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George W. Bush -

After his presidency ended in 2009, George W. Bush picked up the brush and started painting. Now a prolific artist, in 2017 he published a collection called 'Portraits of Courage,' a homage to military veterans (pictured). Four years later, he released a book of portraits entitled 'Out of Many, One: Portraits of America's Immigrants,' in which he showcased his portraits of foreigners who came to live in the United States.

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King Charles III -

King Charles III can speak the Welsh language. He spent two months learning it at Aberystwyth University (pictured) as he prepared to become the Prince of Wales in 1969. The monarch is also a keen watercolor painter.

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Bill Clinton -

Former US President Bill Clinton picked up the saxophone in his high school band days. He's been playing the instrument on and off ever since.  He's pictured with noted jazz saxophonist Everett Harp at the Arkansas inaugural on January 20, 1993.

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Emmanuel Macron -

In March 2024, black and white photographs posted to Instagram showing Emmanuel Macron hitting a punching bag underlined the French president's passion for boxing. His wife, Brigitte Macron, told Paris Match in 2023 that her husband boxes twice a week. He also posed with boxing gloves on to promote the Paris Olympics. He's pictured here sparring with amateur boxer Jean-Denis Nzaramba at the Auguste Delaune stadium in 2022 during a campaign visit in Saint-Denis.

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Vladimir Putin -

Awarded the rare eighth dan in judo in 2012, Vladimir Putin has been practicing the martial art since he was a teenager in St. Petersburg. Despite being an accomplished exponent, Putin was stripped of his titles by the International Judo Federation (IJF) after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In addition, his honorary presidency of the IJF was suspended. Furthermore, World Taekwondo withdrew the honorary black belt it gave to Putin in November 2013.

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Queen Elizabeth II (1926–2022) -

Her late majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a keen amateur photographer who often took her trusty Leica camera to cultural and sporting events. She fastidiously preserved her photos in well-kept albums.

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Winston Churchill (1874–1965) -

Winston Churchill was introduced to painting during a family holiday in June 1915. He painted during his travels to Egypt, Italy, Morocco, and the South of France during the Second World War, and into the 1950s after he'd retired from public service. He's pictured at work in one of his favorite locations, the village of Câmara de Lobos, near Funchal, on the Portuguese island of Madeira.

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Harry S. Truman (1884–1972) -

By all accounts President Harry S. Truman practiced for hours each day and dreamed of a career as a concert pianist. He's pictured here playing his old piano in the East Room of the White House at a dinner given in his honor in November 1961. Standing behind Truman is pianist Eugene List. In the front row, left to right: Mrs. Truman, President and Mrs. Kennedy, and Vice President Johnson.

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King Felipe VI -

Spain's King Felipe VI is an accomplished yachtsman, and has competed in some of Europe's most prestigious competitions, including the Copa del Rey MAPFRE Sailing Cup (pictured) in Palma de Mallorca.

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Imran Khan -

Imran Khan is one of the most famous names in cricket, his career highlight being captaining Pakistan to victory in the 1992 Cricket World Cup. Khan later served as the 22nd prime minister of Pakistan from August 2018 until April 2022.

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Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) -

President Dwight D. Eisenhower painted to relax. He's pictured in 1954 at his easel at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland.

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Richard Nixon (1913–1994) -

President Richard Nixon was a gifted piano player. In fact, he was a multi-instrumentalist who could also play the saxophone, clarinet, accordion, and violin.

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Warren G. Harding (1865–1923) -

Warren G. Harding, the 29th president of the United States, enjoyed playing music. His instrument of choice was the sousaphone, a type of tuba. He's pictured in Marion, Ohio, in 1921 playing one after learning he'd been selected as the Republican Party's candidate for president.

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John F. Kennedy (1917–1963) -

President John F. Kennedy maintained a passion for drawing and sketching all his life. Pictured is a crayon drawing titled 'Plant a Tree' c. 1929 made by Kennedy as a youngster, on display at the 'JFK 100: Milestones & Mementos Exhibit' at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in 2017 in Boston.

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James A. Garfield (1831–1881) -

James A. Garfield was a dab hand at languages, speaking Latin and Greek. And as well as his native English, he campaigned on occasion in German. And the 20th president of the United States was also ambidextrous, being able to write with both hands at once.

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Seiko Hashimoto -

A politician and athlete who's excelled in both disciplines, Japan's Seiko Hashimoto was a speed skater and track cyclist representing her country in four consecutive Winter Olympics from 1984 to 1994 and in three consecutive Summer Olympics from 1988 to 1996. She's currently a member of the House of Councillors (the upper house of the national legislature of Japan).

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Barack Obama -

Barack Obama, who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017, demonstrated his otherwise hidden vocal skills during the 'In Performance at the White House: Red, White and Blues' concert in the East Room on February 21, 2012. He's seen here in the illustrious company of Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, Jeff Beck, Derek Trucks, B.B. King, and Gary Clark, Jr. singing 'Sweet Home Chicago.'

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Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885) -

Celebrated military officer, politician, and the 18th president of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant showed considerable talent as an artist, though it was a skill he largely kept to himself. He started drawing while at West Point Military Academy. His subjects later included landscapes, horses, and Native Americans. Some of his work graces the Rotunda in the US Capitol.

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Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) -

Thomas Jefferson, who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809, played violin and cello throughout his life. He is immortalized in this painting proposing to his future wife, Martha Wayles, who's playing the piano.

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George Weah -

Soccer fans will know George Weah as a player with Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, Milan, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Marseilles—a glittering career by any standards. Then, in 2018, the former FIFA World Player of the Year became the 25th president of Liberia, the first African former professional soccer player to become a head of state. He completed his term in office in 2024.

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Tarō Asō -

Japanese politician Tarō Asō served as prime minister of Japan from 2008 to 2009 and as deputy prime minister of Japan and minister of finance from 2012 to 2021. But many remember him as an accomplished skeet shooter. In fact, his skills as a marksman led him to the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

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Edi Rama -

Edi Rama, the current prime minister of Albania, is an example of an artist-politician who was an artist before he became a politician. While his civic duties keep him busy, Rama still finds time to pursue his passion for painting, exhibiting his abstract work not just in Albania, but all over the world.

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Manny Pacquiao -

Filipino professional boxing legend Manny Pacquiao is regarded as one of the greatest figures in the sport. But between bouts in the ring, Pacquiao also served as a senator of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He even had a stab at the presidency but lost to Ferdinand Marcos Jr.—one of the few defeats of his entire career.

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Marcus Stephen -

Before becoming the president of Nauru, a tiny island country in Micronesia, Marcus Stephen was an Olympic and Commonwealth Games champion weightlifter. Stephen was in office from 2007 to 2011. He's pictured addressing the Millennium Development Goals Summit at the United Nations headquarters in New York in September 2010.

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Khaltmaa Battulga -

Khaltmaa Battulga, who served as the fifth president of Mongolia from 2017 to 2021, was for many years a champion wrestler, winning gold at the 1983 World Championships and 1989 World Cup, along with several other medals at the World Championships, World Cup, and Friendship Games. He's pictured taking the presidential oath of office in Ulan Bator.

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Francisco Franco (1892–1975) -

Franco, the Spanish dictator who ruled over his country from 1936 until his death in 1975, discovered a calm in painting and became highly skilled as an artist. He painted landscapes and portraits and also copied other artists he admired. He's pictured in 1972 with Salvador Dalí in the El Pardo Royal Palace in Madrid.

Sources: (CNN) (CBS News) (NPR) (National Geographic) (Reader's Digest) (White House Historical Association) 

See also: The most powerful female leaders in the world

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