Up-Close With Hillary Clinton

The controversial public figure opens her heart in an emotional – and surprisingly candid – exclusive interview that reveals moving family memories and brings us closer to the mother, wife and grandmother, known only to her inner circle.

- Rodolfo Vera Calderon

There are many ‘firsts’ in the life of Hillary Rodham Clinton. She was the first First Lady to receive a postgraduate degree, the first to be elected to national office, and the first woman to win the candidacy for President of the United States. Yet, it was only when she held Charlotte, her first grandchild, in her arms, that the former Secretary of State understood the true meaning of being a grandmother.

“It was just the most incredible joy. My friends who are grandparents always told me how amazing it would be, but I didn’t fully understand what they meant until I experienced it,” the proud grandma of two year-old Charlotte and four-month-old Aidan, the children of her daughter Chelsea and investment banker, Marc Mezvinsky, told us in an exclusive interview for HELLO! And like any typical grandma, she can’t stop talking about her grandchildren.

‘my friends who are grandparents always told me how amazing it would be, but i didn’t fully understand what they meant until i experienced it’

“I’m so captivated by all the little things they do and the ways they’re constantly changing. Charlotte and Aidan remind me so much of how Chelsea was at each age,” she says with feeling, because seeing her daughter in her role as a mother has brought back a lot of good memories.

“It’s incredible to watch Chelsea as a mom. Occasionally, she’ll say or do something that reminds me of how I was as a young mother, and it’s really special to see it come full circle.

“Being a grandmother gives you an even deeper appreciation for family,” says Hillary, who communicates with little Charlotte every day through FaceTime.