Photo: Bob Sacha/Corbis/Getty
Ivana Trump diedon July 14, 2022, at home in New York City. She was 73 years old.Throughout her years, she managed to build a larger-than-life persona, making it as a model, launching books and brands and marrying Donald Trump, helping him grow both a family and empire.One year after her shocking death, take a look back at her life in photos.
Ivana Trump diedon July 14, 2022, at home in New York City. She was 73 years old.
Throughout her years, she managed to build a larger-than-life persona, making it as a model, launching books and brands and marrying Donald Trump, helping him grow both a family and empire.
One year after her shocking death, take a look back at her life in photos.
01of 10Ivana Trump’s Early DaysBob Sacha/Corbis/GettyIvana Trump was born in Zlin, Czech Republic, on Feb. 20, 1949, the only child of construction designer Milos Zelnicek and his wife Marie, a telephone operator. As a college student, she married an Austrian acquaintance — which got her out of the country and eventually, to Canada. The marriage was ultimately dissolved.Working as a model, she met businessman Donald Trump in 1976 and nine months later, they married.In a 1988 chat withOprah Winfrey, the two offered a glimpse into the dynamics of their marriage.“We should have world record-setting fights, but we really don’t, we get along very well, and there’s not a lot of disagreement, because ultimately Ivana does exactly as I tell her to do,” Donald said.“Male chauvinist,“Ivana repliedwith a laugh.
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Ivana Trump’s Early Days
Bob Sacha/Corbis/Getty
Ivana Trump was born in Zlin, Czech Republic, on Feb. 20, 1949, the only child of construction designer Milos Zelnicek and his wife Marie, a telephone operator. As a college student, she married an Austrian acquaintance — which got her out of the country and eventually, to Canada. The marriage was ultimately dissolved.
Working as a model, she met businessman Donald Trump in 1976 and nine months later, they married.
In a 1988 chat withOprah Winfrey, the two offered a glimpse into the dynamics of their marriage.
“We should have world record-setting fights, but we really don’t, we get along very well, and there’s not a lot of disagreement, because ultimately Ivana does exactly as I tell her to do,” Donald said.
“Male chauvinist,“Ivana repliedwith a laugh.
02of 10Ivana and Donald Trump’s KidsSource: Donald Trump Jr./InstagramTogether, Donald and Ivana had three children: Donald Jr. (born in 1977), Ivanka (born in 1981) and Eric (born in 1984), who attended private schools in Manhattan, with Ivanka eventually turning to modeling and designing like her mom and all three joining the family real estate business as adults. They spent their weeks at the family penthouse on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, often traveling to a home in Greenwich, Connecticut, on the weekends for glimpses of a “normal family life,” a neighbor told PEOPLE in 1990.“My mother is my inspiration,” Ivanka, also a mom of three,told PEOPLE in 2016. “She was the ultimate role model. It was always clear to us that we were her priority, but that doesn’t mean we got her 24 hours a day.”
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Ivana and Donald Trump’s Kids
Source: Donald Trump Jr./Instagram
Together, Donald and Ivana had three children: Donald Jr. (born in 1977), Ivanka (born in 1981) and Eric (born in 1984), who attended private schools in Manhattan, with Ivanka eventually turning to modeling and designing like her mom and all three joining the family real estate business as adults. They spent their weeks at the family penthouse on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, often traveling to a home in Greenwich, Connecticut, on the weekends for glimpses of a “normal family life,” a neighbor told PEOPLE in 1990.
“My mother is my inspiration,” Ivanka, also a mom of three,told PEOPLE in 2016. “She was the ultimate role model. It was always clear to us that we were her priority, but that doesn’t mean we got her 24 hours a day.”
03of 10Ivana and Donald Trump’s Marriage and DivorceDonald Trump and Ivana Trump in 1987.Joe McNally/GettyThough the couple had millions thanks to Donald’s father’s real estate empire, Ivana worked, commuting to Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the week to manage the Trump Castle hotel and casino before working in Manhattan properties and later launching her own fashion and beauty lines.The pair’sexplosive early ’90s divorcemade headlines for weeks, as a prenuptial agreement showed Ivana would get $25 million, a Connecticut mansion, spousal and child support, plus time at Mar-a-Lago and potential additional funds.“I can only shake my head at how it insane it was,” Ivana wrote in her 2017 memoir Raising Trump. “I couldn’t turn on the television without hearing my name.“In the book, Ivana wrote that she knew her marriage was doomed after a 1989 run-in withMarla Maples, who was having an affair with Donald and later married him, during a Christmastime ski holiday in Aspen.“This young blonde woman approached me out of the blue and said ‘I’m Marla and I love your husband. Do you?'” Ivana wrote. “I said ‘Get lost. I love my husband.’ It was unladylike but I was in shock.”
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Ivana and Donald Trump’s Marriage and Divorce
Donald Trump and Ivana Trump in 1987.Joe McNally/Getty
Though the couple had millions thanks to Donald’s father’s real estate empire, Ivana worked, commuting to Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the week to manage the Trump Castle hotel and casino before working in Manhattan properties and later launching her own fashion and beauty lines.
The pair’sexplosive early ’90s divorcemade headlines for weeks, as a prenuptial agreement showed Ivana would get $25 million, a Connecticut mansion, spousal and child support, plus time at Mar-a-Lago and potential additional funds.
