Melania trump age year of birth biography. Mrs President: how a girl from a poor family became the first lady of the United States

  • Date: 11.08.2021

Melania Trump is the wife of the 45th President of the United States Donald Trump, a fashion model from the hinterland of Yugoslavia, who made her way to the White House through the catwalks and pages of glossy magazines.

Melania Trump biography

Childhood. Melania, then Knavs, was brought up in a poor family who lived in Sevnitsa, a tiny town in Yugoslavia (now Slovenia). Her mother Amalia is from the village. She worked as a fashion designer in a children's clothing factory. Father Victor Knavs sold spare parts for cars.

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Melania has a younger sister, Ines. Later she found out that from the first relationship her father had a son, Denis. But Melania never saw her half-brother. For a long time, the Knavs lived in a small apartment of an ordinary low-rise building. Later, as a teenager, Melania and her family moved to the outskirts of the city, to a two-story house near the Sava River.

Already in childhood, Melania knew that she would live in the fashion world.

“I've always loved taking care of myself. I think a sense of style is something that is given from birth, - Melania admitted in an interview. - My mom was involved in the modeling business. Therefore, at the age of five I already had my first fashion show. "

Classmates say: Melania never wore clothes from the store. The mother sewed clothes for her and her sister in the evenings. Melania came up with the design of her future outfits herself.

“I have always been very tall and skinny,” she said in an interview. - Sometimes other children teased me, but I was never embarrassed, I did not care. I knew what I wanted to do in this life. I found my passion at such an early age, and it helped me gain confidence in myself. "

Childhood friend Maya Cosmeri recalls:

“Like all teenagers, we loved listening to Western pop music. Once dancing to Boy George, Melania said, "I'll get out of this place as soon as the opportunity arises."

“Even in her early years, it was felt that Melania was a very creative person,” says Mirjana Jelansis, who lived next door. "Sevnitsa was too small for her."

In high school, Melania moved to the capital - the city of Ljubljana. The girl studied at the high school of design and photography. At the age of 16, she met the photographer Stan Gerko, one of the most popular in those years in Yugoslavia:

“I met her at a fashion show. She stood on the stairs of the House of Pioneers, waiting for a friend. A sweet girl with thin, long legs. I said to myself, "She will be a good model." We exchanged phone numbers, and a few days later she called and said that she would come after school. " This is how Melania got her first serious portfolio.

At that time, Melania completely immersed herself in her studies. Didn't go to parties, didn't drink alcohol, didn't smoke.

“Guys at this age love party girls, we were not like that,” says Melania's classmate Petra. "Instead, we got together at home, drank juice and talked."

At the same time, she always went to classes with impeccable styling and makeup. At one time in college, Melania dated a model boyfriend. However, they soon parted ways.

“She was very sensitive. I wanted more from this relationship, - said one of her friends of those years, - She was much more mature than we are. "

Despite her hard studies, Melania drops out of university, completing only the first year.

Carier start. Melania preferred the podium to the student's bench in Ljubljana. She left for Milan, where her modeling career began. The girl changed the Slovenian form of her surname Knavs to the German version - Knauss.

At the age of 18, Melania signed a contract with a modeling agency in Milan and worked in Paris. However, she was far from being a supermodel.

In 1996 she moved to New York. A wealthy Italian businessman Paolo Zampolli helps her get a work visa and a contract with a modeling agency.

She was already 26 years old - not the best age for a model in those years. Melania wondered why photographers choose other models, younger girls.

Colleagues said: she went to auditions every day, but she did not have much success. In Europe she was a star, in America one of many. She had to be content with advertising alcohol and tobacco, where her young competitors would definitely not have been taken.

A roommate said that in order to become a successful lingerie model, Melania had augmented breasts. But Mrs. Trump still assures that the plastic surgeon's scalpel did not touch her.

In order to keep up with competitors, Melania went in for sports intensively, sat on a strict diet. Her diet was only seven pieces of fruit a day. She did not go to parties and went to bed early to be fresh and young at the casting in the morning.

Melania's career took off after meeting Donald Trump in 1998. Over the years of her work as a model, the future First Lady of the United States has visited the covers of such publications as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Ocean Drive, In Style, New York Magazine, Avenue, Allure, Vanity Fair. She starred for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, which is considered a major achievement in her modeling career.

