Historical Figure
Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy
d. 1999
Wife of John F. Kennedy Jr. (1966–1999)
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Biography
Carolyn Jeanne Bessette Kennedy was an American fashion publicist. She worked for Calvin Klein until her 1996 marriage to attorney and publisher John F. Kennedy Jr. Her life and fashion sense became the subjects of intense media scrutiny afterwards. The couple, along with her older sister Lauren, died in a plane crash off the coast of Martha's Vineyard in 1999.
Timeline
The story of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, told in moments.
Born Carolyn Jeanne Bessette in White Plains, New York. Her father was an architect, her mother a public school administrator. Classmates voted her the "Ultimate Beautiful Person."
Hired as a publicist at Calvin Klein. She managed celebrity and VIP accounts and became known in fashion circles for her understated personal style.
Married John F. Kennedy Jr. in a private ceremony on Cumberland Island, Georgia. Only 40 guests attended. No photos leaked for weeks.
Died at 33 in a plane crash off Martha's Vineyard. JFK Jr. was piloting. Her sister Lauren was also aboard. None survived.
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