While her legal marriages drew headlines, the defining personal connection of her life was her relationship with Oscar-winning actor William Holden. The pair met in 1972, shortly after her split from Lockwood, and remained devoted partners until Holden’s tragic death in November 1981.
Holden introduced Powers to East Africa, igniting an intense passion for environmental protection. Together, they spent months at the Mount Kenya Game Ranch, working directly on preservation efforts. When Holden died suddenly from an accidental fall in Santa Monica, California, Powers channeled her grief into concrete action.
She established the William Holden Wildlife Foundation in 1982, serving as its active president for more than forty years. Based in Nanyuki, Kenya, the foundation educates thousands of local students annually on ecological stewardship, sustainable agriculture, and habitat conservation. Rather than stepping back into comfortable semi-retirement, Powers spent decades splitting her calendar between production commitments and remote fieldwork on the slopes of Mount Kenya.
| Relationship / Era | Timeframe | Personal & Professional Milestones |
|---|---|---|
| Gary Lockwood | 1966, 1972 | Early Hollywood marriage; breakout roles including The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.; ended amicably without children. |
| William Holden | 1972, 1981 | Unmarried partnership; sparked her wildlife conservation work; led directly to founding the William Holden Wildlife Foundation. |
| Hart to Hart Peak | 1979, 1984 | Co-starred as Jennifer Hart with Robert Wagner; earned two Emmy nominations and five Golden Globe nominations. |
| Patrick Houitte de la Chesnais | 1993, 1999 | Second marriage; split time between France and the US; private union that concluded with an uncontested divorce. |
