© Getty Images

John and Jacqueline Kennedy -

John F. Kennedy married Jacqueline Bouvier in 1953. Tragically, President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. Following his death, Jackie withdrew from the public eye and lived as a widow for six years.

© Getty Images

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis -

In 1968, she married shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. Following her marriage to Onassis, Jackie pursued a career as a book editor and remained active in supporting the arts and the preservation of historic architecture. She passed away in 1994.

© Getty Images

Iman and David Bowie -

The retired supermodel and widow of David Bowie appeared on 'Today' in 2023 to discuss her experience of loss. Bowie passed away in 2016 after battling cancer. However, Iman revealed that it wasn't until 2020 that she truly confronted her grief. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic confined her to the home she once shared with him, leading to a release of suppressed emotions. 

© Getty Images

Iman -

Despite the passage of eight years, Iman firmly stated that she will never remarry. She emphasized that she still considers Bowie her husband rather than referring to him as her late husband. She described their relationship as the true love of her life and expressed her anticipation of meeting him again in the future.

© Getty Images

Steve and Terri Irwin -

"The Crocodile Hunter," Steve Irwin, tied the knot with Terri Raines in 1992. Irwin was a highly regarded conservationist and beloved TV personality who tragically passed away in 2006 when a stingray barb pierced his heart.

© Getty Images

Terri Irwin -

Terri Irwin, who is also a renowned naturalist, maintains the legacy of her late husband by overseeing initiatives such as the inauguration of the Australian Wildlife Hospital at Australia Zoo, situated on the Sunshine Coast.

© Getty Images

Martin Hirigoyen Kelly and Natascha McElhone -

In 1998, Kelly, a plastic surgeon, married McElhone. Tragically, he passed away unexpectedly at the age of 43 in 2008.

© Getty Images

Natascha McElhone -

McElhone, an accomplished actress, authored a book centered around her experience of loss titled 'After You: Letters of Love, and Loss, to a Husband and Father.'

© Getty Images

J. Howard Marshall II and Anna Nicole Smith -

In 1994, the affluent oil magnate, then 89 years old, wed the 26-year-old model Anna Nicole Smith. However, their marriage endured for only 14 months before his passing.

© Getty Images

Anna Nicole Smith -

Following Marshall's death, Smith became entangled in a prolonged legal battle concerning inheritance matters. A familiar face in celebrity circles, she tragically passed away in 2007 due to an accidental drug overdose.

© Getty Images

Mike Todd and Elizabeth Taylor -

The American theater and film producer married Elizabeth Taylor in 1957, marking her third out of seven marriages. Unfortunately, his life was tragically cut short in a plane crash in 1958.

© Getty Images

Elizabeth Taylor -

His widow went on to achieve remarkable success in her film career. While her personal life frequently attracted controversy, her later years were distinguished by her commendable efforts in HIV/AIDS activism. She passed away in 2011.

© Getty Images

Steve Jobs and Laurene Powell Jobs -

The co-founder of Apple Inc. tied the knot with Laurene Powell in 1991. Acknowledged as a key figure in the microcomputer revolution, Jobs succumbed to cancer in 2011.

© Getty Images

Laurene Powell Jobs -

She has gone on to provide support for various educational initiatives. In the 1990s, she co-founded College Track, and in 2015, she initiated XQ: The Super School Project.

© Getty Images

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall -

Bogart met Lauren Bacall in 1943 when she was a mere 19 years old. The couple exchanged vows in 1945.

© Getty Images

Lauren Bacall -

They stayed together until Bogart's passing due to cancer in 1957. Bacall, later recognized as the 20th greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema, was honored with an Academy Honorary Award in 2009. She passed away in 2014.

© Getty Images

Elvis and Priscilla Presley -

Elvis tied the knot with Priscilla Beaulieu in Las Vegas in 1967. The marriage ended in divorce in 1973, but the pair remained close.

© Getty Images

Priscilla Presley -

Following Presley's passing in 1977, Priscilla pursued a fruitful acting career. Starting from 2003, she has held the role of Ambassador for the Dream Foundation, an organization dedicated to aiding terminally ill adults and their families.

© Getty Images

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert -

Victoria held the title of Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, reigning from 1837 to 1901. In 1840, she married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

© Getty Images

Queen Victoria -

Prince Albert passed away in 1861. Devastated by his loss, the monarch fell into a profound depression from which she never completely recovered. Victoria chose not to remarry, and she passed away in 1901 at the age of 81.

© Getty Images

Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King -

The civil rights leader married Coretta Scott in 1953. In 1968, King was tragically assassinated. Following his death, his widow assumed the mantle of leadership in the ongoing struggle for racial equality.

© Getty Images

Coretta Scott King -

Scott King later established the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change and successfully advocated for her late husband's birthday to become a national holiday. She passed away in 2006, leaving behind her own impressive legacy.

© Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II -

Queen Elizabeth II endured the loss of her husband of 74 years, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on April 9, 2021. Reports suggest that the Queen, who wed Prince Philip on November 20, 1947, was beside him during his final moments. Tragically, a little over a year later, Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8, 2022.

© Getty Images

John Lennon and Yoko Ono -

John Lennon married Yoko Ono in 1969, a period coinciding with the Beatles' breakup. Despite a separation lasting nearly two years in the mid-1970s, they managed to stay united until Lennon was assassinated in 1980.

© Getty Images

Yoko Ono -

Since then, Ono has worked diligently to preserve Lennon's legacy, establishing the Strawberry Fields Memorial in New York, the John Lennon Museum in Japan, and the Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland, among various other initiatives.

© Getty Images

René Angélil and Céline Dion -

The music producer, who had been Céline Dion's manager since 1981, tied the knot with her in 1994. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2016 after a battle with cancer.

© Getty Images

Céline Dion -

With Angélil's guidance, she attained global recognition. Apart from her performances, Dion is a staunch supporter of numerous charitable organizations, including the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Association.

© Getty Images

Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love -

The Nirvana frontman married Love in 1992. Love was also a musician with her own band called Hole.

© Getty Images

Courtney Love -

Cobain tragically took his own life in 1994. Love carried on with her music career, experimented in art and fashion, and even ventured into acting. She's been an advocate for victims of sexual abuse, AIDS research, and LGBT youth charities, along with other significant social causes.

See also: History's most influential and inspiring women

© Getty Images