Graca Machel: 10 things

Nelson Mandela: 10 things to know about his wife, Graca Machel - CNN.comvar cnnCurrTime=new Date(1388067181000),cnnCurrHour=9,cnnCurrMin=13,cnnCurrDay="Thu",cnnIsIntl=true,clickID=212106,cnn_cvpAdpre="edition.",cnnCVPAdSectionT1="edition.cnn.com_africa_t1",cnnCVPAdSectionInPage="edition.cnn.com_africa_inpage",cnnShareUrl="%2F2013%2F12%2F14%2Fworld%2Fafrica%2Fgraca-machel-10-things%2Findex.html",cnnShareTitle="Nelson%20Mandela%3A%2010%20things%20to%20know%20about%20his%20wife%2C%20Graca%20Machel%20",cnnShareDesc="",cnnFirstPub=new Date('Saturday Dec 14 08:28:27 EST 2013'),cnnSectionName="world",sectionName="world",cnnSubSectionName="wrd : africa",cnnPageType="Story",cnnBrandingValue="default";cnnPartnerValue="";cnnOmniBranding="",cnnAuthor="Faith Karimi, CNN ",disqus_category_id=207582,disqus_identifier="/2013/12/14/world/africa/graca-machel-10-things/index.html",disqus_title="Nelson Mandela: 10 things to know about his wife, Graca Machel ",cnn_edtnswtchver="edition",cnnIsStoryPage=true,cnn_metadata = {},cnn_shareconfig = [];cnn_metadata = {section: ["world","wrd : africa"],friendly_name: "Nelson Mandela: 10 things to know about his wife, Graca Machel ",template_type: "content",template_type_content: "gallery",business: {cnn: {page: {author: "Faith Karimi, CNN ",broadcast_franchise: "",video_embed_count: "0",publish_date: "2013/12/14",photo_gallery: "Nelson Mandela: 10 things to know about his wife, Graca Machel "},video: {video_player: ""}}},user: {authenticated: "",segment: {age: "",zip: "",gender: ""}}};if (typeof(cnnOmniPartner) !== "undefined") {if (cnn_metadata.template_type_content === "") {cnn_metadata.template_type_content = "partner";}}var photo_gallery = "Nelson Mandela: 10 things to know about his wife, Graca Machel ";if(typeof CNN==='undefined'){var CNN=Class.create();}CNN.expandableMap=[''];function _loginOptions(){};var disqus_url=(typeof disqus_identifier!=='undefined') ? 'http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/14/world/africa/graca-machel-10-things/index.html' : 'http://www.cnn.com'+location.pathname;cnnad_newTileIDGroup(['970x66_top','300x250_rgt','300x250_rgt2','336x280_rgt','336x850_rgt','300x150_rgt','728x90_top','728x90_bot','BG_Skin','120x90_bot1','120x90_bot2','120x90_bot3']);cnnad_newTileIDGroup(['607x95_adlinks','336x280_adlinks']); EDITION:  INTERNATIONAL U.S. MEXICO ARABIC TV:   CNNi CNN en Espanol Set edition preference Sign up Log in Home Video World U.S. Africa Asia Europe Latin America Middle East Business World Sport Entertainment Tech Travel iReport SHARE THISPrintEmailMore sharingRedditStumbleUponDelicious/* push in config for this share instance */cnn_shareconfig.push({"id" : "cnn_sharebar1","url" : "http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/14/world/africa/graca-machel-10-things/index.html","title" : "Nelson Mandela: 10 things to know about his wife, Graca Machel "});Nelson Mandela: 10 things to know about his wife, Graca Machel By Faith Karimi, CNN December 15, 2013 -- Updated 0413 GMT (1213 HKT)if (typeof cnnArticleGallery=="undefined"){var cnnArticleGallery={};if(typeof cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList=="undefined"){cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList=[];}}var expGalleryPT00=new ArticleExpandableGallery();expGalleryPT00.setImageCount(16);expGalleryPT00.setAdsRefreshCount(3);//cnn_adbptrackpgalimg("Mandela family album", 1);.cnn_html_slideshow_metadata > .cnn_html_media_utility::before{color:red;content:'>>';font-size:9px;line-height:12px;padding-right:1px}.cnnstrylccimg640{margin:0 27px 14px 0}.captionText{filter:alpha(opacity=100);opacity:1}.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a,.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a:visited,.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a:link,.captionText a,.captionText a:visited,.captiontext a:link{color:#004276;outline:medium none}.cnnVerticalGalleryPhoto{margin:0 auto;padding-right:68px;width:270px}Not only is Nelson Mandela the former president of South Africa and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, but he is also a father, grandfather and even great-grandfather of a huge family. Mandela has been married three times and has fathered six children. Here he poses with his wife of 15 years, Graca Machel. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":true,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":1,"title":"Mandela family album"}Mandela spends his 90th birthday surrounded by family at his home in Qunu, South Africa, in 2008.