Ivana Trump, a name synonymous with glamour, business acumen, and resilience, led a life marked by both extraordinary success and profound personal challenges.

More than a quarter-century after her high-profile marriage to Donald Trump ended, Ivana’s final years were shadowed by heartbreak and loss, particularly surrounding her last marriage.

This article explores the tragic story of Ivana Trump’s final marriage, the sorrow she endured in her later life, and the legacy she left behind.

Ivana Marie Zelníčková was born on February 20, 1949, in Zlín, Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic).

Raised in a devout Catholic family, Ivana’s early years were shaped by strong family values and faith.

Her father, Miloš Zelníček, was an electrical engineer, and her mother, Marie Francová, worked as a telephone operator.

From a young age, Ivana displayed remarkable skiing talent, encouraged by her father.

She began skiing at four and eventually earned a place on the junior national ski team, which allowed her to travel beyond the restrictive communist borders of her homeland.

 

Ivana attended Charles University in Prague, earning a master’s degree in physical education in 1972.

During her university years, she appeared on Czechoslovak television and pursued a promising athletic career, although some claims about her Olympic involvement have been disputed.

 

In 1971, Ivana entered a strategic marriage with Austrian ski instructor Alfred Winklmayr to obtain Austrian citizenship, enabling her to leave Czechoslovakia legally.

After divorcing Winklmayr, she moved to Canada, where she worked as a ski instructor and model while improving her English at McGill University.

Ivana’s early years in North America laid the foundation for her future success, though she faced personal tragedy with the death of a romantic partner in a car accident.

 

Ivana met Donald Trump in 1976 during a modeling job in New York City.

Despite initially being uninterested in a relationship, Donald’s persistence won her over with grand romantic gestures, including sending 100 roses and attending her runway shows.

Their whirlwind romance culminated in a lavish wedding in 1977.

 

Together, Ivana and Donald had three children: Donald Jr.

, Ivanka, and Eric.

Beyond their personal relationship, Ivana played a crucial role in Donald’s business empire, serving as vice president of interior design for the Commodore Hotel project and later managing other significant ventures like Trump Tower and the Plaza Hotel.

She was recognized as a charismatic and hardworking partner who contributed substantially to the Trump brand.

 

Despite their public image, Ivana and Donald’s marriage was tumultuous.

The relationship began to unravel publicly in 1989 after Ivana confronted Donald’s mistress, Marla Maples, during a vacation in Aspen.

The confrontation became tabloid fodder, and the couple’s marriage deteriorated rapidly.

By early 1990, legal battles over prenuptial agreements and control of business assets ensued.

 

Amidst this turmoil, Ivana faced personal grief with the sudden death of her father, who was revealed posthumously to have been an informant for Czechoslovakia’s intelligence service.

The divorce was highly publicized, with Ivana making serious allegations against Donald, intensifying media scrutiny.

 

Following the divorce, Ivana channeled her energy into entrepreneurship.

She launched fashion, jewelry, and beauty lines sold through television shopping networks such as QVC and the Home Shopping Network.

Ivana also ventured into media, writing books including her autobiography *Raising Trump* and maintaining advice columns on love and life.

 

Her business ventures expanded internationally, including investments in Croatia’s media landscape.

Although not all projects succeeded—such as the failed Bentley Bay development in Miami—Ivana’s entrepreneurial spirit remained undeterred.

Ivana’s life after Donald included several high-profile relationships and marriages.

In 1995, she married Italian entrepreneur Ricardo Mazzucco, a union that lasted only 20 months and ended in legal disputes.

Later, she dated Italian aristocrat Count Roffredo Gaetani, whose death in 2005 deeply affected her.

 

Her fourth and final marriage was to Italian actor and entrepreneur Rosano Rubicondi in 2008.

Their relationship was marked by passion and turbulence, including multiple separations and reconciliations.

They appeared together on the Italian version of *Dancing with the Stars*, captivating audiences with their chemistry.

Sadly, Rosano passed away in 2021 from complications related to liver cancer and a fatal accident, leaving Ivana devastated.

 

The death of Rosano Rubicondi profoundly impacted Ivana.

In her final year, she withdrew from social life, overwhelmed by grief and the fear of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She struggled with mobility issues caused by a hip injury dating back to her skiing days, which limited her ability to enjoy activities she once loved.

Tragically, in July 2022, Ivana died from blunt impact injuries sustained in an accidental fall down the stairs in her Manhattan home.

Her death was ruled an accident.

Friends had expressed concerns about the safety of her staircase, describing it as treacherous.

 

Ivana Trump left behind a substantial estate valued at approximately $34 million.

Her will specified that the majority of her assets be divided among her three children, with notable properties including her New York City townhouse near Central Park.

She also left bequests to close friends and charitable organizations.

 

Despite past conflicts, Ivana maintained a commitment to family unity, evidenced by her attendance at Donald Trump’s 2017 presidential inauguration and their amicable co-parenting relationship.

Her legacy endures through her children and the impact she made as a businesswoman, author, and public figure.

Ivana Trump’s life was a remarkable journey from a small town in Czechoslovakia to the pinnacle of American high society.

Her story is one of resilience, ambition, and transformation.

Despite facing public scrutiny, personal betrayals, and profound loss, Ivana continuously reinvented herself, leaving a lasting legacy that transcends her marriages and public persona.

 

Her final years, marked by sorrow and isolation, underscore the complexities behind the glamorous image.

Ivana Trump remains a symbol of strength and survival, inspiring many with her ability to overcome adversity and build a life on her own terms.

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