Betty White had two unsuccessful marriages before she finally met the love of her life in her third marriage. However, there is one aspect of her marriage that White wishes she could change now that her husband, Allen Ludden, has gone away. The actress was married to him for 18 years until he passed.

Betty White was a legendary actress who captivated audiences for over seven decades throughout her career. The actress did not have a smooth start to her career, but she never lost sight of what she wanted to accomplish in the industry.

Because White came of age during the war, she was compelled to put her hopes and ambitions on wait for the time being. White was required to become a member of the American Women’s Voluntary Services, as stated by Closer Weekly.

White referred to this period of her life as the “innocent days” since she spent her time during this period attending recreational events and conversing with men who had previously left their homes to serve in the war.

However, the “Golden Girls” actress ended up falling in love with a pilot named Dick Barker during her military service. They did not waste any time and tied the knot in 1945 when White was just 23 years old.

White and Barker ultimately settled in Ohio, which is where he was born. The actress said that moving away from California was a poor decision, which is why her marriage to the pilot lasted for just a single year.

According to an article published in Closer Weekly, White expressed regret at having to leave her family in California and said that she had given up on the idea of having a successful career in the entertainment industry.

Despite this, the star of “The Proposal” did not lose up on love when she went through her first divorce. When White was 27 years old, she wed Lane Allen, a former actor who later became a talent manager.

According to the publication Closer Weekly, Allen desired a conventional wife who would devote herself entirely to the care of the home. White, however, could not even consider doing that since she had her sights set on a career as a successful actress.

White said that she was sorry that she had tried to be that wife for Allen since it caused her to give up on her goals and ultimately led to the failure of their marriage. In order to further her career in the entertainment industry, the actress relocated to live with her parents.

White discussed the circumstances surrounding her first encounter with game show host Allen Ludden in an interview with Foundational Interviews. The actress said that the game show “Password” had just debuted and that she had been asked to appear on the program during the third week of its launch.

When this happened, White and Ludden had their very first encounter with one another. However, White said that they had both seen each other on TV, which gave the impression that they were already familiar with one another.

White divulged to Ludden, who had just begun his new duty as the host of “Password,” that she had subsequently learned that the host’s wife was fighting a losing battle with cancer.

The same week that White appeared on “Password,” Ludden’s wife passed away. White’s participation in the show took place during the same week. The actress said that a few months later, their agencies booked them both on the same project, and at that time, she had the opportunity to meet the actor’s three children as well as his two puddle dogs.

The game show presenter and actress worked together for three weeks, during which time White said he made a joke proposal to the actress. After a year, Ludden continued to make suggestions, and it became abundantly evident that these were no longer jokes. White said that she would get enraged and then turn down his proposal to marry her.

The actress said in her interview that the prospect of relocating from California to New York City filled her with dread. White added that Ludden purchased a ring and wore it as a necklace in spite of the several times he was turned down for jobs; he did not give up.

When he told White that she would ultimately have the ring on her finger, she responded by saying that the statement simply made her angry. He stated that she would eventually have the ring on her finger. On the other hand, Ludden came up with more original methods to propose. White said that he presented her with a plush rabbit that had diamond earrings attached to it for Easter, and that was the moment when she consented to be his wife.

In 1963, White went through with her wedding to Ludden, but not before delaying the ceremony for a whole year. It was stated that the two could not be apart at any cost. A producer who had a tight working relationship with the pair told People that when they were not working together, they were constantly calling and texting one another.

White also said to People that Ludden was always calling her and asking, “Do you want to go out for dinner? ” and “Do you want to go on a date? ”

However, the actress emphasized that “going out to dinner” meant purchasing chicken on their way home and grilling it while listening to music and enjoying each other’s company. This was her interpretation of what “going out to dinner” meant.

However, Ludden received a cancer diagnosis and passed away in 1981, after the couple had been married for 18 years. White remained by his side the whole time he was fighting.

Hollywood Reporter was informed by a reliable source that White treasured the time she spent with her hubby. According to the insider, the actress wore the unique ring that Ludden had gotten for her as a symbol of their love and drove the automobile that Ludden had purchased for her for as long as either of them could remember.

White said to the Daily Mail that she had been unfaithful in some of her prior relationships, but that she would be thankful for the rest of her life for the love she experienced with Ludden.

White’s incredible life with Ludden throughout their years of marriage caused her to reflect on the choices she had made in the past. The actress expressed her remorse to Foundational Interviews over rejecting Ludden’s propositions for a year since she would have been able to spend more time with him if she had accepted them.

White’s long-time personal assistant revealed to People that the actress always greeted the morning by kissing a portrait of her spouse that she kept on the bedside table next to her. Reportedly, every day, she would also blow a kiss up into the air.

White was questioned during an interview with CNN about whether she was still seeking someone to date, but the actress said that she already had the love of her life in her life. “If you have had the greatest, who needs the rest,” she said, referring to the previous statement.

White had been a widow for four decades prior to her passing on the 31st of December in 2021. According to the actress’s long-time agent, who spoke to People about her passing, she had a small stroke before passing away quietly in her sleep.

White passed away just before her 100th birthday and was able to spend her last moments with the man who had been the love of her life. Despite the fact that the actress had just been widowed, she never gave up on her acting profession. She didn’t give up and did all she could to keep her husband’s memories alive till the last end.