Katherine Schwarzenegger: "I've always been way closer to my mom"

Katherine Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver speak during the Maria Shriver Women's Conference on Oct. 25, 2010, in Long Beach, Calif.

/ Getty

(CBS/AP) MALIBU, Calif. - Katherine Schwarzenegger, the eldest daughter of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, says she fled to London after her parents separated, in part to escape a storm of unwanted attention.

The 21-year-old told Harper's Bazaar magazine she wanted to "go away and realize that it's not as big a deal in other places."

Pictures: Maria Shriver
Pictures: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Pictures: Cheating hearts

Shriver and the former California governor are in the midst of a divorce, after Arnold Schwarzenegger confirmed in May he fathered an out-of-wedlock child with a former housekeeper.

Katherine did not mention her now-teenaged half-brother in the interview, while discussing what she calls "definitely a difficult time."

She said she tries "not to care about what other people ... think," but that she's been consoled by Twitter messages from supporters.

"I really do believe everything happens for a reason," she added. "A lot of the time, it's hard to understand in the moment why things are happening, but I really do think that. I also like to think God doesn't really give you anything you can't handle."

Katherine told the magazine, "I've always been way closer to my mom."

"Even when I was little, I was glued to her all the time. I'm close to my dad, but they're totally different kinds of relationships," she added. "I talk to my mom about six times a day, and we constantly e-mail in between that. People say that I'm her twin. I guess it would be the Kennedy genes; my cheekbones are coming out. We'll be at the breakfast table and my mom will look over at me and say, 'I see them!'"

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Maria Shriver

[Harden_Tar]

She's cute, rich, and judging from what she says, extremely high maintenance. Pity the future husband of this one.

[wlhoppers]

What a non-story.

So nice Katharine has the luxury of escaping her families problems - not every child of divorcing family can run away so easily. She's definitely got an ego befitting both her parents. But as long as she's proud of those Kennedy cheekbones, that's what matters, isn't it?

[rondivoo]

cheekbones..... yeah ..... that's what matters

[longtree-2009]

seems like the majority of people are angry at arnold but they overlook the housekeeper who willingly did it with arnold. it takes two. one wonders too what was it about maria that might have led arnold to look elsewhere for satisfaction.

[baileyccc]

Maria Shriver is a class act from a family of near royalty. Arnold is a scumbag.

[jtdev1]

I take it you know then personally in order to make a statement like that???

[Illuminated1]

Mr Schwarzenegger is lucky and he earned his keep.
What a beautiful daughter, I wonder if she'll become an actress or politician...I hope for actress, politics is a dirty job I'm sure her parents both can attest to.
___________________________________________________________

On another note, the former govenor of California is a jerk.
He let the wife deflect critizism about his affairs, who I think may be more of....we only know what we know....sort of like Tiger.

[JavMD]

yes it might be difficult, yes.. some places make it a bigger deal than others or even if its necessary.

others might say... you (Mom)sure got a new nice place i read, costing millions of dollars.

Yet, I also see here on CBS News the photos of Somalia and children (dying)... show me where your 'head' is and talk about the poor and homeless, not just in this country but half way across the world.

(I was so touched I sent some money to 'save the children' type of organization. I feel bad.. i should send more.

I can't believe that so many will perish... such sad times in the world... Syria..killings also... for people to want to be free.. and another Dictator keeps getting away with murder...

tell us how you feel