What to Know About Huma Abedin, the Former Political Aide Engaged to Billionaire Alex Soros

Huma Abedin is engaged!

Billionaire Alex Soros proposed to Abedin in May 2024 after the couple met at a mutual friend’s birthday party in the fall of 2023.

The former aide to Hillary Clinton previously dated Academy Award winner Bradley Cooper and was married to Anthony Weiner from 2010 until she filed for divorce in 2017. Just one year into their marriage, the former Democratic congressman became embroiled in sexting scandals.

From her professional background to her family background, here's everything to know about Abedin.

She grew up in Saudi Arabia

Abedin was born in Michigan but grew up in Saudi Arabia shortly after her birth. She credits her international and multicultural childhood — her parents emigrated from India and Pakistan to the United States before eventually moving to Saudi Arabia — for shaping her identity, causing her to embrace being both Muslim and American, while also Indian and Pakistani.

She worked for Hillary Clinton

For over 25 years, Abedin served as Clinton's longtime aide. Her duties date back to 1996 when she first entered the White House as an intern and worked in the First Lady's office, where she began her career in public service and national politics.

After four years of interning, she was named senior advisor to Senator Clinton in the U.S. Senate, followed by traveling chief of staff for Clinton's presidential campaign in 2008.

Then, she served as deputy chief of staff at the U.S. Department of State in 2009 and later vice chair of Hillary for America in 2016. Her last post with Clinton was as chief of staff.

"I've known @HumaAbedin for 25 years and counting, and I can't imagine any of that time without her," Clinton wrote in an Instagram post dedicated to Abedin in November 2021.

She was married to former congressman Anthony Weiner

Despite being Clinton's right-hand woman, Abedin mostly kept out of the spotlight until she made headlines with former Democratic congressman Weiner, whom she married in July 2010.

Just one year into their marriage, when she was pregnant, Weiner was embroiled in controversy for a sexting scandal, which resulted in him stepping down from Congress.

Several other sexting scandals followed, including one lewd photo with the couple's sleeping son in the frame. Abedin announced her separation from Weiner in August 2016, and eventually filed for divorce in May 2017 shortly after Weiner pleaded guilty to sexting with a minor.

In January 2018, PEOPLE confirmed that she and Weiner were seeking to settle the divorce privately "to reduce any impact of these proceedings on their child," according to Abedin's attorney. In November 2021, CBS News reported that their divorce was still being finalized.

She wrote a tell-all memoir about her life

In November 2021, Abedin released Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds, a memoir that gives a detailed look into Weiner's sex scandals and how the controversy affected the 2016 Clinton presidential campaign.

She told PEOPLE that her chance to "write [her] own history" was also a manifestation of her determination to close the book on the scandal and move on. "It was better to relive — to feel — than to do what I had done over the course of years, which was to collect anger, to be bitter, to resent my partner for the circumstances he caused. It was slowly eating at me," Abedin said. "I can't live any more in that state of anger, resentment or what I lost, or what could've, would've, should've."

The 500-page political and personal coming-of-age tale also chronicles her early life in Kalamazoo, Michigan to her upbringing in Saudi Arabia all while being raised in an Indian-Pakistani household.

She has a son named Jordan

In December 2011, Abedin gave birth to a baby boy named Jordan Zain Weiner, whom she shares with Weiner.

She spoke to PEOPLE in November 2021 about seeking therapy and working to find a good place with Weiner for the sake of their child. "Anthony is always going to be in my life because he is the father of my child. I want to make sure he's healthy, that we are in a healthy relationship, that our son sees model behavior that is healthy for him."

She wrote her memoir with her son in mind, as there's a short span between his youth and his unrestricted access to the internet. "I liked being an invisible person, but I felt like if I didn't write my story, somebody else is telling my history," she told The Cut of her decision to personally tell all.

She's friends with Anna Wintour

Wintour has played a valuable role in Abedin's life, and the two have created a close friendship over the years. In 2016, Abedin told The Cut that Wintour came to her rescue during a difficult time.

"[She would say,] 'We're going to the theater for a random movie and we're going to go eat,'" Abedin recalled of Wintour. "And just being out and being with her, I just felt sort of normal and loved."

Wintour also introduced her to an alternate universe of "writers, people in the fashion world. Mostly people who just weren't really into politics," per the outlet. Wintour gave Abedin what she described as "a safe space."

She's engaged to billionaire Alex Soros

Abedin and Soros announced their engagement on Instagram in July 2024, writing, "We couldn’t be happier, more grateful, or more in love," alongside a photo of the billionaire down on one knee.

According to Vogue, Soros proposed at the couple's home in New York City in May 2024 before the pair hosted a "formal celebration in Italy."