Nelson Mandela: 10 things to know about his wife, Graca Machel

By Faith Karimi, CNN

Updated 0413 GMT (1213 HKT) December 15, 2013

Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds.

Not only is Nelson Mandela the former president of South Africa and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, but he is also a father, grandfather and even great-grandfather of a huge family. Mandela has been married three times and has fathered six children. Here he poses with his wife of 15 years, Graca Machel.

Photos: Photos: Mandela family album

Mandela family album – Not only is Nelson Mandela the former president of South Africa and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, but he is also a father, grandfather and even great-grandfather of a huge family. Mandela has been married three times and has fathered six children. Here he poses with his wife of 15 years, Graca Machel.

Hide Caption

1 of 16

Photos: Photos: Mandela family album

Mandela family album – Mandela spends his 90th birthday surrounded by family at his home in Qunu, South Africa, in 2008.

Hide Caption

2 of 16

Mandela casts his ballot for the 2011 elections in South Africa with his daugher Princess Zenani Dlamini, left, and granddaughter Ndileka Mandela.

Photos: Photos: Mandela family album

Mandela family album – Mandela casts his ballot for the 2011 elections in South Africa with his daugher Princess Zenani Dlamini, left, and granddaughter Ndileka Mandela.

Hide Caption

3 of 16

Princess Zenani Dlamini's daughters Swati Dlamini, left, and Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway talk about their reality show, "Being Mandela," in New York in February.

Photos: Photos: Mandela family album

Mandela family album – Princess Zenani Dlamini's daughters Swati Dlamini, left, and Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway talk about their reality show, "Being Mandela," in New York in February.

Hide Caption

4 of 16

Makgatho Mandela carries a fruit basket before a 1989 ferry trip to Robben Island Prison, where his father spent much of his 27-year incarceration.

Photos: Photos: Mandela family album

Mandela family album – Makgatho Mandela carries a fruit basket before a 1989 ferry trip to Robben Island Prison, where his father spent much of his 27-year incarceration.

Hide Caption

5 of 16

Pictures of the late sons of Nelson Mandela, by photographer Eli Weinberg, hang in his office at the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory in Houghton, Johannesburg, on Tuesday, June 11. Thembekile Mandela died in a 1969 car accident and Makgatho Mandela died from AIDS in 2005.

Photos: Photos: Mandela family album

Mandela family album – Pictures of the late sons of Nelson Mandela, by photographer Eli Weinberg, hang in his office at the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory in Houghton, Johannesburg, on Tuesday, June 11. Thembekile Mandela died in a 1969 car accident and Makgatho Mandela died from AIDS in 2005.

Hide Caption

6 of 16

Makgatho Mandela's son, Ndaba Mandela, right, with cousin Kweku Mandela at Times Square for an April 19 showing of "Power of Words: Nelson Mandela," a short film about their grandfather's writings that was part of the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.

Photos: Photos: Mandela family album

Mandela family album – Makgatho Mandela's son, Ndaba Mandela, right, with cousin Kweku Mandela at Times Square for an April 19 showing of "Power of Words: Nelson Mandela," a short film about their grandfather's writings that was part of the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.

Hide Caption

7 of 16

Photos: Photos: Mandela family album

Mandela family album – Makgatho Mandela's eldest son, Mandla Mandela, serves as the chief of Mvezo in the village where his grandfather was born.

Hide Caption

8 of 16

Nelson Mandela's daughter Makaziwe Mandela, left, with her daughter Tukwini Mandela, pose in April with House of Mandela wine at their home in Johannesburg.

Photos: Photos: Mandela family album

Mandela family album – Nelson Mandela's daughter Makaziwe Mandela, left, with her daughter Tukwini Mandela, pose in April with House of Mandela wine at their home in Johannesburg.

Hide Caption

9 of 16