Everything to Know About Nancy Pelosi's Husband, Paul Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi and her husband, Paul, tied the knot 60 years ago — and they're still going strong.

The former Speaker of the House and Paul first met while in a college class together in 1961. Just two years later, they tied the knot.

After raising five children together, Nancy pivoted from homemaker to policymaker when she was elected to Congress in 1987, and Paul has been cheering her on from the sidelines ever since.

But after living in the political spotlight for the past four decades, the couple faced one of the most trying moments in their marriage. In October 2022, Paul was the victim of a terrifying attack from an assailant who had attempted to target Nancy. While Paul has since recovered, Nancy admitted the traumatic event will affect her career decisions moving forward.

So, who is Nancy Pelosi's husband? Here's everything to know about Paul Pelosi.

He was born and raised in San Francisco

Paul was born on April 15, 1940, in San Francisco, California. He was the youngest of three boys and spent most of his early childhood in Northern California. He later went on to attend both St. Ignatius High School in his hometown and Malvern Preparatory School, a boarding school in Pennsylvania.

As a teenager, Paul suffered the loss of his brother, David, after they were both involved in a tragic car accident. Paul, who was behind the wheel at the time of the crash, lost control of the vehicle around a tight turn. He escaped the car following the crash, but his brother, who was wearing a neckbrace due to a prior injury, did not survive. Paul was later acquitted of misdemeanor manslaughter.

He founded the venture capital firm Financial Leasing Services

Paul is the founder of real estate and venture capital investment and consulting firm Financial Leasing Services. Based on public disclosures, he has made investments in companies like Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft. In addition to the firm, Paul is also a notable property investor and, as of 2009, had investments in office buildings in San Francisco and other California commercial properties, as well as a Napa Valley vineyard, a resort hotel, an Italian restaurant chain and a golf club.

While discussing his investments with The Washington Post, Paul explained that he always has Nancy in mind and avoids any business that could jeopardize her career.

"I think I have a good radar in terms of what kind of business investments would be inappropriate for me given her position. And I can't think of an investment I discussed with her and said, 'Is this a good idea or is it a problem?' " he explained, noting that in the past he's avoided opportunities that could draw criticism for Nancy. "So I've religiously steered away from anything that would look controversial to her position."

Despite his efforts to keep his business separate from Nancy, Paul's investments garnered attention in 2021 after investors on TikTok started watching his activity and copying his trades. As a result, several lawmakers began pushing for stricter control over stock ownership by members of Congress.

He once owned a United Football League team

Though Paul has said he's not a big sports fan, he has made a few investments in the world of athletics. In 1980, he made a small investment in the Oakland Invaders of the now-defunct United States Football League. However, he never had ambitions of owning his own team — until one of his closest friends approached him with an idea to create a second professional football league to rival the NFL.

In 2009, he purchased the California Redwoods, a franchise in the United Football League that became known as the Sacramento Mountain Lions, for $12 million. At the time, he said he saw it as a good financial opportunity.

"This is a business, I look at it as a business," he told The Washington Post. "I'm in this because I think it is a very solid financial investment that is going to be very successful."

Unfortunately, the United Football League ultimately folded in the middle of the 2012 season.

He and Nancy met while attending Georgetown University

Although Nancy attended Trinity College as an undergrad, she first crossed paths with Paul in 1961 at Georgetown University, where he studied foreign service. At the time, they were both enrolled in a summer school class that was being taught at Georgetown.

"I met my husband Paul here while we both took a summer school class at SFS called 'The History of Africa, South of the Sahara,' taught by the legendary Dr. Carroll Quigley," Nancy shared in a speech at Georgetown in 2002.

Nancy and Paul would go on to become "inseparable," and it didn't take long for the pair to get engaged. Paul popped the question at St. Joseph's Church, two blocks from the U.S. Capitol.

They tied the knot in 1963 in Baltimore, Maryland

Two years after first meeting one another in class, the couple made things official. On September 7, 1963, Nancy and Paul tied the knot at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore, Maryland.

Looking back on their relationship many years later, Nancy shared the secret to their long-standing romance. She explained that it all had to do with making the decision to be present and prioritize the most important things in life.

