Most Controversial and Famous Love Triangles Ever

Love triangles are extremely messy for all parties involved and can ruin an already beautiful romantic relationship between two people when the third person gets entangled into the relationship. When celebrities (from actors, to politicians, to athletes, to singers— name a few) get into love triangles, the media and the general public become obsessed. That can sometimes cause more damage to already existing relationships.

Love triangles involving celebrities are dramatic as they could change the public’s image of who the celebrities involved are in real life. Also, their careers could potentially be in danger. Some of the most notable yet infamous love triangles ever have involved many celebrities from various career paths. With that being said, here are 6 of the most controversial and famous love triangles ever.

6. Spencer Tracy, Louise Treadwell, and Katherine Hepburn:

Before the love triangle of Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, and Angelina Jolie (see #1 below), one of the most (if not, the most) famous Hollywood love triangles during the 20th century was that of Spencer Tracy (in both photos), Louise Treadwell (on the left), and Katherine Hepburn (on the right). Tracy and Hepburn met on the set of the 1942 film Woman of the Year where their characters fall in love with each other. The duo would go on to make 8 more films together. The chemistry between the two Oscar-winning actors in Woman of the Year was so strong that Tracy and Hepburn began a real-life romance.

However, what makes this one of the most famous love triangles ever is that Tracy had been married to Treadwell for almost 20 years and had two children with her when he met Hepburn. Despite Tracy and Treadwell having marriage troubles, the two never divorced as the former was a devout Catholic and the religion didn’t allow divorces. As a result, Tracy moved out of the family home (he still visited regularly) when he began his relationship with Hepburn (who never fought for marriage), which was one of the biggest open secrets in Hollywood at the time. The Oscar winners’ relationship lasted until 1967 due to Tracy’s death of a heart attack. His death came just 17 days after filming concluded for the 1967 classic Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.

5. Aaron Carter, Hilary Duff, and Lindsay Lohan:

In terms of most famous and controversial teenage celebrity love triangles, one of the most memorable ones is that of Aaron Carter (in both photos), Hilary Duff (on the right), and Lindsay Lohan (on the left). Carter and Duff had been dating for two years after the former was a guest star on the latter’s show Lizzie McGuire in 2001. However, in 2003, Carter decided to date Lindsay Lohan as well, while he was still with Duff. Carter eventually ended things with Lohan a few months later and continued to date Duff. That is until she dumped him a couple of months later after he cheated on her with someone else. Although Duff and Carter called it quits on their relationship, Duff and Lohan got into a heated feud that lasted a couple of years.

4. Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Rupert Sanders:

One of the most shocking love triangles ever consists of Kristen Stewart (in the center), Robert Pattinson (on the left), and Rupert Sanders (on the right). Stewart and Pattinson, who played the lead characters, Bella and Edward respectively in The Twilight Saga film franchise, sent Twilight fans into a frenzy when they started dating in 2009. However, the two never publicly confirmed their relationship status and it was paparazzi photographs that drove the intense speculation from media and fans.

However, Stewart publicly acknowledged her relationship with Pattinson for the first time in July 2012 after photos of her kissing Rupert Sanders (the director of Snow White and the Huntsman, a film released in 2012, starring Stewart) were released by US Weekly. At the time of the affair, Sanders was married to model and actress Liberty Ross and the pair had two children together. Shortly after the photos were released, Stewart issued a public apology to Pattinson, Ross and her children, and heartbroken Twilight fans for the affair, as did Sanders.

The Twilight co-stars ended up getting back together in October 2012, only to split for good in May 2013. Meanwhile, Sanders and Ross filed for divorce in 2013 and it was finalized a year later.

3. Prince Charles, Princess Diana, and Camilla Parker Bowles:

Even the British Royal Family isn’t safe from love triangles! Perhaps the most infamous one was that of Prince Charles (in both photos), the late Princess Diana (on the left), and Camilla Parker Bowles (on the right). Before Prince Charles and Princess Diana wed in 1981, the first-in-line for the British throne was in love with Camilla, whom he knew since 1970. The reason why Prince Charles and Camilla couldn’t marry back then was due to the latter lacking an aristocratic bloodline needed for a royal wife. While the heartbroken Prince of Wales was devastated when Camilla moved on when she married a Royal Navy Officer, the two remained close friends.

