Who Is Elizabeth Shatner, William Shatner’s Ex-wife?

Elizabeth Shatner is the ex-wife of William Shatner, the Canadian veteran actor. Elizabeth is an American horse trainer, rider, and photographer born on the 30th of December 1958 and presently 65 years old. Before her marriage to Shatner, Elizabeth lived a private but successful life, but not anymore. Now, many people know her, while others want to know more about the actor’s wife.

How Old Is Elizabeth Shatner and When Was She Born?

Elizabeth Shatner was born on the 30th of December 1958 into a family of English ethnicity, but there are no details about her parents and siblings. Also, not much is known about her early life aside from the fact she became conscious of her love for horses when she was only five years old. When she turned eight, young Elizabeth received her first horse, a Galiceno Pony and by fourteen, she was already teaching horseback riding.

Concerning her education, the young lady followed her love for horses and went on to study Animal Science and Equine at Purdue University. She also attended Butler University where she studied Telecommunications.

Elizabeth Shatner Became Famous As William Shatner’s Wife

• Duration of the Marriage: 2001-2019 (18 years)
• Reason for Separation: Irreconcilable Differences

Elizabeth stayed by herself after her husband’s death until 2001 when she married William Shatner. The actor had lost his wife to a tragic accident; she got drunk and drowned in a pool. Elizabeth sent a condolence card to William as she understood the pain of death, having lost her husband two years earlier. The duo later got to meet and William was charmed by her beauty and her funny, loving, and smart personality.

Although they had met before during one of their horse-related activities, they both never got close since they were both married. This time, since they had both lost their spouses, they got closer and dated for six months before getting married on February 13, 2001, in a small town in Indiana.

Their union attracted a lot of attention due to the wide age difference between them. William was 70 years old while Elizabeth was 43 years old when they were wedded, but they both seemed unbothered by the 27 year age difference. Their marriage lasted for eighteen years before William filed for divorce in 2019 due to what he termed ‘irreconcilable difference’.

The Couple Had a Well-Publicized Divorce, albeit Peaceful

Elizabeth and William’s divorce was not concluded until March 2020, and although it was not messy, it drew public attention. Nonetheless, they parted ways peacefully while keeping to their prenuptial agreement. They took time to split all their assets based on what they signed in the prenup.

It is important to note that before his marriage to Elizabeth, Williams was married to three women in the past, and he had three daughters with his first wife. So, while they were married, the American photographer was a stepmother to Leslie, Lisabeth, and Melanie. However, William and Elizabeth Shanter had no biological child together.

Despite their divorce, the duo seems to still have a good relationship as Elizabeth Shatner was spotted at her ex-husband’s ninetieth birthday in 2021. According to the reports, the former couple turned up in casual wear and good spirits for the celebration.

A Look at How They Split Their Assets 

William Shatner	Elizabeth Shatner
$100 million fortune	$2 million
Star Trek royalties	Malibu Cove home
Studio City home	Versailles, Kentucky home
Ranch in Three Rivers, California	Share of her family farm in Indiana
	2015 Mercedes Benz ML65
	2007 BMW X5
	2004 Ford Explorer

 

William Shatner and Elizabeth Shatner Marriage and Divorce Timeline

Date	Event
1999	Elizabeth Shatner sends William Shatner a letter of condolence after the passage of his wife, Nerine Kidd. He recognizes her name as a prominent horsewoman, and they start exchanging letters.
1999/2000	They later start dating and bond over the shared experience of losing their spouses.
2001	Elizabeth Shatner and William Shatner get married on the 13th of February 2001 in Lebanon, Indiana.
2001	The newly married couple traveled to Israel for a photographic program.
2005	William Shatner and Elizabeth attend the US premiere of his new movie, Miss Congeniality 2, in Los Angeles.
2006	William Shatner and Elizabeth attend the Los Angeles Premiere of Over The Hedge.
2012	William and Elizabeth attend the Juno Awards broadcast show at Scotia Bank Place in Ottawa.
2018	The couple attended the Primetime Emmy Awards.
February 2019	William and Elizabeth Shatner separate.
December 2019	William Shatner files for divorce from Elizabeth.
March 2020	The couple’s divorce is finalized, and a settlement is reached.
May 2021	William Shatner sparks rumors of reconciliation with Elizabeth with his comments in an interview with The Guardian.
January 2023	The pair attended the Living Legends of Aviation Awards in California, with William describing Elizabeth as the zest of life that brings flavor.

 

Elizabeth Shatner’s Diverse Careers

The celebrity wife has a stable career in horse training cum riding and nature photography. She has found a way to blend both passions and give the proper commitment to each to help her live a fulfilled life.

