He was one of the world’s most famous statesmen, credited with rescuing South Africa from anarchy after the collapse of the apartheid regime. She was the widow of Samora Machel, the president of neighbouring Mozambique who died in a plane crash in1986.
In a relationship born out of tragedy, the two leaders became increasingly close and eventually married in 1998. Mandela was 80 years old and Machel was 54. This display on the Heathrow tarmac was filmed a year before the wedding and, despite the age difference, it was clear how pleased they were too be in each others’ company.
At the time Mandela was South Africa’s first post apartheid president although he relinquished the role in 1999 and subsequently died of pneumonia in 2013. Machel has continued her role of internationally-recognised stateswoman with an emphasis on women’s rights.
It was Mandela’s third and happiest marriage. Second time it was to firebrand Winnie Mandela who maintained the resistance movement when he was jailed for 17 years. But their reunion after his release was not a happy one and they separated in 1994 and subsequently divorced in 1996.