Prince Charles eventually found love with Diana and the two married in 1981. However, their 15-year marriage was doomed from the start. Despite having Princes William and Harry together, Prince Charles was more in love with Camilla than Diana. After the two princes were born, Charles and Camilla had an affair that lasted even after the former’s 1996 divorce with Princess Diana, who was later killed in a car crash in 1997. Charles and Camilla would finally wed in 2005.

2. Wanda Nara, Maxi Lopez, and Mauro Icardi:

For all the soccer (called “football” everywhere else in the world but the United States) fans out there reading this article, they would probably believe that the most notorious love triangle of the sport is that of Vanessa Perroncel, Wayne Bridge, and John Terry (Perroncel is French while Bridge and Terry are English). They are wrong! While that particular love triangle is one of the most memorable love triangles ever, the most controversial love triangle in the history of football is the one between Argentines Wanda Nara, Maxi Lopez, and Mauro Icardi. Here is a shorter version of the story:

Lopez and Icardi were teammates at Sampdoria from 2012-2013 and the former took the latter under his wing. At the time, Lopez had been married to Nara since 2008 and they had three sons together. The marriage crumbled in late 2013 after Nara had begun an affair with Icardi! Just months after her divorce with Lopez was finalized, she married Icardi in a small ceremony. Nara and Icardi have two daughters together.

The love triangle has caused controversy in Argentina and made headlines all over the world. Nara and Icardi have received tons of hate as a result (even the legendary Diego Maradona has feuded with Icardi over the latter’s actions). To this day, all three people involved in the love triangle have exchanged words through the media and drama has ensued during games Icardi and Lopez have played in against each other. Icardi even got tattoos of his wife’s three sons with Lopez on his arm!

Icardi, who now plays for Inter Milan, is one of the best Argentine players in the Serie A (the Italian League) and the world right now but has only played for the Argentina National Team eight times (scoring once) since his debut in 2013. He hasn’t made the final squads for international tournaments such as Copa America and The FIFA World Cup.

It is rumored (and is always denied) that the reasons for his exile from the national team are due to his controversial marriage and the fact that Leo Messi (one of the greatest football players of all time and the captain of the Argentina National Team) is great friends with Maxi Lopez! Messi and Lopez were previously teammates in Barcelona from 2005-2007, winning a Spanish Super Cup title, a Champions League title, and two La Lige titles together in that time span. Although the two are no longer teammates, the friendship between Lopez and Messi (who still plays for Barcelona) remains tight to this very day.

1. Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, and Angelina Jolie:

Of all the notable love triangles, the most famous has to be the love triangle between Actors Brad Pitt (in both photos), Jennifer Aniston (on the left), and Angelina Jolie (on the right)! After they started dating in 1998, Pitt and Aniston became Hollywood’s hottest couple when they married in 2000 in a lavish ceremony in Malibu.

The infamous love triangle began in January 2005 when Pitt and Aniston announced their separation and a few months later, the latter filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. During the divorce proceedings, Pitt began dating his Mr. and Mrs. Smith co-star Angelina Jolie, which caused a media speculation over infidelity causing the demise of Pitt’s marriage to Aniston. However, both Pitt and Jolie denied those rumors and claimed that they ‘fell in love’ on the set of the 2005 film.

Pitt and Jolie had six children together (three adopted and 3 biological) and got married in 2014. However, the pair separated in late 2016 and their divorce was ‘finalized’ earlier this year (both are legally single but still have to work out details pertaining to custody arrangements and divorce settlements). Although Pitt and Jolie are no longer together, the rumored feud between the latter and Aniston reportedly still lives on as Jolie and Aniston have had some awkward moments at award shows and other events.