In January 2000, Melania posed nude for GQ. A frank photo came out on the cover. Later, these footage will be remembered in the election campaign against Trump.

In 2006, already being Trump's wife, Melania became a US citizen.

In February 2010, she announces the launch of a collection of jewelry and watches of her own design.

On January 20, 2017, Mrs. Trump became the First Lady of the United States. She is the second foreigner to hold this position.

Melania is the only one in her status who knows six languages: English, French, Italian, German, Serbo-Croatian and her native Slovenian. She is also the tallest First Lady of the United States. Her height is 1.8 meters.

In her new status, Mrs. Trump promised to help women and children. She also said she would fight mental abuse and bullying of children on social media.

Scandals. In August 2016, Melania filed a lawsuit against the American blogger Webster Tarpley and the British tabloid Daily Mail, who wrote that she worked as an escort in the 1990s. They later printed a rebuttal and apologized for publishing.

In 2016, Trump was accused of two paragraphs of her speech given at the GOP convention, almost word for word coinciding with Michelle Obama's speech, which she gave in 2008. At the same time, Melania assured that she wrote the text herself, with only a little help. However, two days later, Trump's writer Meredith McIver took full responsibility, apologizing for the "confusion."

Personal life

Melania met Trump in the fall of 1998 at one of the New York Fashion Week parties.

She was 28, he was 52. She is a shy brunette, he is cocky, self-confident and fabulously rich, a legend of New York, behind him two marriages. Trump came to the party with a companion, and soon he was trying to find out Melania's phone.

The girl refused to give her number. She knew about Donald's reputation. Instead, she herself asked for Trump's contacts.

“If I had given him my number, I would have been just one of those whom he calls,” Melania said later. “I wanted to know his intentions. A lot says about a person, what kind of contacts he gives you. He gave me all his numbers. "

She called only a week later.

“Yes, we were very attracted to each other, chemistry arose between us, but I did not idolize him. Perhaps he noticed it, "- Melania told the secret of her success.

They soon started dating. But the relationship didn't last long. Melania didn't trust Trump. However, six months later, they met again. Either Trump swore eternal loyalty to her, or Melania reconciled with Donald's character. After all, she found what she had been looking for for a long time - a strong, domineering man who could protect her.

They got engaged in 2004 and got married on January 22, 2005. It was the most expensive wedding of the year. A 12-carat diamond engagement ring worth $ 1.5 million. A wedding dress, personally tailored by John Galliano, who was then working at Dior. 100 meters of white satin, hand embroidery, 1500 crystals. It took 550 hours of work to create this beauty, and, according to various estimates, from 100 to 200 thousand dollars from Trump's pocket. Later, a photo of Melania in a luxurious dress will appear on the cover of Vogue.

After the formal part, Mrs. Trump put on a more laconic outfit from designer Vera Wong in silk with hand embroidery.

The wedding took place at Wiezda Episcopal Church by the Sea in Palm Beach. A festive reception was held at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. Champagne "Crystal" flowed like a river. And for dessert, the guests were prepared a cake one and a half meters high and weighing about one hundred kilograms. The filling was an elite French cognac liqueur Grand Marnier. And on top, the cake was decorated with three thousand roses.

Among those invited to the celebration are Hillary and Bill Clinton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, TV presenter and producer Simon Cowell, model Heidi Klum and other celebrities.

Children. On March 20, 2006, Melania gave birth to a son, who was named Barron William. He became Trump's fifth child.

Having decided to completely dissolve in the role of a mother, Melania refused the services of a nanny. However, a chef and a personal assistant help her on the farm.

“Each of us knows our roles,” says Melanya. “I don’t want my husband to change his diapers after work or put Barron to bed.”

Mrs Trump calls her son Mini Donald.

“He says he will one day become a businessman and golfer. Mini Donald wears suits almost always. Training is not about him, ”says the US First Lady, not without pride.

What's the secret to a happy Trump marriage? Melania turned out to be a very reasonable wife who does not create a headache for her husband, does not grumble, is not demanding and leaves enough personal space.

