Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy book pays tribute to her 'warmth' 25 years after death
Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy was catapulted into the national spotlight after marrying John F. Kennedy Jr.. A new book aims to reframe the narrative around her life.
"Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy," a book written by Elizabeth Beller and released Tuesday, delves into the life of the former Calvin Klein publicist. JFK Jr., Bessette-Kennedy, and her sister, Lauren Bessette, died on July 16, 1999, after a plane piloted by JFK Jr. crashed off the coast of Martha's Vineyard.
Bessette-Kennedy, who died nearly 25 years ago at the age of 33, was revered by the fashion industry for her timeless and impeccable style. Beller told ABC News' Deborah Roberts in an interview that friends of Bessette-Kennedy said she was more than her fashion persona.
"One friend ... said that the people who knew her well were sad that she would be remembered as a fashion icon because she should be remembered for her warmth, for her friendship, for her humor," Beller said.
Beller said these qualities were not often portrayed in the tabloid press, which often vilified her after she married "America's Prince" in September 1996.
"They hounded her, and she felt like prey. So she started to hide away, which was the opposite of what Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy wanted to do with her life," Beller said.
Beller also noted that the photographs taken of Bessette-Kennedy created an unflattering portrait of her.
"The assumptions were from the pictures that she was icy, that she was cold. What I quickly learned was that she was warm and effervescent. She was joyful and loved to laugh," Beller said "[Bessette-Kennedy] was not only an incredible friend, but also practiced random acts of kindness."
Bessette-Kennedy and JFK Jr. had a rocky courtship. A very public fight in Central Park in February 1996 seemed to define the couple.
"Unfortunately, the headlines were that she was a shrew. She was hard on him, and that sort of was a picture that stuck," Beller said.
JFK. Jr. and Bessette-Kennedy moved past their difficulties and married seven months later. She did not, however, accept his proposal right away.
"I think even though she had this intense fear, I think the fact that she loved him took that over," Beller said.
Beller told Roberts that JFK Jr. regretted not introducing Bessette-Kennedy to his mother, who was sick when they started dating. His future wife thought this was a "vote of no confidence," and was a point of contention between the couple, according to Beller.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, the former first lady, died from non-Hodgkin lymphoma on May 19, 1994, at the age of 64.
"By then Jackie was quite sick and it wasn't a moment to introduce a new girlfriend, but he told many friends ... one of his biggest regrets in his life was not introducing them, because that was another thing that I think hurt Carolyn," Beller said.
Children would have been in the couple's future had they lived, but Beller said Bessette-Kennedy had some apprehension.
"Their life seemed so chaotic. This was a woman who loved children. And I think that it would have eventually happened," Beller said.
Beller said her biography may help to shift the negative perception of Bessette-Kennedy, a woman who married into Camelot but did not get her happy ending.
"She was gentle with a lot of people and extremely kind to friends," she said. "And I hope that's what sticks out."
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Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy by Elizabeth Beller
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