"A successful marriage is a decision," Nancy told The New York Times. "You decide it's going to work. You can't always be there, but you have to be there enough. And you have to make sure you are where you're needed most. Sometimes it's here, sometimes it's there; sometimes it's a tie and you have to prioritize. But it's always a decision. My husband and I met in college. We couldn't have thought of every possible thing back then. But here we are. We just had our 50th wedding anniversary. It's worked."

He and Nancy share five children

Shortly after getting married, Nancy and Paul welcomed their first child, Nancy Corinne, who was born in 1964. Over the course of the next few years, the couple had four more children — Christine, Jacqueline, Paul Jr. and Alexandra.

Their youngest daughter, Alexandra, is an Emmy-nominated documentarian whose films include Journeys With George (2003) and American Selfie: One Nation Shoots Itself (2020). And while she's no stranger to working in the political sphere, her latest project, titled Pelosi in the House, hits even closer to home. The new documentary, premiering on HBO on Dec. 13, "offers a candid, behind-the-scenes chronicle of the life of her mother," according to HBO's synopsis, and follows Nancy over the course of three decades.

While speaking to The Washington Post ahead of the film's premiere, Alexandra opened up about her father's attack and how it made her wish she could take back the blessing she previously gave Nancy before she became a public figure.

"My father looks like Frankenstein, and I'm so angry," Alexandra told the outlet. "I say to my mother, 'If I knew then what I know now, I never would have given you my permission.' "

However, her injured father gave her some perspective. "You can't undermine her accomplishments," Alexandra recalled Paul saying about Nancy. "That's not fair to her. You have to say, 'If you came to me in this social media environment, I would never give you my blessing."

He has no interest in being in the spotlight

While Nancy has often made headlines throughout her career, Paul has preferred to stay out of the spotlight. Although he says he understands the public's interest in his life, he'd much rather support Nancy from the sidelines.

"I understand, of course, that since a woman has had such a phenomenal success [people wonder], 'Who is this guy she's married to for 47 years and has five kids?' I understand the curiosity about that. But it's her celebrity. It's her career. It's her responsibility. I'm enormously supportive and proud about it but I see absolutely no percentage in trying to share the limelight," he told The Washington Post.

He was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in California

In May 2022, Paul crashed into another car at an intersection in Napa County and was arrested for an alleged DUI. He was charged with two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher.

"Based upon the extent of the injuries suffered by the victim, the District Attorney filed misdemeanor charges. This decision is consistent with how our office handles these cases with similar injuries," the Napa County District Attorney's Office said in a news release.

When he was arraigned in Napa County Superior Court in August, he initially pleaded not guilty to all counts in the complaint. At the time, Judge Monique Langhorne ordered that Paul could plead guilty or no contest when proceedings resumed, or the case could be set for a jury trial. Paul opted to plead guilty and was sentenced to five days of confinement, although it was minimized to an eight-hour work program. He was also enrolled in a three-month drunk driving course and will remain on probation for three years.

He was attacked in the home he shares with Nancy in San Francisco

In October 2022, Paul was the victim of a violent attack in his home with Nancy in San Francisco. In the early hours of the morning, 42-year-old David DePape smashed a glass window to get inside and then entered the Pelosis' bedroom where Paul was sleeping, according to police. When Paul woke up, he allegedly found the man standing over him — with a hammer in one hand and zip ties in the other.

DePape allegedly "confronted" Paul, shouting, "Where is Nancy, where is Nancy?" After asking about the House Speaker, who was not home then, DePape reportedly attacked Paul with a hammer and threatened to tie him up "until Nancy got home." Thankfully, Paul was able to call 911.

While Paul is "expected to make a full recovery," he did suffer a fractured skull and other serious injuries. He successfully underwent surgery to repair his skull on the day of the attack, and, at the time, Nancy shared that he had a "long recovery ahead."

He and Nancy have attended many high-profile events

Over the years, Paul and Nancy have walked dozens of red carpets together.

In March 2023, just four months after Paul was attacked, the couple attended the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty in Los Angeles. Nancy dazzled in a gold Giambattista Valli gown, while Paul looked dapper in a classic tuxedo that he paired with his signature fedora.

Nearly a year later, the couple made an appearance at the annual Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Gala, where they mixed and mingled with several celebrities, including singers Tyla and Jelly Roll.