Maria Shriver back with Arnold Schwarzenegger despite love child?

Celebrity couples rumor mills are busy gossiping about whether or not former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his estranged wife Maria Shriver are getting back together. The star celebs separated in 2011 after news of a love child fathered by him with one of her household staff members made headlines in the tabloid press. Throughout the painful ordeal, Shriver, heir to the Kennedy fortune, and Arnie have remained publicly civil. Have the two famous faces been able to mend their clearly dysfunctional relationship?

Maria Shriver with Arnold SchwarzeneggerEx California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has been spotted wearing what looks like his wedding band, sparking rumors that he might be getting back together with soon to be ex Maria Shriver. The Daily Mail reports that the Terminator star spent Christmas together with journalist Maria Shriver and their children, and recently has been wearing his wedding ring. Shriver is said to be “reconsidering” their divorce says TMZ (who also posted a pic of Maria Shriver wearing a big ring where her wedding band used to be the day following the Terminator sighting). They say, “Maria has been having second thoughts about divorcing Arnold — despite the whole love child thing — because of her deeply held religious beliefs.” People who know her tend to think it is more than likely that she is simply in love with him (and is a genuinely nice lady).

The Governator, as True Lies Schwarzenegger is sometimes known, split with his wife of 25 years last year in May, when it was revealed he had fathered a love child with his housekeeper, Mildred Baena.

In the weeks following the divorce filing (back in July of 2011), the actor and famous movie star had been seen continuing to wear his ring. In the last few months he’s been spotted without it, perhaps something that bothered both she and the celeb couple’s kids. Now, with him wearing the ring again (or one that looks suspiciously like it) and her doing the same, the rumor mills tabloid printing presses are back in operation. Expect to see the pics printed on the cover of a print newspaper on the stands in your local grocery store or supermarket in the week ahead!

Schwarzenegger, 64, had issued what appeared to be a sincere apology when announcing his indiscretion and plans for divorce. It’s said, however, that Maria Shriver, 56, had been reluctant to divorce from the start. Although Maria already has purchased a separate home in Brentwood, CA, she and the former California governor have been spotted together throughout the year, following her filing for divorce on July 1, having coffee together, attending a Lakers’ game at the Staples Center on Christmas afternoon, and otherwise enjoying the holidays together, according to People.

At the core of her heart, most of her reluctance to make their celebrity split official seems to be Maria Shriver‘s religious beliefs. A devout Catholic, Shriver doesn’t believe in divorce, and some are saying she’s taking time to reconsider the separation, says TMZ.

Neither star celeb has spoken publicly about a possible reconciliation effort, but the website says Schwarzenegger has been “extremely sweet” to Shriver, showering her with gifts and doing everything he can to rekindle their relationship. [Maybe he should consider doing some face-to-face work for one of Shriver’s favored charities, like Habitat for Humanity or U.S. Doctors for Africa, to show how serious he is.]

No word has been heard recently about former housekeeper Mildred Baena, the source of the split, and the former First Lady of California is known to be unwavering about the welfare of her own children above hers (understandably). Is Shriver just looking out for her kids future as well as her own, or is she seriously considering taking Arnold back because she loves him? And if the star celeb couple does reconcile, can they make it work in the long run? Will they include his love child and his mistress in their everyday family life?

While Maria Shriver might be a noble girl, we certainly hope she won’t go so far as to try to bring Mildred Baena and the other child into the home. If her own children want to have a relationship in adulthood with that sibling, that choice should be entirely their own.

What do YOU think about the Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver split? Should they get back together or call the legal marriage quits?