Ivana Trump's legacy: Her life, divorce, and surprising will

Ivana Trump was born in 1949 in Czechoslovakia. However, she made her career in the United States, where she met her future husband, Donald Trump. The couple's first meeting took place at Maxwell's Plum club in New York City. Soon after, Trump frequently called Ivana and even visited her unannounced in Montreal, where she was living at the time. He proposed after six months of their acquaintance.

Ivana and Donald Trump got married in the spring of 1977 in Manhattan. At the advice of Trump's lawyer, they signed a prenuptial agreement before the wedding, which nearly led to an early breakup. The clause stated that in case of the marriage's dissolution, Ivana had to return all the gifts she received from her husband. Future Mrs. Trump was furious. The clause was quickly removed from the prenuptial agreement.

The marriage resulted in three children: Ivanka, Eric, and Donald Jr. However, Ivana Trump did not intend to be just a wife and mother. During her marriage to Donald, she developed as a businesswoman. She sat on the board of The Trump Organization, designed interiors of her husband's properties, and invested in casinos in Atlantic City.

The Trumps' happiness lasted until the businessman’s affair with Marla Maples came to light. "This young blonde approached me and said: 'I’m Marla, and I love your husband, okay?' I said: 'Get lost. I love my husband.' It was very ungracious; I was in shock," Ivana Trump wrote in her book "Raising Trump."

Ivana and Donald's divorce was the number one topic in the media. They finalized it in 1992. According to "The New York Times," Ivana received $14 million, $650,000 a year in child support, an apartment in Trump Plaza, a house in Connecticut, 49% of the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, as well as gifts she received from her husband.

Ivana Trump passed away on July 14, 2022, in her New York City apartment. She maintained contact with her ex-husband until the end. Six months after her death, "Forbes" obtained her will, which did not mention Donald Trump at all.

According to journalists of the biweekly, Ivana Trump had an estate valued at $34 million. Per her last will, this money was divided among her children: Ivanka, Eric, and Donald Jr. Two properties, including one in Saint Tropez, France, were allocated to friends. An apartment in Florida went to Dorothy Curry, who was initially the nanny of her children and later her personal assistant.

Part of Ivana Trump's fortune also went to charitable organizations. The American Red Cross and the Salvation Army received all of Ivana Trump's clothes—except for her fur collection, which was to be sold. The proceeds were to go to her children.