Love, War, Exile, And Royal Duty

Long-distance love has always asked a lot of people, and historical couples had it no different. Before texts, phone calls, and quick flights, couples often had to wait on ships, messengers, military orders, and letters that could take weeks or months to arrive. For some, distance came with crowns, wars, revolutions, or political duty. For others, it came through illness, scandal, exile, or work that pulled them far from home. These 20 historical couples show how love and marriage continued across borders long before staying in touch was as simple as reaching for a phone.

Hector Viger on Wikimedia

1. The Adams

John and Abigail Adams spent much of their marriage writing to each other from far apart. Abigail stayed mostly in Massachusetts, where she managed the family, the farm, and daily life, while John traveled for Congress and later served as a diplomat in Europe. Their letters covered love, money, politics, parenting, and loneliness.

John Trumbull on Wikimedia

2. Mary I Of England And Philip II Of Spain

Mary I and Philip II had a marriage shaped by power, religion, and royal duty. Mary stayed in England as queen, while Philip spent much of their marriage on the Continent dealing with Spanish and Habsburg affairs. Their distance made many people in England even more nervous about foreign influence, so their marriage became both a personal relationship and a national issue.

Miscellaneous Items in High Demand, PPOC, Library of Congress on Wikimedia

3. Charles I And Henrietta Maria

Charles I and Henrietta Maria grew closer after a rough start, though the English Civil War pushed them into separate countries. Henrietta Maria spent stretches abroad, especially in France, trying to raise money and support for the royalist cause, while Charles stayed in England.

Anthony van Dyck on Wikimedia

4. George IV And Caroline Of Brunswick

George IV and Caroline of Brunswick had a royal marriage that fell apart almost immediately. They separated soon after their daughter was born, and Caroline later spent years in Italy while George stayed in Britain.

Thomas Lawrence on Wikimedia

5. Richard I And Berengaria Of Navarre

Richard I married Berengaria of Navarre in Cyprus while he was traveling during the Third Crusade, which wasn’t exactly a smooth start to married life. Richard spent much of his reign abroad, while Berengaria never really settled into life as a resident queen in England during his lifetime.

Matthew Paris on Wikimedia

6. Charles V And Isabella Of Portugal

Charles V ruled so many territories that long absences came with the role. Isabella of Portugal often stayed in Spain and governed as regent while Charles traveled across Europe handling wars, diplomacy, and imperial business. Their separation also showed how capable she was, since she helped keep Spain running while he dealt with one crisis after another.

Formerly attributed to Titian / Attributed to Lambert Sustris on Wikimedia

7. Napoleon Bonaparte And Joséphine De Beauharnais

Napoleon and Joséphine’s early marriage was full of passion, jealousy, and long stretches apart. Soon after their wedding, Napoleon left for the Italian campaign, and his later Egyptian expedition took him even farther from France.

Baron François Gérard (1770 - 1837) – Painter (French) Born in Rome. Died in Paris. Details on Google Art Project on Wikimedia

8. Napoleon Bonaparte And Marie Louise Of Austria

Napoleon’s second marriage to Marie Louise of Austria was meant to strengthen his dynasty, though his empire soon fell apart. After his abdication, Napoleon went into exile, while Marie Louise returned to Austrian protection and later ruled in Parma. 

Jean-Baptiste Isabey on Wikimedia

9. Albert Einstein And Mileva Marić

Albert Einstein and Mileva Marić lived apart during the final years of their strained marriage. Einstein moved to Berlin, while Marić returned to Zurich with their sons, placing them in Germany and Switzerland as the relationship broke down.

Ferdinand Schmutzer on Wikimedia

10. Robert Louis Stevenson And Fanny Osbourne

Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny Osbourne had a romance that crossed borders long before it became a marriage. They met in France, though Fanny later returned to California while Stevenson stayed in Europe and struggled with poor health. He eventually crossed the Atlantic to be with her.

A. G. Dew-Smith on Wikimedia

11. John Keats And Fanny Brawne

John Keats and Fanny Brawne’s romance became long-distance when his illness forced him to leave England for Italy. Doctors hoped a warmer climate might help his tuberculosis, while Fanny stayed behind in England. Keats died in Rome in 1821, leaving their relationship preserved solely through letters.

William Hilton on Wikimedia

12. Lord Byron And Annabella Milbanke

Lord Byron and Annabella Milbanke had a brief, unhappy marriage that ended in separation. Annabella stayed in Britain with their daughter, Ada, while Byron left England in 1816 and never returned. Their distance was less about longing and more about scandal, debt, gossip, and a marriage that had already gone badly wrong.

Thomas Phillips on Wikimedia

13. Vera Brittain And Roland Leighton

Vera Brittain and Roland Leighton were engaged during World War I, when service in France pulled him away from her life in Britain. Roland served at the front, while Vera stayed in Britain and later worked as a wartime nurse. Their letters show a young couple trying to hold onto love while the war closed in around them.

Noelbabar on Wikimedia

14. The Tolkiens

J.R.R. Tolkien married Edith Bratt in 1916, then left for France only a few months later to serve in World War I. Edith stayed in England while Tolkien faced the brutal reality of the Somme. Their separation was frightening and uncertain, shaped by the dread of wartime distance.

H.J. Whitlock & Sons Ltd., Birmingham on Wikimedia

15. C.S. Lewis And Joy Davidman

C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman’s relationship began through letters that crossed the Atlantic. He lived in England, while she was in the United States, and their shared interest in faith, books, and imagination slowly became something more personal.

Unknown author on Wikimedia

16. Aung San Suu Kyi And Michael Aris

Aung San Suu Kyi and Michael Aris built a family life in Britain before politics pulled them apart. She returned to Burma, now Myanmar, in 1988 and became central to the pro-democracy movement, while Aris and their sons stayed in the United Kingdom. Their separation became especially painful when he was terminally ill and couldn’t visit her one last time.

Cabinet Public Relations Office of the Cabinet Secretariat on Wikimedia

17. Jawaharlal Nehru And Kamala Nehru

Jawaharlal and Kamala Nehru’s marriage was shaped by India’s independence struggle, imprisonment, and illness. Kamala spent time in Europe seeking treatment for poor health, while Jawaharlal was often tied to political work or held in prison in India.

Unknown authorUnknown author on Wikimedia

18. Mahatma Gandhi And Kasturba Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi married young, long before his public life became known around the world. When Gandhi went to South Africa for legal work in 1893, Kasturba initially stayed in India before later joining him there. Their long marriage was complicated, with politics, activism, discipline, and distance woven through it.

Yann (talk) on Wikimedia

19. Simone De Beauvoir And Nelson Algren

Simone de Beauvoir and Nelson Algren began their affair after meeting in Chicago in 1947, though their lives stayed rooted in different places. She lived mainly in Paris, while he remained tied to Chicago, and their relationship continued through letters and occasional visits.

刘东 鳌 (Liu Dong'ao) on Wikimedia

20. Isabella Of France And Edward II

Isabella of France and Edward II began with a royal marriage, though by the 1320s, their relationship had become politically poisonous. Isabella traveled to France on diplomatic business in 1325 and chose not to return to Edward. From there, their separation became a power move that helped lead to an invasion and the overthrow of her husband.

Founder of Oriel College, after a painting in the Bodleian Library (colour engraving) by English School (19th century) on Wikimedia