The 20 Most Scandalous Cheaters in History

Julius Caesar was married to Calpurnia when he began his affair with Cleopatra. However, their love story did not shake Rome—it shook the entire Western world. Politics and power were forever altered because of these two lovers. Imagine what Caesar’s Roman enemies must have thought when he brought his mistress and her son to live with him in Rome.

This British monarch took infidelity to a whole new level by literally changing the laws of the land and the Church to satisfy his romantic whims. Henry VIII had grown tired of Catherine of Aragon and had fallen in love with his lady-in-waiting, Anne Boleyn. His search for a new wife did not end there, leading him to marry six times and experience numerous tragedies.

Even the Founding Fathers were not immune to a minor scandal, as evidenced by the first major political scandal in the United States. Hamilton fell into a trap set by Maria and her husband, who then blackmailed him for some time. To save his political reputation from accusations of financial corruption, he was ultimately forced to confess the entire sordid affair to the public in a highly detailed pamphlet.

While Napoleon was away conquering most of Europe, his wife Josephine was cheating on him with a refined Frenchman. Josephine and her lover, a military officer, maintained a friendly and flirtatious relationship while Napoleon was away. The emperor, madly in love, wrote her hundreds of love letters from the battlefield, but Josephine often entertained another man in his absence.

Before Mrs. Sussex came along, there was Camilla Parker Bowles. Their affair was the focus of international media attention in the 1980s and 1990s. Camilla had actually been in a relationship with Charles before he married Princess Diana, and they picked up where they left off after her divorce. Try explaining that to the Windsors.

This scandal, which rocked the White House in the 1990s, led to the second impeachment proceeding against a sitting president in U.S. history. What began as a secret affair with an intern turned into a national crisis involving a blue dress and a highly publicized denial. You probably remember the intense media circus that followed, proving that mistakes made in one’s private life can have far-reaching legal consequences.

Sports fans were shocked when frustrated wives across America revealed a dark secret: they had cheated on their husbands with Tiger Woods. After he kicked his wife out of their home, the incredible list of Tiger’s mistresses—all married to other men—was made public. This self-centered madness cost him more than $100 million in lost endorsement deals.

The Welsh actor and America’s sweetheart began their affair on the set of Cleopatra. Richard was married, but their relationship was so steamy that you could literally hear Rome burning. The relationship between Taylor and Burton was so passionate that the Vatican issued a statement condemning their behavior. They were married and divorced twice.

The once-beloved president kept his relationship with Lucy Mercer a secret from Eleanor and the American public until his death. Eleanor’s social secretary had caught his eye, and their affair nearly ended Roosevelt’s marriage in 1918. Roosevelt promised Eleanor that he would end his relationship with Lucy, but he never stopped seeing her.

We don’t know if JFK cheated on Jackie with the sex symbol Monroe, but the timing of this performance is suspicious, to say the least. Marilyn spent the night with JFK after giving him an unforgettable experience at her brother’s bachelor party. Her iconic performance of "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" confirmed this rumor.

Lord Byron was perhaps the first hipster that all men dreamed of being. This Romantic poet was as famous for his romantic escapades as he was for his literary works. Many lovers across Europe tried unsuccessfully to keep him from leaving. Byron was expelled from England because of his tumultuous love life.

One of the greatest female rulers in history had a penchant for younger lovers. The famous Russian empress promoted her lovers to high-ranking positions in the Kremlin. Catherine the Great was married to Emperor Peter III before his death, and as a woman in power who had affairs, her behavior was scandalous.

Parnell was Ireland’s right-hand man in the late 19th century, until his affair with Kitty O’Shea, a married woman, was brought to light. Mrs. O’Shea’s husband made the affair public by filing for divorce, and a mob of Catholics attacked Parnell’s home when they heard the news. The moral leaders of the Church ruined Parnell’s career and split the Irish Nationalist Party in two.

During his first presidential campaign, Cleveland was confronted with the shocking revelation that he had fathered a child out of wedlock years earlier. When his political opponents discovered that he had fathered a child with his mistress while he was a young lawyer, they chanted, “Mommy, Mommy, where’s my daddy?” in protest. Cleveland admitted the truth and publicly acknowledged his misconduct.

In 1846, the King of Bavaria fell madly in love with an “Spanish” Irish dancer named Lola Montez. When Ludwig first saw her at a party in 1846, he named her Countess of Landsfeld. Ludwig showered Montez with power and favors until the Bavarian people had had enough. The “Spanish” dancer was running the government, and Ludwig let her do as she pleased. The people then revolted, and Ludwig abdicated… to be with Lola.

As British Prime Minister in the 1760s, Grafton not only cheated on his wife, but also openly boasted about it. He took his mistress, Nancy Parsons (a well-known courtesan), to the opera in the presence of the queen, while he was still married. The public was so scandalized by his lack of “decorum” that it seriously damaged his political reputation.

Long before the advent of 24-hour news, President Harding was having a secret affair with Nan Britton, a woman 30 years his junior. Nan confirmed that she had had an affair with Warren Harding, which resulted in the birth of a son. Not only did she claim that they had conceived their son in a closet at the White House, but she also wrote a book revealing all the details of the story.

This Hollywood starlet nearly ruined her career when she left her husband and daughter for Italian director Roberto Rossellini. The public was so outraged by her “immoral” behavior that she was even denounced before the U.S. Senate. She was virtually banished from American cinema for years before the public finally decided to forgive her.

This quintessential Victorian family man was hiding a dark secret. At age 45, the world-famous author fell in love with a young actress named Ellen “Nelly” Ternan. In order to keep this affair secret, he literally tried to seal off his wife’s bedroom and eventually secured a legal separation that ruined his wife’s reputation, all while preserving his own impeccable public image.

While representing the fledgling United States in France, Franklin was a highly charismatic figure among the Parisian elite. He was known for his “close friendships” with various noblewomen, to whom he often wrote letters that were more than suggestive. Even in his later years, he proved that he was capable of much more than just leading a country.