“I work very hard from early morning until late at night,” Donald admitted in an interview. "And I don't want to come home and work on a relationship."

Melania herself once said that the secret of their relationship is in separate bathrooms. So she can always remain impeccable for her husband, not letting household trifles cool their feelings.

Donald Trump, 70, is officially declared the 45th President of the United States today, and his wife, a former model from Slovenia, 46-year-old Melania Trump (maiden name is Knauss), becomes the first lady. For those who did not follow the election race, it is time to learn about the three wives, five children and eight grandchildren of the future owner of the White House.

The parents of the new US president are Bronx-born Fred Trump, who made a fortune building houses for the middle class, and Mary Trump, a Scottish émigré.

Donald Trump (pictured left), the fourth of five children in the family, was such a difficult teenager that at 13 he was sent to the New York Military Academy.


Donald Trump rejects suggestions that it was his father who started his distinguished career, assuring everyone that all he got was a small loan from a parent. Fred and Donald Trump:


In 1977, Trump married a model from Czechoslovakia, Ivan Zelnichkova.

They had three children - two boys and a girl. The eldest son was named after his father - Donald.


It was Donald Jr., who, like his father, married a model, made Trump Sr. such a "rich" grandfather: he and Vanessa Haydon have five children.

The eldest daughter of a businessman and President Ivanka Trump was born in 1981.



Now Ivanka is one of the leaders of his father's campaign headquarters and vice president of his company, The Trump Organization. Converted to Judaism by marrying media mogul Jared Kushner and the couple have three children.


In 1984, the youngest son Eric was born.



Eric Trump and his wife Lara Yunaski have no children yet, but they love dogs:

In 1992, after Donald Trump had an affair with Marla Maples, the marriage with Ivana, who became a prominent person in the New York world, fell apart. Ivana Trump has married twice since then and divorced both times.
And Marla gave birth to Trump's daughter Tiffany, marrying Trump during a notable month of pregnancy.

Now 22-year-old Tiffany often appears on the screens, and made a campaign speech in support of her father.

The youngest child of Donald Trump, 10-year-old Barron, was born in a third marriage - in 2005, the future US president married a model from Slovenia, Melania Knauss, with whom Trump began in 1998, without having time to divorce his second wife.

Melania Trump

Melania Trump, nee Melania Knavs (Slovenian Melanija Knavs), changed her first and last name to Melania Knauss in 1996. Born on April 26, 1970 in Sevnitsa (former SFRY). Slovenian fashion model, designer of watches and jewelry. The wife of an American billionaire and politician Donald Trump.

Melanja Knavs was born in 1970 in Sevnica, the Posavje region, in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, now Slovenia.

Slovenian by nationality.

Father - Victor Knavs - originally from the city of Radeche. He was engaged in the resale of used cars.

Mother - Amalia - from a village in the vicinity of Sevnitsa (on the outskirts of the Sevnitsa castle), worked at a textile factory.

Melania was born and raised in an eight-story building, standing among constantly smoking factory chimneys, in an environment far from luxury. The family did not live well.

The inhabitants of the town of Sevnitsa remembered Melania as a tall, skinny, modest and polite girl who never showed her desire to become a famous model.

The headmaster of the school where the future star studied speaks of her as "an excellent student, very organized, disciplined, with very decent manners. We never heard her swear or say something bad to someone."

Melania Trump as a child (second from right)

At the age of 16, she went to Ljubljana, where she entered the university with a degree in architecture and design. And there there was a meeting that radically changed her life - in the capital of Slovenia, she accidentally met on the street with the photographer Stane Jerko. The tall (5 feet 11 inches, i.e. 178 centimeters), blue-eyed girl interested the photographer.

"I still remember how tall and beautiful she was, what her figure and hair were. She did not have a smile on her face because she was terribly shy, but I invited her to come to the studio," Yerko said in an interview Western tabloids showing youthful black and white photographs of Melania Trump.

Soon (immediately after the first year) Melania dropped out of university and devoted herself entirely to a modeling career, moving to Milan. Then she worked in Paris.

Melania underwent several plastic surgeries, in particular, she enlarged her breasts, corrected the shape of her nose, and pumped up her lips.