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":2,"title":"Mandela family album"}Mandela casts his ballot for the 2011 elections in South Africa with his daugher Princess Zenani Dlamini, left, and granddaughter Ndileka Mandela.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":3,"title":"Mandela family album"}Princess Zenani Dlamini's daughters Swati Dlamini, left, and Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway talk about their reality show, "Being Mandela," in New York in February.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":4,"title":"Mandela family album"}Makgatho Mandela carries a fruit basket before a 1989 ferry trip to Robben Island Prison, where his father spent much of his 27-year incarceration.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":5,"title":"Mandela family album"}Pictures of the late sons of Nelson Mandela, by photographer Eli Weinberg, hang in his office at the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory in Houghton, Johannesburg, on Tuesday, June 11. Thembekile Mandela died in a 1969 car accident and Makgatho Mandela died from AIDS in 2005.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":6,"title":"Mandela family album"}Makgatho Mandela's son, Ndaba Mandela, right, with cousin Kweku Mandela at Times Square for an April 19 showing of "Power of Words: Nelson Mandela," a short film about their grandfather's writings that was part of the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":7,"title":"Mandela family album"}Makgatho Mandela's eldest son, Mandla Mandela, serves as the chief of Mvezo in the village where his grandfather was born.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":8,"title":"Mandela family album"}Nelson Mandela's daughter Makaziwe Mandela, left, with her daughter Tukwini Mandela, pose in April with House of Mandela wine at their home in Johannesburg.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":9,"title":"Mandela family album"}Nelson Mandela's daughter Zindzi Mandela and her son Zondwa Mandela pose with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, which they accepted on behalf of Nelson Mandela during the 2009 ESPY Awards.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":10,"title":"Mandela family album"}Nelson Mandela's granddaughter Zoleka Mandela speaks during the launch of the Zenani Mandela Scholarship for road safety, dedicated to her daughter Zenani Mandela, who was killed in 2010 at age 13 in a road accident.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":11,"title":"Mandela family album"}The Mandela family in 2009, from left, Thembela Mandela, Mbuso Mandela, Nelson Mandela, Ndileka Mandela and Zoleka Mandela, and, front row, Zenani Mandela, Bohelo Seakamela and Zwelami Mandela.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":12,"title":"Mandela family album"}Nelson Mandela celebrates his 86th birthday with his wife, Graca Machel, left, and ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela in his rural hometown of Qunu in the Eastern Cape Province in 2004.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":13,"title":"Mandela family album"}Nelson Mandela with his daughter Zindzi Mandela at her 1992 wedding in Soweto.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":14,"title":"Mandela family album"}Nelson Mandela and his then-wife, Winnie, play with their grandchild Bambatha at their Soweto home in 1990.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":15,"title":"Mandela family album"}Nelson Mandela and his second wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, at their 1958 wedding.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":16,"title":"Mandela family album"}HIDE CAPTIONMandela family albumMandela family albumMandela family albumMandela family albumMandela family albumMandela family albumMandela family albumMandela family albumMandela family albumMandela family albumMandela family albumMandela family albumMandela family albumMandela family albumMandela family albumMandela family album<<<12345678910111213141516>>>Event.observe(window,'load',function(){if(typeof(cnn_adbptrackpgalimg) == 'function' && typeof(cnnArticleGallery) != 'undefined'){cnn_adbptrackpgalimg(cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[0].image,"Nelson Mandela: 10 things to know about his wife, Graca Machel ");}});STORY HIGHLIGHTSGraca Machel was reluctant to marry Nelson MandelaHer nickname was Jackie Kennedy Mandela has said she made him bloom "like a flower"

