The relationship between Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr. has been the subject of intense scrutiny since the press first reported on them. The American political elite and the stylish Calvin Klein PR executive from New York City were the center of tabloid attention, with their high-profile romance having its ups and downs—elegant gala appearances, a secret intimate wedding, and public spats in Central Park. The couple's story ended in tragedy when the small plane piloted by John F. Kennedy Jr. crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on a flight to Martha's Vineyard. In honor of the release of Ryan Murphy's anthology series Love Story, starring Sarah Pidgeon and Paul Anthony Kelly, we're taking a look back at their story and the key moments that defined their romance.
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The beginning: a chance meeting at Calvin Klein
1992. John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette met at the Calvin Klein office, where she worked in public relations and worked with VIP clients. According to the memoirs given in Elizabeth Beller's biography Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy (2024), Kennedy came to the fitting, asked for Bessette's phone number, and invited her to a gala. They barely spoke at that time, but in May they were seen together at another event, where they talked for over an hour.
Spring 1994. Over the next few years, Kennedy and Bessette remained in touch, but he was still in a long-term relationship with Daryl Hannah, which finally ended that same year—around the same time as the death of his mother, Jackie Onassis.
In May of that year, Kennedy let Anna's dog off its leash in Central Park, and the animal was hit by a car. According to the book JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography (2024), he flew to Los Angeles with the dog's ashes to say goodbye, despite his mother's critical condition. Carole Radziwill recalled that this was a difficult and anxious time for him. The couple separated shortly thereafter.
The beginning of a serious romance
After breaking up with Daryl Hannah, John F. Kennedy Jr. began to actively court Carolyn Bessette. She was in no hurry to reciprocate. According to their friend Gustavo Paredes, Carolyn was not sure of his intentions. He recalled in 2014 to People: “She didn't think he was serious. He couldn't believe she turned him down. It had never happened to him before.”
Kennedy's friend Brian Steele recalled in the 2019 ABC News special The Last Days of JFK Jr. that John reacted painfully when Carolyn did not return his calls. Carole Radziwill recounted in the A&E film JFK Jr.: The Final Year that she met Bessette during a Memorial Day weekend get-together; they dated privately for several months. However, within weeks, Kennedy broke up with her and got back together with Daryl Hannah.
Rosemary Terenzio, said that Carolyn found out about it from the newspaper. Her mother even sent her a clipping that said:
“Caroline, please move on with your life. Love, Mom.” However, that summer Kennedy and Daryl Hanna finally broke up, and he began a serious relationship with Carolyn Bessette.
Middle: proposal, quarrel and wedding
July 4, 1995. During Independence Day weekend, about a year after they began dating, Kennedy proposed to Bessette on a fishing boat on Martha's Vineyard.
Rosemary Terenzio recalled in a 2022 interview with People that during the proposal, John said, “With a partner, everything is better — fishing and life,” and asked Carolyn to be his partner. She did not respond immediately and took three weeks to think about it, well aware of the level of publicity that would follow the marriage. According to Terenzio, this pause only strengthened his resolve.
On February 25, 1996, the couple was photographed arguing in Central Park, an incident that became the subject of an eight-page story in the New York Daily News. According to Stephen M. Gillon, the conflicts often arose because Carolyn criticized John for being too gullible.
On September 21, 1996, Kennedy and Bessette were married at the Greyfield Inn on Cumberland Island, attended by just 32 guests. The wedding was kept a secret: guests were allowed onto the island with special coins, and no paparazzi found out about the event.
The End: A Difficult Period and Tragedy
1996. After the wedding, the media attention to the couple increased significantly. Carolyn sought privacy and refused interviews, which led to some of the press portraying her negatively. After returning from their honeymoon, John F. Kennedy Jr. approached the paparazzi outside their home in Tribeca with a request to give his wife space so she could adjust to her new life.
1998 was a difficult year for the family: Kennedy's cousin Anthony Radziwill was battling a rare form of sarcoma. According to friends, this tragedy brought Carolyn and John even closer together. At the same time, rumors of infidelity related to Carolyn's name appeared in the media.
1999. In the book The Kennedy Curse (2004), Edward Klein wrote that the couple was allegedly on the verge of divorce in the summer due to disputes over children: John wanted a family, Carolyn was hesitant, not wanting to give birth in conditions of constant media attention. She explained to a friend: “I hate living under constant supervision. John may like it, but not me. How can you have a child in this world?”
July 16, 1999. While flying to attend the wedding of his cousin Rory Kennedy on Martha's Vineyard, John F. Kennedy Jr., Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, and her sister Lauren died in a plane crash in the Atlantic Ocean. Their bodies were recovered on July 20 by U.S. Navy divers. John F. Kennedy Jr. was in the cockpit. Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and Lauren were strapped into their seats.
Thus ended the story of their romance—a love, publicity, and tragedy that still remains a part of cultural memory.
Based on material from vogue.com