How did Madeleine Albright die? Cause of death explored as first female US Secretary of State passes away at 84

Madeleine Albright, the first female US Secretary of State, passed away on March 23, 2022, at the age of 84. She was reportedly suffering from cancer and took her last breath after a battle with the illness.

The news of her demise and cause of death was confirmed in an official statement by her family:

“We are heartbroken to announce that Dr Madeleine K. Albright, the 64th US Secretary of State and the first woman to hold that position, passed away earlier today. The cause was cancer.”

The statement revealed that Albright was surrounded by friends and family at the time of her death. It further noted that she was a loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend.

Several politicians paid their heartfelt tributes to the diplomat following the news of her death. These include US President Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Tony Blair, as well as Bill and Hillary Clinton.

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A look back into the life of Madeleine Albright

Madeleine Albright was the first US Secretary of State (Image via David M. Russell/Getty Images)

Madeleine Albright, aka Marie Jana Korbelova, was born on May 15, 1937, in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Her father, Josef Korbel, was a Czech diplomat and a supporter of Tomas Masaryk and Edvard Benes.

Following the signing of the Munich Agreement in September 1938 and the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, the Korbel family were forced into exile for their connection to Benes.

The Korbels migrated to Britain in May 1939, and Josef started working for Benes’ Czechoslovak government-in-exile.

During her time in Britain, Albright became one of the children featured in a documentary made to promote sympathy for war refugees in London.

The Korbel family returned to Prague after the fall of Nazi Germany. They moved to Belgrade (formerly part of Yugoslavia) after Josef Korbel was appointed press attaché at Czechoslovakian Embassy in Yugoslavia.

Albright completed school at the Prealpina Institut pour Jeunes Filles in Switzerland. She changed her name to “Madeleine” from “Marie Jana” after learning French.

She immigrated to the United States with her family in 1948 after her father applied for political asylum, claiming he faced threats in Prague for opposing the country’s communist regime.

Madeleine Albright spent her teenage years in Denver and graduated from the Kent Denver School in Cherry Hills Village in 1955. She received her US citizenship in 1957 and joined the College Democrats of America.

Albright then attended Wellesley College on a full scholarship and graduated as a political science major in 1959. She also started working as an intern for The Denver Post and met husband Joseph Medill Patterson Albright at work.

The pair tied the knot in 1959 and moved to Chicago in 1960, where Albright started working as a picture editor for Encyclopedia Britannica. She also started studying at Hofstra University in the Village of Hempstead.

Albright moved to Washington, D.C., with her husband and twin daughters in 1962. She continued to study Russian alongside international relations at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies.

The politician also studied at Columbia University's Department of Public Law and Government. She earned a certificate in Russian and also received her M.A. and Ph.D. degrees. She even took a graduate course from political scientist Zbigniew Brzezinski.

In 1968, Albright returned to Washington, D.C., and later earned her Doctor of Philosophy from Columbia in 1975. She then started fundraising for her daughters' school and was eventually responsible for organizing a fundraising dinner for the 1972 presidential campaign of US Senator Ed Muskie.

Albright was appointed as Muskie’s chief legislative assistant in 1976 and went on to work at the White House during Jimmy Carter’s administration. After her former professor Brzezinski was appointed National Security Advisor, Albright was hired to work in the West Wing as the National Security Council's congressional liaison.

In 1980, Albright started working on a research project at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Two years later, she joined Georgetown University as an academic staffer.

Albright started serving as a major Democratic Party foreign policy advisor, briefing vice-presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro and presidential candidate Michael Dukakis in 1984 and 1988, respectively.

In 1993, Bill Clinton nominated Madeleine Albright as the US Ambassador to the United Nations. She was appointed to the role after Clinton’s inauguration in 1993. Albright served in the position until she was appointed US Secretary of State during Clinton’s second term in 1997.

Madeleine Albright also created history by becoming the first female US Secretary of State in 1997 and remained in the role until Clinton left office in 2001.

The Democrat also served on the board of the Council on Foreign Relations and chair of the Albright Stonebridge Group consulting firm. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by former US President Barack Obama in May 2012.

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Twitter pays tribute to Madeleine Albright

Several political leaders mourned the loss of Madeleine Albright (Image via Paul Morigi/Getty Images)

As a refugee who fled home during her childhood, Madeleine Albright created history in her political career by becoming the first female US Secretary of State. She was often considered a trailblazer in her field of work and is known as a phenomenal diplomat and visionary leader.

Following the news of her demise, several people took to Twitter to mourn the loss, including prominent political figures from across the US and the world:

As tributes continue to pour in online, it is certain that Madeleine Albright will be remembered for her work and contributions to the U.S. political scene. Her legacy will be cherished by contemporaries and future generations alike.