In 1996, she changed her name to a more Western-sounding name - Melania Knauss - and settled in New York.

She had to gain fame by filming in candid photo shoots. In particular, in 1996, she was shot by a naked photographer Ale de Bossville. Some of the photographs at the same time in 1996 appeared in the January issue of the French men's magazine Max (ceased to be published in 2006).

Her photos have been featured on their covers by publications such as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Ocean Drive, In Style, New York Magazine, Avenue, Allure, Vanity Fair, Self, Glamor, Elle, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

She also starred in the 2001 film The Exemplary Male.

After her husband's victory in the presidential election, she did not move to Washington for a long time. Only.

Melania Trump's rise: 178 centimeters.

Melania Trump's personal life:

Melania Trump's speech was the centerpiece of the GOP National Convention in Cleveland on July 18, 2016. It was intended to rebuff critics of Trump's controversial statements about expats and Muslims.

"Donald intends to represent the interests of all people, not just a few," said Melania. She said that her "husband will stay focused on one thing: America is a beautiful country that he loves very much."

She drew applause from the audience, but later American journalists noticed that part of the speech almost completely copies the party speech of Michelle Obama, when in 2008 Barack Obama was nominated for the presidency. For example, Trump's wife repeated Michelle Obama's words about parenting: “From a young age, my parents instilled in me the following values: that you have to work hard to achieve what you want in life, that you have to keep your word, do what you say, and keep promises that you need to treat people with respect. They taught and showed me values ​​and morals in their daily life. "

Melania Trump plagiarized Michelle Obama

At the end of August 2016, a scandal erupted in connection with the publication in the British tabloid The Daily Mail of a material claiming that Trump's wife was in the past engaged in escort services. Melania Trump stated that.

Melania Trump's illness

Melania has longstanding kidney problems.

In May 2018, she underwent major surgery -. The operation was performed at Walter Reed National Medical Center. Kidney embolization is a blockage of the vessels that supply blood to the kidneys (a treatment to suppress inoperable malignant tumors).

Beauty secrets from Melania Trump:

"I am deeply convinced that a woman's appearance completely depends on what is going on in her soul, on the emotions that a woman experiences, and her state of health. The secrets are simple: I eat well, exercise regularly and relax. And I do not give myself to be lazy." Even if I feel that I am not in the mood for sports, I still go and do at least a couple of simple exercises. And I immediately want more! This is generally the law of fitness: it is guaranteed to cheer you up. I always feel better after exercising. more peaceful, or something. The main thing is to overpower yourself at the very beginning ...

I love cardio, Pilates, tennis ... In general, I love any activity. I feel with every cell how beneficially sports have on the body, heals it. It's a nice load ...

Of course, I follow the food, but not fanatically. I am not afraid of carbohydrates and I eat fried sometimes. And salty. And I also really love ice cream! But I don't overeat and try to eat a balanced diet. "



The US presidential election in November 2016 was watched with interest around the world. According to the results of the electoral college vote, billionaire Donald Trump received 77 votes more than Hillary Clinton, and became America's oldest first-time elected president.

But not only Donald's age interested active Internet users. Every day his colorful figure is overgrown with more and more interesting and even piquant information, the lion's share of which concerns him Melania Trump's wife... Note that she is 24 years younger than her influential husband ... I want to tell my dear readers about this mysterious woman ...

Photo of Melania with her husband Donald Trump

Melania Trump's childhood, adolescence and career

Looking at the Wikipedia pages, I found out that Trump's wife Melania was born into an ordinary Slovenian family on April 26, 1970. Her father sold cars and her mother worked in the textile industry. After leaving school, the girl wanted to become a designer, but after studying for only a year, she decided to conquer the modeling business and went to Milan. The excellent external data of the young model captivated Italian photographers. Her face and figure were completely in line with the strict standards of this industry - Melania Trump's rise is 1 m 80 cm, weight 64 kg, and the volumes are ideal even after many years (85-65-92).

Photo of young Melania Trump

one more thing

Not surprisingly, at the age of sixteen, Melania showed clothes at the shows of the world's leading fashion centers - in Milan and Paris, and starred in candid photo shoots of famous world magazines such as Vogue, Glamor, Elle, etc.