Her Career as a Horse Trainer/Rider

The 65 year old lady has built an exceptional career from what was just her passion. After she graduated from the university, Elizabeth went on to become a professional horse trainer. She won a scholarship and was able to participate in the United States Equestrian Federation judging clinic.

Her commitment and dedication to her profession is evident in the different awards she won, including the WHINNY Award. Although she was active in the industry for a long time, she was not popular until her marriage to William Shatner.

William, who is not only a celebrated actor and director but also a lover of horses, brought the pretty lady to the limelight. She then started to feature in different series and documentaries. In 2002, she featured as herself in ‘E! True Hollywood Story, a documentary. Later that same year, the famous horse rider appeared in the ‘Spplat Attack’ documentary. She then went on to appear in several documentaries and series in the coming year, including Beyond Trek: William Shatner (2004), Gonzo Ballet (2009), American Pickers (2011), The Captains (2012), and The Shatner Project (2014).

List of TV Series and Docu-Series That Elizabeth Shatner Has Appeared In

Title	Year of Release
Beyond Trek: William Shatner	2004
Gonzo Ballet	2009
American Pickers	2011
The Captains	2012
The Shatner Project	2014

 

Aside from documentaries, Elizabeth Shatner also appeared in Huey Lewis and The News’ video of ‘Do You Believe in Love’. Similarly, she wrote a song titled ‘Together’ for her husband’s album. The album was titled ‘Has Been’. Another career the American lady has ventured into is digital artistry and photography.

However, despite her pursuit of artistry, Elizabeth remains committed to her profession as a horse trainer and rider. She currently holds seven judges’ cards, of which she is an active member of all the circuits. Aside from being a judge, she also actively competes in different disciplines, and she made it to the top three in the 2011 World Championship Horse Show. She is on the Governor’s Advisory Board for World Equestrian Games.

Elizabeth Shatner Is a Nature Photographer

At a much older age, Elizabeth Shatner discovered another thing she is passionate about, art. She was not conscious of her love for art and photographs of nature until she went on a trip with her husband to Israel. It was during their Safari trip to Israel that she received this inspiration. She then called her art ‘Flowrosophy’. She loves to bring to life shapes, light, and colors available in nature through her art.

With time, she grew her newfound passion into another establishment. She started the ‘Art by Nature’ series and incorporated her love for horses into her artistry. The American lady started to produce digitally painted horse photographs and sell them.

She Is Also A Philanthropist

Elizabeth does her best to contribute to charity often. In fact, part of the money she makes from selling her photographs go to horse-related charities. She also participates in her ex-husband’s ‘Hollywood Charity Horse Show’, a charity program that helps to raise millions of dollars for handicapped children.

The celebrity photographer also established ‘All Glory Project Inc,’ a non-profit movement. The movement provides support programs and institutions using animal-assisted and adjunct therapies to help military veterans and their families. She started this initiative after she and her husband won the horse ‘All Glory’ together. The horse was then selected as the Celebration Horse at Breyerfest and she made enough money through that and was able to sponsor the program for the first time.

William Shatner Was Was Not Elizabeth Shatner’s First Husband

The renowned horse rider has been married to two men in the past years, but she is more popular as the wife of William Shatner.

She was First Married to Michael Gleen for 15 Years

• Duration of the Marriage: 1982-1997 (15 years)
• Reason for Separation: Death of Michael Gleen Martin

Before her marriage to William, Elizabeth Shatner was previously married to someone else. Her first husband was Michael Gleen Martin, to whom she got married in 1982. They lived happily and had a saddle-bred stable in Santa Barbara. Unfortunately, Michael passed away from cancer in 1997. The couple had no children during their years together.

Elizabeth Shanter is Now Focused on Her Careers

Although she never bargained to gain so much media attention, Elizabeth Shatner became popular following her marriage to Canadian actor William Shatner. She still even bears his last name. Nonetheless, they seem to still maintain a cordial relationship. Elizabeth has since gone on to focus on her career as a horse trainer cum rider and nature photographer.

FAQs

Who is Elizabeth Shatner?

Elizabeth Shatner is William Shatner’s ex-wife. She is an American equestrian, photographer, and TV personality.

How Old is Elizabeth Shatner?

Elizabeth Shatner is 65 years old as of 2024.

What is Elizabeth Shatner’s Net Worth?

Elizabeth Shatner has an estimated net worth of $5 million in 2024.

What is Elizabeth Shatner’s Height?

Elizabeth Shatner is 5 feet 9 inches or 175 cm tall.

How Long was Elizabeth Shatner William Shatner’s Wife?

Elizabeth Shatner was married to William Shatner for eighteen years.