(CNN) -- Nelson Mandela once said his wife, Graca Machel, makes him "bloom like a flower." Despite her reluctance to marry him at first, they've been inseparable since they tied the knot on his 80th birthday.

Here are 10 things to know about the woman who was at the international icon's side to the very end.

She's been first lady of two nations: Before she got married to the South African anti-apartheid icon, Machel was the first lady of Mozambique. Her husband, President Samora Machel, died in a mysterious plane crash in 1986.

She was much younger: When they got married in 1998, she was 52. But she says their advanced age made their relationship better. "We were grown up; we were settled; we knew the value of a companion, of a partner," she says.

She separated the man from the icon: At the beginning of their relationship, Machel says, there was a conflict between the man she married and the world's perception of him. "The aura around him was a bit confusing. But then I learned to live with it, in terms of separating the two," she told CNN's Robyn Curnow in a rare interview in 2008.

South Africa wasn't always in love with her: Protective of their beloved Madiba, the nation did not warm up to a foreign first lady at first. She remained in the background at the beginning, and then slowly won them over with her loyalty and laid-back demeanor.

She has something in common with the Kennedys: In Mozambique, she was nicknamed Jackie Kennedy. Not just for her class and grace, but because of the tragedy that befell her husband while in office.

It wasn't love at first sight: After they met, she was reluctant to marry him or discuss their relationship in public. But Mandela wooed her the old-fashioned way, occasionally giving his bodyguards headaches as president when he'd make unannounced stops to buy her chocolates.

She's kindred spirits with Mandela: Machel has something in common with her freedom fighter husband. While living in Mozambique, she was outspoken against the Portuguese colonial government.

She's qualified in her own right: She served as minister of education and culture in Mozambique for more than 10 years. She is especially passionate about youth education, and has served as an expert on children's issues for the United Nations.

She's Mandela's third wife: Mandela was first married to Evelyn Mase, but their marriage ended in divorce. In his biography "Long Walk to Freedom," Mandela has said Mase made him choose between family and politics. He later married Winnie Mandela, a firebrand who became his voice when he was in prison. After their contentious divorce in 1996, Mandela married Machel two years later.

Their wedding was private: Despite Mandela's larger-than-life status, they got married on his birthday 15 years ago. Their wedding was a low-key event attended by close family and friends.

Nelson Mandela: Surprising facts you probably didn't know

0Comments »SHARE THISPrintEmailMore sharingRedditStumbleUponDelicious/* push in config for this share instance */cnn_shareconfig.push({"id" : "cnn_sharebar2","url" : "http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/14/world/africa/graca-machel-10-things/index.html","title" : "Nelson Mandela: 10 things to know about his wife, Graca Machel "});Part of complete coverage on Nelson MandelaTears, singing at Mandela's funeralDecember 15, 2013 -- Updated 1728 GMT (0128 HKT)As 95 candles glowed in the background, mourners gathered for Nelson Mandela's state funeral Sunday.The funeral of Nelson MandelaDecember 15, 2013 -- Updated 1136 GMT (1936 HKT)One candle burns for each year of Nelson Mandela's life, as family, friends, dignitaries and celebrities gather in his ancestral home, Qunu.Remembering Nelson MandelaDecember 15, 2013 -- Updated 1036 GMT (1836 HKT)CNN's Robyn Curnow is inside the Mandela family compound in Qunu as the state funeral service is ongoing.Mandela's symboic memorial gardenDecember 15, 2013 -- Updated 0429 GMT (1229 HKT)Don't expect the man who fought to end apartheid and then led South Africa as its first black president to spend eternity pushing up just daisies.Photos: Mandela family albumDecember 15, 2013 -- Updated 0350 GMT (1150 HKT)Not only is Nelson Mandela the former president of South Africa, but he is also a father, grandfather and even a great-grandfather.Graca Machel: 10 things to knowDecember 15, 2013 -- Updated 0413 GMT (1213 HKT)Nelson Mandela once said his wife, Graca Machel, makes him "bloom like a flower." 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CNN's Robyn Curnow gives an inside look.Africans optimistic about futureDecember 13, 2013 -- Updated 1644 GMT (0044 HKT)It might be timely to put aside out-of-date and ill-informed views of Africa, and see it the way Africans seem to: With a high level of optimism.Nelson Mandela: A fighter's lifeDecember 6, 2013 -- Updated 0440 GMT (1240 HKT)Mandela emerged from prison to lead his country out of racist apartheid rule with a message of reconciliation that inspired the world.Mandela in his own wordsDecember 6, 2013 -- Updated 1632 GMT (0032 HKT)The late South African President reflects on his imprisonment and his fight against apartheid. 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But even he has little-known facts buried in his biographies.The miracle yearsDecember 5, 2013 -- Updated 2300 GMT (0700 HKT)April 27, 1994, was the crowning moment in Nelson Mandela's life -- the day South Africa held its first elections open to citizens of every race.Timeline: Mandela milestonesFrom a village birth, to political activism, to prison and emergence as a worldwide leader.11 inspiring quotes from MandelaDecember 5, 2013 -- Updated 2340 GMT (0740 HKT)"No one is born hating another person ..." and more from Nelson Mandela in his own wordsSports were weapon against racism December 6, 2013 -- Updated 1347 GMT (2147 HKT)"Sport has the power to change the world," Nelson Mandela once said -- and eloquently supported his claim.Portraits of a leaderJune 27, 2013 -- Updated 0148 GMT (0948 HKT)Browse through intimate images of Nelson Mandela, including the earliest known photograph believed to be taken in 1938.How pop song helped to free MandelaDecember 6, 2013 -- Updated 1326 GMT (2126 HKT)The Special AKA's "Free Nelson Mandela" became anti-apartheid anthem, and led to Mandela's release from prison after 27 years. Share your memoriesHow will you remember Mandela? 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