Sources say that Maria learned the truth about her husband’s son with housekeeper Mildred Baena in 2006, but bravely held her tongue because Sen. Ted Kennedy “felt it would have been a disaster” for the family if Schwarzenegger had to resign in disgrace as California governor.

“Teddy was convinced Arnie had been seen as a member of the Kennedy clan for 20 years,” the source explains. “If he went down while governor of the nation’s biggest state, the family would bear the shame and dishonor with him.”