When we picture John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, we often think of a glamorous, almost fairy-tale couple. But it turns out their early romance was far from smooth sailing. In fact, it was quite rocky, filled with mixed signals and long silences.
A new biography, JFK: Public, Private, Secret, written by J. Randy Taraborrelli, shines a light on these surprising beginnings. The book, which hit shelves on July 15, reveals just how complicated things were for the future first couple.
Back in July 1952, Jackie visited the Kennedy family home in Hyannis Port for a Fourth of July weekend getaway. After the holiday fun ended, JFK went back to his busy life as a rising politician.
Taraborrelli writes that "Jack," as JFK was known, didn’t see Jackie again for two months. He felt a little bad about it, especially since they had been intimate during her visit. But for him, it was like a casual encounter.
At this point, the book says, neither Jackie nor JFK felt particularly thrilled about the other. Their connection wasn’t exactly sparking fireworks. The book even states, "When he was with Jackie, everything was fine. When he wasn’t, it was too."
Things took a surprising turn in November 1952. JFK had just won his Senate seat. This big win seemed to change his mind about Jackie.
By this time, five months had passed since Jackie had heard from him. She had pretty much given up hope. Taraborrelli notes that she felt hurt, like he had gotten what he wanted and then just left her.
They went on a few more dates after that. But then came an "uncomfortable phone call." It felt like a breakup. Later that December, JFK traveled to Europe. He didn’t even tell Jackie he was leaving.
The following month, in January 1953, things changed again. Jackie started joining JFK at important political events. This seemed to be a turning point for him.
Taraborrelli writes that "Jack now wanted her by his side at big events." Jackie was thrilled, and so was her mother, Janet Auchincloss, who was reportedly quite impressed by the Kennedy family’s wealth.
JFK and Jackie tied the knot in Newport later that year, in 1953. They remained together until his tragic death a decade later. They faced both joy and sorrow in their family life. Their first daughter, Arabella, was stillborn in August 1956. Then came Caroline in November 1957, and John Jr. in November 1960. Their youngest son, Patrick, was born in August 1963 but passed away shortly after birth.
JFK was assassinated in Dallas in November 1963, at the age of 46. Jackie died in May 1994, at 64, after battling cancer. These new details from Taraborrelli’s book remind us that even the most famous love stories often start with a dose of real-world messiness.