Photo: getty
They met at Oxford.
By Samantha Maffucci — Written on Sep 25, 2018
In April 2017, Neil Gorsuch was appointed to the United States Supreme Court, replacing Antonin Scalia after his passing. Known for his originalism and textualism when interpreting the Constitution — ideas that some may consider controversial — Gorsuch was eventually approved, even after Democrats filibustered his nomination.
But what do we know about his personal life? Well, though he is a family man, who is Neil Gorsuch's wife and how has she been handling his life-term appointment to the Supreme Court? Here are 8 things to know about Marie Louise Gorsuch and their life together.
1. She’s a British citizen.
Marie Louise Burleston was born and raised in the UK in 1968 in Henley-on-Thames, which is located about 40 miles from London in the English countryside. She was raised in the Church of England, coming from a religious upbringing. She attended the Rupert House School, St Mary’s, Wantage, and the Abbey School in Reading.
2. They met at Oxford.
The couple met at Oxford, where both were studying at the time. Gorsuch was getting his Doctor of Philosophy in law while Louise obtained degrees in history and philosophy. They met on a blind date in 1995 and it didn’t take long before they fell in love.
3. They married in 1996.
They wed at Louise’s Church of England in Henley-on-Thames in Britain.
4. They have two daughters.
Photo: Getty
The couple eventually settled down in Boulder, Colorado, and Louise gave birth to Emma in 1999, and Belinda in 2001. When Gorsuch was sworn in as an appellate judge in 2006, his children, 7 and 5 at the time, helped their father into his robes. Both children were listed as “lay servers” called acolytes in 2014 for St. John’s Episcopal Church.
5. Her family loves him.
One might imagine a family wouldn’t quite like the idea of their daughter moving overseas but Louise’s family immediately took a liking to him. Her parents and older brother still live in London.
But “For the Burletson family, Neil was welcomed from day one. Always a loving and totally supporting boyfriend, he rapidly became very popular with everyone he met,” her father, Byran, said. It also helped that Gorsuch “has always been a great anglophile and a major fan of Winston Churchill.”
6. She’s an avid horse rider.
Louise grew up enjoying outdoor activities like skiing and horseback riding. She was on the equestrian team while studying at Oxford but her lifestyle still involves horses and animals. In fact, the family raises chickens, horses and goats.
7. She adapted to life quickly.
According to her friends, while she loves the countryside, she also has adjusted to her new life in Washington, D.C. Michael Trent, who has known Gorsuch for 36 years, said, “The wonderful thing about Louise is that she can be just as comfortable looking beautiful at the White House or in her wellies shoveling horse manure by the barn.”
8. Her husband dotes on her.
Every woman dreams of having a romantic man in her life, and Gorsuch is just that. When they moved to Colorado, he made sure she was always surrounded by roses, her favorite flower. Grace Trent, a long-time friend of Louise, said, “Neil is a very sweet husband. He knew how much Louise loved roses so he planted a rose garden just for her so she could enjoy them whenever she wanted.”
Photo: Getty
Even sweeter is how he spoke about his wife during the Supreme Court confirmation hearings. He interrupted the confirmation to thank her:
“Mr. Chairman, I could not even attempt to do this without Louise, my wife of more than 20 years. The sacrifices she has made and her open and giving heart leaves me in awe. I love you so much... We started off in a place very different than this one, tiny apartment, little to show for it. And when Louise's mother first came to visit, she was concerned by the conditions, understandably. As I headed out the door to work, I'll never forget her whispering to her daughter in a voice I think intended to be just loud enough for me to hear: ‘Are you sure he's really a lawyer?’”
He also thanked his wife and children in the acknowledgements of his book, The Future of Assisted Suicide & Euthanasia: “Finally, and borrowing in part from P.G. Wodehouse [a 20th Century English author and humorist]], I thank my wife, Louise, and my daughters, Emma and Belinda, without whose constant love and attention this book would’ve been finished in half the time — but without whom life wouldn’t been half as fully lived.”
Samantha Maffucci is an associate editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.