You’ve watched Rick Steves charm his way through Tuscan villages and Norwegian fjords for years, but here’s the woman who was beside him long before the cameras rolled. Anne Steves, Rick Steves’ ex-wife, is an American nurse and social activist who held the fort while her husband built a travel empire. Then, after more than two decades, they ended their marriage. So what’s her story, and where on earth is she now?
- Anne Steves is best known as Rick Steves’ former wife.
- They wed in 1984 and divorced in 2010, after roughly 26 years together.
- Their two kids, Andy and Jackie, both ended up in travel.
- Anne’s a nurse and activist who’s allergic to the spotlight.
- Rick’s been with Bishop Shelley Bryan Wee since December 2019.
The Woman Behind the Guidebooks
Born on 4 April 1960, Anne grew up in the United States. Several reports peg her home town as Snohomish, Washington. She’s kept the shutters firmly down on her early years, and honestly, fair play to her. What we can say is that she trained as a nurse and poured herself into looking after people, with a real soft spot for community causes and social activism on the side. A profile over at Shizuka Wallpaper paints her as someone genuinely respected for her caregiving and her service to the communities she’s worked in. Ask anyone who knows the family, and you’ll hear the same three words on repeat: kind, caring, private.
Friends First, Sweethearts Later
Before the TV fame and before the best-selling books, there was just Rick, the scrappy travel teacher — running classes, guiding summer tours, and self-publishing his first effort, “Europe Through the Back Door”, in 1980. And right there beside him? Anne. The two were pals first and dated for a good stretch before anyone mentioned wedding bells. They finally tied the knot in 1984 at St Thomas of Villanova in Pennsylvania, with the reception held at Saint David’s Golf Club. No celebrity circus, no magazine spread — just a small, private affair, exactly as you’d expect from this pair.
The Kids Who Caught the Travel Bug
Anne and Rick had two children, Andy and Jackie, and the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Andy is just as keen on travel as his dad. He launched his outfit, Weekend Student Adventures Europe, and penned his own guide, “Andy Steves’ Europe: City-Hopping on a Budget”, helping skint students tour the continent without remortgaging. Jackie’s just as smitten with travel and culture, and she’s turned up on a few of her dad’s shows too.
Why Did It All Fall Apart?
Right, the question everyone’s really here for. On paper, the couple were in a rock-solid marriage — two kids, twenty-odd years, the lot. But the divorce papers landed at Snohomish Superior Court in 2009, and they were all wrapped up by 5 March 2010. Neither of them ever breathed a word about why. They kept the whole thing locked up tight. That said, the smart money’s on Rick’s relentless schedule wearing the marriage thin. A piece by The List spells it out — his devotion to the job reportedly played a part in the breakup. And Rick’s never sugar-coated it.
Talking to The Washington Post in April 2024, he compared juggling the business, the TV series, the podcast, the books and all that travel to running a “three-ring circus”. Sounds exhausting just reading it. Then there were the whispers about Rick’s travel partner Trish Feaster — he called her his girlfriend on his blog back in 2012. But nothing was ever proven, and nobody’s quite sure when that started up. Make of it what you will.
Where’s Anne Now, Then?
Anne just… disappeared. No bitter interviews, no Instagram comeback, no reality telly. She simply melted into the background. A write-up by Tuko captures how she’s now a mystery, living a private life far from the limelight. Word is she’s still tucked away in Washington State, getting on with family, nursing and her community work. As of 2025, there’s zero public sign she’s remarried. The internet reckons she’s worth somewhere between $500,000 and $1 million – but since she guards her bank balance as fiercely as everything else, take that with a hefty pinch of salt.
Meanwhile, Back on Rick’s Side…
In late 2019, he started seeing Reverend Shelley Bryan Wee, a bishop in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and weirdly, lockdown gave the romance space to bloom. Gushing to the Seattle Times about how she’d shaken up his life, Rick said, “She’s got dogs.
I never thought I’d have dogs in my life, and I’ve been loving having dogs.” Then, in August 2024, came tougher news — a prostate cancer diagnosis, with surgery that October. And he’s not without regrets. As a feature by News Pao points out, Rick’s been refreshingly honest that all that success has cost him plenty on the home front. Anne, though? She seems to have found her own quiet brand of happiness, well out of shot.
FAQs
Who is Anne Steves?
Ans: Anne Steves is an American nurse and social activist. She’s best known as the former wife of travel writer and TV host Rick Steves.
How old is Anne Steves?
Ans: Anne was born on 4 April 1960, which makes her 66 as of 2026.
Why did Anne and Rick Steves divorce?
Ans: They never gave an official reason. Reports point to Rick’s hectic travel career straining the marriage. The split was finalised in 2010.
Does Anne Steves have children?
Ans: Yes, she has two children, Andy and Jackie Steves. Both have gone on to work in the travel world, just like their dad.
Where is Anne Steves now?
Ans: Anne reportedly lives a quiet, private life in Washington State, avoiding cameras and public events.
Has Anne Steves remarried?
Ans: There’s no public confirmation that she’s remarried. Anne keeps her love life completely under wraps.
Sources & References:
- The List – Rick’s devotion to the job reportedly played a part in the breakup.
- Tuko – Anne today lives a private life away from the limelight.
- Shizuka Wallpaper – Anne is genuinely respected for her caregiving and her service to the communities.
- News Pao – Rick’s been very honest that all that success has cost him a lot.