Photos from Melania Trump's candid photo shoot

Could she then have thought that these sexy photos would be known to the whole world?

Acquaintance and marriage with Donald Trump

Melania first met her future husband in 1999, during a photo shoot for Allure magazine. A beautiful brown-haired woman conquered him with her refusal! The girl recalls that Donald asked for her phone, walking arm in arm with an attractive companion. The future Mrs. Trump did not like this, and she turned and walked away. This intriguing act gave rise to a burning interest in the heart of the loving billionaire. He's not used to being rejected!

The only woman who did not start dating Donald is the late Princess Diana. In interviews, Trump recalls her strong character and indomitable nature.

What unites all of Trump's wives?

Looking through photographs of Donald's women, studying his biographies, I learned that he is a well-known connoisseur of female beauty. His first wife was Czechoslovak supermodel Ivana Zelnichkov who bore him three children.

Photo of Trump's first wife, young Ivanka

Donald Trump with his first wife Ivana and children

The tycoon's second wife became attractive actress Marla Maples, who gave birth to his daughter.

Marla Maples with Donald Trump and daughter Tiffany

It can be seen that Donald does not change his taste. All his wives are amazing beauties!

There was a time when Donald met with Carla Bruni - famous top model, poet, singer and actress... But their relationship did not work out. After a while, Karla married Nicolas Sarkozy.

Carla Bruni and Donald Trump

And, of course, the famous photo of Trump's wife Melania at the wedding ceremony.

Melania and Donald Trump's wedding

Melania Trump in a $ 200,000 wedding dress

Melania Trump's wedding dress

Note that the billionaire paid 200 thousand dollars for the wedding dress of his wife.

Melania Trump: before and after plastic surgery

I think you will agree that women like Mrs. Trump are obliged to look perfect. Unfortunately, the elixir of eternal youth has not yet been found ((Therefore, many famous people decide to go under the knife of a plastic surgeon. Is Melania an exception?

Photo of Melania Trump in his youth and now

Judging by this picture, it looks like small plastic manipulations were still carried out. And although Melania stubbornly denies this, the photographs do not lie.

In defense of Mrs. Trump, I would like to say that her style embodies the height of elegance and excellent taste. All of her outfits are flawless. In addition, Donald characterizes his wife as a wonderful mother. She spends a lot of time with her son, and can leave him for a short time only when she is sure that he is under reliable supervision.

Can you share your impressions with me? What emotions does the current first lady of the United States evoke in you?

Melania Trump is a fashion model and designer of Slovenian origin; on January 20, 2017, she became the First Lady of the United States after the inauguration of her husband Donald Trump.

Childhood

Melania Trump, before her marriage, Knavs - a native of Slovenia, was born in the city of Novo Mesto, spent her childhood in Sevnica. Melania's date of birth is April 26, 1970.

The girl's father, Victor, was a used car dealer, and Amalia's mother worked in a textile factory. The Knavs family lived in a poor neighborhood on the outskirts, surrounded by factories and factories.

The beginning of a modeling career

After enrolling in the university, Melania moved to Ljubljana. But the young beauty did not graduate from the university - soon the girl met the photographer Stane Erko.

Fascinated by the beauty of Knavs, he convincingly advised her to think about a modeling career. After some persuasion, Melania starred in several photo shoots of the photographer.

Then the girl decided to professionally engage in modeling. After the first year, Knavs took the documents, then she never graduated from the university.

The girl changed her last name to a more euphonious Knaus and went to conquer the catwalks of Milan, then Paris. There, for the sake of her career, she underwent a number of plastic surgeries.

Moving to America

Gradually, they began to talk about Melania outside of Europe, and in 1996 the girl moved to New York in order to build a career there.

Melania starred for the popular men's editions "Max" and "GQ". Then the girl could be seen on the covers of the glossy editions "Elle", "Vogue", "Glamor", "Harper's Bazaar" and several others.

In 2000, photos of Melania appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue magazine, the shooting in which was incredibly successful for the model.

Interesting facts about Melania

Also in America, Melania tried herself as an actress. In 2001, she starred in The Exemplary Male, directed by Ben Stiller. However, Knaus was not credited.

