Betty White Regretted Firm Refusal to Marry Beloved Who Wore Ring Close to His Heart until She Said 'Yes'

Betty White had two failed marriages but found her life's love the third time. The actress was married to Allen Ludden for 18 years until he passed, but there is one thing that White regrets about her marriage.

Betty White was an iconic actress that graced our screens for almost seven decades. The actress did not have an easy come up in her career, but she always kept her eyes on the goal.

White grew up in the war, so she was forced to put her dreams and aspirations on hold. According to Closer Weekly, White had to join the American Women's Voluntary Services.

White described this time of her life as the "innocent days" because she spent her time at recreational gatherings talking to the men that left their homes to fight in the war.

Well, the "Golden Girls" star fell in love with a military pilot named Dick Barker. They moved quickly and married in 1945 when White was 23 years old.

White and Barker moved to his hometown Ohio. The actress confessed that leaving Califonia was a mistake, so her marriage with the pilot only lasted a year.

Closer Weekly reported that White was unhappy to have felt her family in California and had given up on her dream of making it in the show business.

However, "The Proposal" star did not give up on love after her first divorce. White married an actor turned talent manager, Lane Allen, when she was 27.

As stated by Closer Weekly, Allen wanted a traditional wife to immerse herself in caring for the household. However, that was not an option for White because she wanted to become a successful actress.

White confessed that she regretted trying to be that wife for Allen because it made her neglect her aspirations, so that marriage also ended. The actress moved in with her parents to continue building her show business career.

Betty White and Allen Ludden's Love Story

In an interview with Foundational Interviews, White revealed how she and game show host Allen Ludden met. The actress said the game show "Password" had just aired, and she was invited in the third week of its premiere.

This was when White and Ludden met each other for the first time. But White said they had both watched each other on TV, so it felt they already knew each other.

As Ludden started his new role as the host of "Password," White revealed that she later found out that the host's wife was dying of cancer.

The week that White made an appearance on "Password " was the week that Ludden's wife passed. The actress said their agents booked them on the same job a few months later, and she got to meet his three children and two poodle dogs.

The actress and game show host worked together for three weeks, and White said he jokingly proposed to her. Ludden's proposals went on for a year, making it clear that they were not jokes anymore. White confessed that she would get angry and refuse to marry him.

The actress opened up that she was frightened by the idea of moving from California to New York. Despite the constant rejections, Ludden did not give up; White said he bought a ring and wore it as a necklace.

He declared to White that she would eventually have the ring on her finger, and she said that only made her angrier. However, Ludden found more creative ways to propose. White said he delivered a stuffed bunny with diamond earrings for Easter, and that is when she agreed to be his wife.

Betty White Lost the Love of Her Life

After a year of hesitating to marry Ludden, White finally walked down the aisle in 1963. The couple was said to be inseparable. A producer who worked closely with the couple told People they would call each other constantly if they were not working together.

White also told People that Ludden would always call her and ask, "Do you wanna go out for dinner" and "Do you want to go on a date?

But the actress clarified that "going out to dinner" meant buying chicken on their way home and grilling it while they listened to music and enjoyed each other's company.

However, Ludden was diagnosed with cancer and passed in 1981, after 18 years of marriage. White was beside him throughout his fight.

A close source told Hollywood Reporter that White cherished her time with her husband. The source said the actress drove the car Ludden bought her for as long as they could remember, and she wore that special ring he got as a symbol of their love.

White told the Daily Mail that she made mistakes in her previous relationships, but she would forever be grateful for the love she shared with Ludden.

Betty White Regretted Refusing to Marry Allen Ludden

The amazing years of marriage that White shared with Ludden had her looking back at her past decisions. The actress told Foundational Interviews that she regretted turning down Ludden's proposals for a year because she would have had more time with him.

White's long-time personal assistant told People that the actress kept a photo of her husband on her bedside table and kissed it every morning. She also reportedly blew a kiss to the sky each day.

In an interview with CNN, White was asked if she was still looking to date, but the actress said she already had a love of her life. "If you have had the best, who needs the rest," she added.

White was a widow for 40 years until she passed away on December 31, 2021. The actress's long-time agent told People she suffered a mild stroke and died peacefully in her sleep.

White died just before her 100th birthday and was reunited with the love of her life again. The actress might have lost her husband, but she never gave up on her career. She soldiered through and kept her husband's memory alive until her last breath.