8 Inspirational Love Stories (Slideshow):
Lady & the Tramp
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Ahh — true love. Whether you’ve experienced it or not, you know it when you see it. Click through for some of the most iconic love stories of all time, both fictional and very, very real! From star-crossed lovers to marriage equality activists, click through for some truly inspiring love stories.
When a mutt from the wrong side of the track meets up with a pampered purebred, you might think they’d want nothing to do with one another. This Disney classic is among the most celebrated romantic films of all time.
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Antony & Cleopatra
These two powerful rulers fell in love at first sight, and despite mounting political pressure from around the Ancient world, their love endured.
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Mildred & Perry Loving
Mildred and Perry Loving married in Washington, D.C. in 1967, when interracial marriage was still illegal in their home state of Virginia. They were convicted under the Racial Integrity Act of 1924. Frustrated with their unjust circumstances, the Loving’s took their case to the American Civil Liberties Union, who ultimately took their case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court voted in their favor, and ruled that all forms of race-based marriage laws were unconstitutional.
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Prince Edward & Wallis Simpson
When the British government objected to King Edward VIII’s desire to marry a twice-divorced American socialite, he voluntarily abdicated his throne. The two remained married until his death 35 years later.
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Shah Jahan & Mumtaz Mahal
When Shah Jahan’s wife died in childbirth, he was so saddened by his loss that he commissioned an ornate mausoleum — what we know today as the Taj Mahal.
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Del Martin & Phyllis Lyon
After 52 years together, Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon were the first same-sex couple to be married in San Francisco by then-mayor Gavin Newsom. With decades of gay rights and feminist activism under their belts, they certainly deserved the honor!
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Romeo & Juliet
The children of rival families, the star-crossed lovers fell in love at first sight. Though the story has a well-known tragic ending, Romeo and Juliet’s true love certainly deserves its honor as being one of the greatest love stories of all time.
