The Real Reason It Took Arnold Schwarzenegger And Maria Shriver Over 10 Years To Get Divorced

In 2011, former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was embroiled in scandal after news of his extramarital affair leaked. According to People, the "Terminator" actor admitted in a therapy session that he fathered a child, Joseph (now 24), with his housekeeper. The scandal sent shockwaves across the world, as Schwarzenegger was married to Maria Shriver — with whom he shares four children: Katherine, 32, Christina, 30, Patrick, 28, and Christopher, 24. Christopher and Joseph were born just days apart.

After the news was leaked to the press, Shriver filed for divorce, per People. The former couple, though, has remained amicable during the years-long divorce proceedings, co-parenting their children and participating in family events together. They most recently celebrated their son Patrick's 28th birthday party in September, according to Radar Online. However, the party also likely doubled as a pre-celebration for the couple's divorce.

Yes, after 10 years, Schwarzenegger and Shriver are finally divorced and declared legally single — and the reason for the delay is pretty relatable.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver endured a long divorce process because neither saw the need to rush to end their marriage officially, according to TMZ. Additionally, there was a detailed property settlement agreement to be attended to, because the two didn't sign a prenup when they first married in 1986, making the splitting of assets more difficult. The property settlement agreement is confidential, but the outlet reports there was an estimated $400 million involved, and the money was split equally between Schwarzenegger and Shriver.

Although their divorce has been finalized, the pair moved on to date other people years ago. Schwarzenegger has dated physical therapist Heather Miligan since 2013, per The Sun, whereas Shriver has been spotted on dates with various men throughout the years. Additionally, both exes have made an effort to remain civil and united in front of their children. "[Maria's] always been respectful of Arnold because he's her [children's] dad," a source told Page Six in 2019. "All her kids seem to be very close, they're very tight. Family and faith is very important to all of them."

Besides their divorce, Schwarzenegger and Shriver are also celebrating the fact that they are about to become grandparents again. Their daughter, Katherine Schwarzenegger, announced that she is expecting another child with Chris Pratt in 2022.

Besides their assets complicating their divorce, there actually might be another reason why Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver finally agreed to part ways legally. An expert told Page Six that Schwarzenegger might want to get married again, which is why he was keen on signing the papers. "Typically if one person wants to get married again they will ask for the divorce," the expert said, according to the New York Post. "Staying separated for 10 and a half years is pretty crazy!"

Schwarzenegger has been dating physical therapist Heather Milligan for almost a decade, having officially confirmed their relationship with a trip to Austria — Schwarzenegger's home country — in 2014, according to Hello! A mutual friend told Page Six that Schwarzenegger is in a stable relationship with Milligan. "Arnold is very happy with Heather. She's very good for him," they said.

While Schwarzenegger has kept his romance with Milligan out of the public eye, Milligan is actually a star in her own profession. According to her Twitter biography, she is the founder of Elite Orthosport and counts Conor McGregor as one of her clients. On the Elite Orthosport website, Milligan states that she has over "20 years of experience" in the field of physical therapy and "holds a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Nevada Las Vegas." With Schwarzenegger's passion for health and fitness, it's no wonder Milligan makes a great match for him.

Arnold Schwarzenegger may have found love again, but the same cannot be said for Maria Shriver. The journalist, who graduated from Georgetown University in 1977, per Britannica, has been in on-and-off relationships over the past several years. She is currently focused on her career and philanthropic efforts, but maintains a cordial relationship with Schwarzenegger.

In a Father's Day post on Instagram from 2020, Shriver posted photos of her family celebrating and included Schwarzenegger in the carousel. "Happy Father's Day to all the dads here on earth who father day in day out, and to you, Arnold. We all wish you the happiest Father's Day!" she wrote, proving that exes can still be friends. However, while Shriver is not in a hurry to be in a relationship again, her son Patrick Schwarzenegger does not mind playing the matchmaker.

Patrick revealed in an interview on "Andy Cohen Live" in November 2020 that he'd love to set his mother up with Lenny Kravitz, after surprising his mom with a birthday cake of the rocker's abs. "I don't know Lenny, but I'm sure he would be great for, for Maria as well," he said. Now that's one couple we'd like to see give things a shot!