“I can only shake my head at how it insane it was,” Ivana wrote in her 2017 memoir Raising Trump. “I couldn’t turn on the television without hearing my name.”
In the book, Ivana wrote that she knew her marriage was doomed after a 1989 run-in withMarla Maples, who was having an affair with Donald and later married him, during a Christmastime ski holiday in Aspen.
“This young blonde woman approached me out of the blue and said ‘I’m Marla and I love your husband. Do you?'” Ivana wrote. “I said ‘Get lost. I love my husband.’ It was unladylike but I was in shock.”
04of 10Ivana Trump with Her ChildrenArnaldo Magnani/Getty.Ivana wrote about her role as a mother in her 2017memoir,Raising Trump,saying, “I believe the credit for raising such great kids belongs to me. I was in charge of raising our children before our divorce, and I had sole custody of them after the split. I made the decisions about their education, activities, travel, child care, and allowances. When each one finished college, I said to my ex-husband, ‘Here is the finished product. Now it’s your turn.’ "
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Ivana Trump with Her Children
Arnaldo Magnani/Getty.
Ivana wrote about her role as a mother in her 2017memoir,Raising Trump,saying, “I believe the credit for raising such great kids belongs to me. I was in charge of raising our children before our divorce, and I had sole custody of them after the split. I made the decisions about their education, activities, travel, child care, and allowances. When each one finished college, I said to my ex-husband, ‘Here is the finished product. Now it’s your turn.’ "
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Ivana Trump in ‘The First Wives Club’
After her divorce from Donald, Ivana became somewhat of a pop culture icon, famously appearing in the 1996 filmThe First Wives Cluband delivering the memorable line: “Ladies, you have to be strong and independent, and remember … don’t get mad, get everything!”
06of 10Ivana Trump’s MemoirGallery BooksIn 2017’sRaising Trump, Ivana touched on the end of her marriage. In an interview with TIME, she said, “I think Donald probably felt a little bit jealous of my success. And I felt it. There was nothing really he could do. He saw how much profit I made, so he would never fire me from Atlantic City. He would never fire me from Plaza Hotel because I did such a great job. And maybe he resented it a little bit.“She continued, “I was too successful to be Mrs. Trump. In our marriage there couldn’t be two stars. So one of us had to go.”
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Ivana Trump’s Memoir
Gallery Books
In 2017’sRaising Trump, Ivana touched on the end of her marriage. In an interview with TIME, she said, “I think Donald probably felt a little bit jealous of my success. And I felt it. There was nothing really he could do. He saw how much profit I made, so he would never fire me from Atlantic City. He would never fire me from Plaza Hotel because I did such a great job. And maybe he resented it a little bit.”
She continued, “I was too successful to be Mrs. Trump. In our marriage there couldn’t be two stars. So one of us had to go.”
07of 10Ivana Trump’s Other LovesFrom left: Ivana Trump and Rossano Rubicondi in 2008.Ivana married twice more after Donald, to Italian businessman Riccardo Mazzucchelli in 1995 (they divorced two years later) and to Italian model Rossano Rubicondi (pictured) in 2008. They divorced in 2009, though remained on-again, off-again in the years leading up to his 2021 death.
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Ivana Trump’s Other Loves
From left: Ivana Trump and Rossano Rubicondi in 2008.
Ivana married twice more after Donald, to Italian businessman Riccardo Mazzucchelli in 1995 (they divorced two years later) and to Italian model Rossano Rubicondi (pictured) in 2008. They divorced in 2009, though remained on-again, off-again in the years leading up to his 2021 death.
08of 10Ivana Trump on ‘Dancing with the Stars’Elisabetta A. Villa/GettyIn 2018,Ivana performedon the Italian version ofDancing with the Stars— just seven months aftermocking fellow ex-wifeofDonald Trump,Marla Maples, for appearing on the American show.
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Ivana Trump on ‘Dancing with the Stars’
Elisabetta A. Villa/Getty
In 2018,Ivana performedon the Italian version ofDancing with the Stars— just seven months aftermocking fellow ex-wifeofDonald Trump,Marla Maples, for appearing on the American show.
09of 10Ivana Trump as a GrandmotherIn her later years, Ivana was a doting grandmother to her children’s children; all in all, she had 10 between Don Jr.’s five kids, Ivanka’s three and Eric’s two. However, in a 2011 chat with PEOPLE, she said, “Calling me Grandma is out of the question. It’s Glam-ma!”
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Ivana Trump as a Grandmother
In her later years, Ivana was a doting grandmother to her children’s children; all in all, she had 10 between Don Jr.’s five kids, Ivanka’s three and Eric’s two. However, in a 2011 chat with PEOPLE, she said, “Calling me Grandma is out of the question. It’s Glam-ma!”
10of 10Ivana Trump’s Final YearsRegine Mahaux/GettyIn that same 2011 PEOPLE interview, she opened up one of her homes and looked back on her full life.“I love to be me,” she said. “I have fabulous friends, a boyfriend. Life is beautiful.“Ivana diedon July 14, 2022, at home in New York City. She was 73.
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Ivana Trump’s Final Years
Regine Mahaux/Getty
In that same 2011 PEOPLE interview, she opened up one of her homes and looked back on her full life.
“I love to be me,” she said. “I have fabulous friends, a boyfriend. Life is beautiful.”
Ivana diedon July 14, 2022, at home in New York City. She was 73.
source: people.com
