Meet Maria Shriver & Arnold Schwarzenegger's Grandchildren

Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger are parents to four children. When their oldest kid, Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt, gave birth to her first child, they were delighted at the prospect of becoming grandparents. "There are people my age who don't get to my age, and who never have that chance to see a grandchild," Shriver explained to Fox 11. "It's a gift, it's a blessing."

While Schwarzenegger didn't have a preference for his grandfather name,  his grandkids now call him "Opa," the German word for grandpa. The actor and former governor felt a little unsure of his new role initially, but then Schwarzenegger discovered the key to bonding with his grandchildren: his pets. Schwarzenegger has his own menagerie, including a dog, pig, miniature horse, and miniature donkey. He loves baking honey-oatmeal cookies that both his grandchildren and his animals can enjoy together. 

Instead of being called grandma, Shriver is known as "Mama G." Looking back at her own childhood, Shriver saw her grandmother as a rather imposing figure.  In contrast, her approach with her own grandchildren is quite different. "She is just as perfect, playful and fun at being a grandmother as you can imagine," her daughter Katherine wrote on Shriver's website. Through their daughter Katherine and her husband, Chris Pratt, Shriver and Schwarzenegger are the proud grandparents of two granddaughters and one step-grandson. Here's what we know about them.

Born on August 17, 2012, Jack Pratt is Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger's step-grandson. Jack is the only child of Chris Pratt and Anna Faris, his first wife. Faris and Pratt separated in 2017, and divorced in 2018. Faris went into early labor at seven months, and Jack weighed 3 lbs., 10 oz. when he was born. In addition to his pre-term birth, Jack also experienced brain bleeding around this time, and during his first years, he needed multiple surgeries and physical therapy. 

By the time Jack was 2, Pratt was impressed by his son's ability to communicate and negotiate a later bedtime. "He'll be like, 'Mm, I don't think so, I'd rather not right now.'" Pratt informed Ellen DeGeneres. The actor was so impressed by Jack's politeness that he agreed to let Jack stay awake longer. 

Jack is also a film enthusiast. Besides watching his parents' films, Jack accompanied Pratt to the set of "The Tomorrow War" in 2021, where he had an opportunity to experience movie magic and fly in a harness.  In 2023, Jack was his dad's guest at the premiere of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3."  In addition, Jack participates in typical kid activities with Pratt, going fishing and attending baseball games.  According to Pratt, Jack enjoys having two little half-sisters. "He does a great job, he's so sweet with them," Pratt told Entertainment Tonight. "They love him so much and they miss him when he's gone."

Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt and Chris Pratt's oldest daughter, Lyla Maria Schwarzenegger Pratt, was born on August 6, 2020. "Lyla is the best baby and she's so happy and so smiley, and I know how lucky I am," Katherine informed the "People Every Day" podcast in 2021. Even though Lyla comes from a high-profile family, her parents are endeavoring to preserve her privacy by refraining from posting pics of her face, so she can have a normal childhood.

Lyla and her dad formed a special bond early on, spending quiet time together while Pratt combed her hair before he went to work.  Similarly, Maria Shriver has also enjoyed one-on-one time with her oldest granddaughter. On an outing in a park, she and Lyla explored plants and animals together. According to Chris, visiting Shriver's house is one of Lyla's favorite activities. In fact, Lyla's so close to her grandma that when she was 19 months old, she called Shriver "mom." Shriver was perplexed by the nickname, telling "Today," "Katherine keeps saying, 'No, G.'" 

Starting when she was a baby, Katherine took her daughter on walks and hikes. When she got a little older, Lyla had fun going to a horse farm with her mom. "Seeing her get excited about being around horses brings me so much joy," she wrote on Instagram. Lyla appears to be an animal lover, like her Opa Arnold Schwarzenegger, and her mom has also posted pics of Lyla bonding with their family's dog. 

On May 21, 2022, Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt and Chris Pratt welcomed their second daughter, Eloise Christina Schwarzenegger Pratt. In the beginning, similar to many babies, Chris reported that Eloise liked sleeping during the day and keeping her parents awake at night. Like Lyla, Eloise is also forming a relationship with her grandparents from a young age. For Eloise's first Thanksgiving in 2022, Katherine posted an Instagram photo of Arnold Schwarzenegger cuddling his granddaughter and kissing her on the cheek. 

Early on, Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver noticed a connection between Eloise and her older sister Lyla that mirrored the relationship between Katherine and her sister, Christina Schwarzenegger. "Lyla took an interest in baby dolls right before I had Eloise," Katherine informed People. "When I originally brought her home from the hospital it was very much like I was bringing home a real-life baby doll." The mom of two also remembered experiencing a similar feeling when she held her youngest brother, Christopher Schwarzenegger, when he was a baby.

For her first birthday, the family celebrated with a balloon bouquet and a personal cake for Eloise. "She's pure joy, fun and happiness. She's keeping up with her sister and having a blast," Katherine noted in an Instagram post. As Eloise has grown and started walking, the two sisters have been seen walking hand in hand, exploring the outdoors together.