realist, he is anything but dispassionate."