Bill Clinton became one of the most recognizable figures in the world when he was sworn in as U.S. President in 1993. Since then, the Arkansas native has enjoyed a long and successful political career, though the infamous affair with intern Monica Lewinsky overshadowed much of his White House legacy.
Despite the scandal — undeniably a major one — Bill has remained married to his wife, Hillary Clinton, for more than 50 years. The two met in college and have stayed together ever since, weathering many difficult moments.
As it turns out, Hillary wasn’t sure about marrying Bill at first — he had to propose three times before she finally agreed. Here’s a closer look at Bill and Hillary Clinton’s marriage.
Bill Clinton was born William Jefferson Blythe III on August 19, 1946, in Hope, Arkansas. His mother, Virginia Kelley, suffered a devastating loss when Bill’s father died in a traffic accident just three months before his birth. When Bill was four, she married Roger Clinton — a man who reportedly drank heavily and abused Bill’s mother.
“This sounds crazy but I never hated my stepfather, Roger Clinton… even after he beat my mother,” Bill said, explaining that he believed Roger struggled with demons he couldn’t control.
At school, Bill kept his home life a secret. In his book, he wrote that he lived “two parallel lives” from childhood into adulthood. Despite everything, he chose to take his stepfather’s last name in high school.
Bill excelled academically and was a talented saxophone player, leading many to believe he might pursue music — but fate had other plans.
A pivotal moment came in high school when he met President John F. Kennedy during a Boys Nation visit to the White House. The handshake photo became iconic, and Bill reportedly told friends afterward, “Someday, I’m going to have that job.”
He went on to Georgetown University, earned a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford in 1968, and later completed his law degree at Yale — where he met Hillary Rodham.
Bill recalled first seeing Hillary in a political and civil rights class: “She exuded this sense of strength and self-possession that I found magnetic.” Their first real interaction happened in the law library when Hillary approached him and said, “Look, if you’re going to keep staring at me… we at least oughta know each other’s name.”
They began dating, worked together on George McGovern’s 1972 presidential campaign, and grew closer. Bill proposed in 1973, but Hillary said no — twice — fearing she might lose her identity in the shadow of Bill’s powerful personality and political ambitions.
Eventually, after giving her time, Bill asked a third time — and she said yes. They married in 1975 in their Arkansas living room with only close family and friends present. “I married my best friend,” Bill later said.
Their daughter, Chelsea, was born in 1980. Bill became Governor of Arkansas in 1978 and President in 1993, while Hillary built a reputation as one of the nation’s most influential lawyers.
But Bill’s presidency was overshadowed by the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Lewinsky, then 22, began an affair with Clinton that lasted two years. When the story broke in 1998, recorded phone calls and a 3,000‑page report exposed intimate details, leading to intense public humiliation for Lewinsky.
The scandal nearly destroyed the Clintons’ marriage. Hillary later wrote that staying with Bill was one of “the most difficult decisions I have made in my life.” She described feeling “furious,” “dumbfounded,” and “beside myself with anger and disappointment.”
After leaving the White House in 2001, the couple moved to Chappaqua, New York. Hillary went on to serve as a U.S. Senator, then Secretary of State, and later ran for president in 2016. They also became grandparents three times between 2014 and 2019.
Despite everything, Bill and Hillary’s relationship has endured. In 2025, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary — a milestone few political couples reach.