Thanks to frequent travel, Melanja knows six languages: native Slovene, Serbian, English, German and Italian.

In 2005, Melania became a Goodwill Ambassador for the worldwide Red Cross in America. The future First Lady held this position until 2009.

After the wedding with Donald Trump, the model starred in an advertisement for the insurance company Aflac, where she switched roles with the company's symbol - a duck, voiced by Gilbert Gottfried.

In 2010, Melania launched her own jewelry line, which immediately began to be in great demand.

In addition to jewelry, Melania has created a separate collection of wristwatches. Miss Trump also sells cosmetics based on sturgeon caviar.

In an interview, Melinia talked about how she keeps herself in good shape. According to First Lady, she has always loved sports. The girl has been playing tennis and Pilates since her youth.

Personal life

In 1998, at one of the parties in the KitKat club, Melania was noticed by one of America's most successful and influential businessmen, Donald Trump.

At the party, the model rejected Trump's attentions, because she knew that Donald was loving and was twice the age of 28-year-old Melania at that time.

Moreover, the businessman came to the party with his wife Marla Maples, with whom he raised their common daughter Tiffany.

But the tycoon did not give up and eventually won the favor of the beautiful Melania. In the summer of 1999, Trump broke up with his second wife, Marla.

Melania and Donald began a whirlwind romance, after which the girl's career went up. Rumors of a relationship were confirmed after the radio broadcast of "The Howard Stem Show".

On it, Trump talked about his love relationship with Knaus and even called the girl "the love of my life."

After six years of relationship in 2004, Donald proposed to Melanier. The wedding of Trump and Knaus in 2005 caused a wide resonance and was discussed by the public for a long time.

Donald Trump spent more than $ 45 million on the wedding ceremony, which made their wedding one of the most expensive in history.

For the wedding, Donald gave his beloved a 12-carat diamond ring worth $ 1.5 million.

Melania ordered a wedding dress in the famous fashion house DIOR, for which the millionaire paid 200 thousand dollars. In this dress, the future Miss Trump flaunted on the cover of the glossy edition of Vogue.

Images from the wedding of Donald and Melania Trump

The wedding ceremony took place in Palm Beach, Florida. The official part of the ceremony was held at the Viezdy Episcopal Church by the sea, and a reception was held at the Mar-a-Lago estate with a total area of ​​1.5 thousand square meters.

Many famous people were on the guest list. The wedding was even attended, which became a rival in the 2016 election race.

At the wedding, Rudolph Gualini, Barbara Walters, Billy Joel, Katie Couric and Matt Lauer sang the song "The Lady Is a Tramp" in unison.

Celebrities have remade the song "Just the Way You Are" from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. The wedding cake was over one and a half meters high and was decorated with more than 3 thousand roses.

In March 2006, Melania's firstborn son Barron was born. Barron became the fifth child of Donald Trump, earlier the businessman had three children from his first marriage and a daughter, Tiffany, from his second wife.

With husband and son Barron

In the same year, Melania Trump received American citizenship.

Donald's campaign and scandals with Melania

During the election campaign, Melanya actively supported her husband. During this time, Trump's opponents began spreading rumors about Miss Trump.

As it turned out, these photos were taken back in 1995 for the men's magazine "Max". Donald reacted to this, saying that then such pictures were popular in Europe and he does not see anything wrong with that.

Then the British newspaper "Daily Mail" accused Melania of prostitution. The publication claimed that in the 90s, the girl provided escort services. The publication also added that the girl did not have a visa, so she thereby also violated US law.

The Trump's reaction was immediate - they sued the British newspaper. After the trial, the Daily Mail removed the controversial posts.

Another scandal came after the National Convention of the Republican Party. In it, Miss Trump's speech in support of her husband was harshly criticized by the press.

She was accused of the fact that her speech almost completely coincided with the words of the then First Lady of America Michelle Obama, which Michelle spoke eight years ago.

Trump officials immediately denied the plagiarism allegations.

First Lady of the USA

At the inauguration, Melania impressed the audience with her dress. The woman was wearing a pastel blue dress by designer Ralph Lauren.

The audience reacted positively to the choice of outfit, stating that "there has been no such sense of style since the days of Princess Diana."