Inside Maria Shriver's Relationship With Her Kennedy Cousins

Maria Shriver has been a household name for decades, for multiple reasons. Not only did she carve out a successful career for herself in broadcast journalism, but she also tied the knot with one of the biggest stars in showbusiness: Arnold Schwarzenegger. She eventually went on to become the first lady of California when her husband became governor. Shriver's marriage has often eclipsed her achievements, with headlines tending to focus on the ins and outs of Schwarzenegger's affairs rather than Shriver's hard work and success. While this alone makes her a fascinating public figure, there's another element to Shriver's life that cements her place in American history — her connection to the infamous political dynasty, the Kennedys.

The Kennedy family is as large as it is complicated, so how exactly is Shriver related to them? Shriver's mother is the late Eunice Kennedy, sister of the former president, John F. Kennedy, making her more closely tied to them than some may realize. Her mother was one of nine children, with siblings Rosemary, Patricia, Robert, Jean, Edward, Kathleen, and Joseph besides John, making this one decidedly large family thanks to their Irish Catholic roots.

It makes sense then that Shriver has a ton of Kennedy cousins she has grown up with over the years. Of course, she is closer to some of them than others, so what does their bond look like? Let's find out as we go inside Maria Shriver's relationship with her Kennedy cousins.

Anyone who's ever experienced marital issues knows that being able to talk to a friend is one of the few saving graces in a tricky situation. This is a true testament to the closeness of Caroline Kennedy and Maria Shriver, since the journalist felt able to confide in her cousin when her marriage hit the fan in 2011. At the time, Shriver had been married to Arnold Schwarzenegger for the better part of three decades, having welcomed four children together. After his role as governor of California came to an end, the actor revealed to his wife that he had secretly had an affair with their housekeeper, with whom he welcomed a lovechild.

Shriver packed her bags and filed for divorce, but a short time later, reports surfaced that the anchorwoman was reconsidering the split. According to the National Enquirer (via the Daily Mail), Kennedy was one of the most vocal opponents to any sort of reconciliation, imploring Shriver to stand her ground. "Caroline has been Maria's harshest critic, saying, 'Don't do it, Maria. Don't be a fool. Once a cheater, always a cheater,'" reported a source.

Though we don't know exactly what was said behind closed doors, Shriver did eventually finalize her divorce from the actor, albeit a decade later, in 2021. Had Kennedy been a supporter of the action star, perhaps things would have worked out differently. 

Some people have cousins they don't see or speak to, perhaps only meeting once in a blue moon at family reunions. However, the Kennedy family has always been close, and Maria Shriver has had a special bond with a couple of her cousins in particular since they were kids. In 2021, Shriver detailed the importance of their friendship in a post she shared to Instagram. The sweet photo shows the TV personality sitting at a table alongside her cousins, Caroline Kennedy and Sydney McKelvy. All three are smiling from ear to ear, clearly delighted to be together. 

Shriver explained in the caption, "These two! They are everything to me. Last night, here in the Big Apple, I got to break bread and break into laughter with my two cousins, @sydneylmck and @amb_kennedy. I never had a sister, but these two have made up for that." She went on to explain that, because of the pandemic, they had been kept apart but were finally able to see one another in person again. 

It's not the first time that Shriver has gushed about her relatives. In an interview with her longtime friend, Oprah Winfrey, the news anchor said, "My cousins are like siblings and best friends. Not only do I talk to my brothers almost daily but I talk to several of my cousins weekly." As if there was ever any doubt as to the closeness of this dynasty. 

As we've touched upon, the Kennedy family is all too familiar with tragedy. Not only was John F. Kennedy's life cut short, but so was that of his brother, Robert F. Kennedy, and his son, John F. Kennedy, Jr. Even before Courtney Kennedy lost her daughter far too young, JFK lost his sister, Kathleen Kennedy, in a plane crash, and his brother, Joseph Kennedy, at war. It seems like this dynasty was built for heartache, so how has it impacted them? 

In a piece she wrote for Parents magazine in 1999, Shriver revealed what it was like growing up with so much grief, as recounted in the New York Post: "Another uncle, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, died, then my grandfather, followed by several cousins. And even though our family seemed to be experiencing loss again and again, no one ever discussed it." 

Needless to say, this shared trauma may have had an impact on Shriver's relationship with her cousins. After all, they all grieved the same losses and had experienced the same good memories together. Perhaps their close bond has been strengthened by their ability to endure these losses together, while also coming to realize that life is precious. In a 2022 tweet lamenting on her uncle's assassination, Shriver put it best: "Go gently today, as millions of people are working through their trauma. Millions of people are grieving things that happened years ago or decades ago, or just moments ago."