There are some famous couples in popular culture that seem to captivate a nation, from Yoko Ono and John Lennon to Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. One of the most talked-about pairings of the 1990s was John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette.
The pair first met in 1992 and went on to marry, with their whirlwind romance now set to be immortalised on screen in Ryan Murphy’s upcoming anthology series, Love Story.
Known for their fairytale romance, glamorous fashion and occasional disagreements that became public, the couple tragically died in 1999 when their plane piloted by John crashed over the Atlantic Ocean.
But while you may recognise their names, how much do you really know about the real-life love story of the famous president’s son and his fashion publicist partner? Keep reading for everything you need to know.
How did John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette meet?
John and Carolyn first connected in 1992 during a chance meeting at Calvin Klein. At the time, Carolyn was working in publicity, looking after VIP clients for the fashion brand. When John came in for a fitting, she helped him choose suits and he later asked for her number.
Both were reportedly dating other people at the time. John was in a relationship with actress Daryl Hannah, but there was something about Carolyn that immediately intrigued him.
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyIn JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography by RoseMarie Terenzio and Liz McNeil, John’s friend Sasha Chermayeff recalled attending a party where Carolyn was present.
“I saw Carolyn from across the room and she was leaning on this post. And I said to myself, That’s the kind of woman that John is so attracted to… I remember the way she looked at him and the way he looked at her and I was just like, Okay, this is why I’m here.”
She added: “I think he was obsessed with Carolyn from the minute he met her.”
© GettyWhen did John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette officially get together?
After a five-year relationship, John and Daryl eventually parted ways in 1994, and John set his sights on Carolyn. To his surprise, she initially turned him down, something he “couldn’t believe”, according to his friend Gustavo Paredes.
“It had never happened before,” he told People. Eventually, however, the pair began dating seriously.
© Getty ImagesWhen did John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette get married?
After around a year of dating, John decided to propose in 1995 during a Fourth of July weekend away on a fishing boat off Martha’s Vineyard on the southern coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts.
It wasn’t an immediate yes, however, as Carolyn took some time – three weeks, in fact – to come to her decision. “She understood that the formality meant something, especially to John and his lifestyle,” RoseMarie wrote in her 2012 book Fairy Tale Interrupted. Her hesitation only seemed to encourage him, suggesting he had finally met his match.
© Getty ImagesThe couple tied the knot in an intimate 36-person ceremony on 21 September 1996 on Cumberland Island, off the coast of Georgia. Carole Radziwill, John’s cousin-in-law, told the Daily Mail in 2019: “That night there was a wedding – one of the best-kept secrets of modern time. Guests had to present a special Indian nickel upon landing on the island or they were quickly escorted off.
“It was the most famous wedding of the year, the decade. And no one but the thirty-two close friends and family who arrived, knew.” Following their wedding, Carolyn struggled with the intense media attention and John later released a statement asking paparazzi to respect their privacy.
What happened to John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy?
In July 1999, just four years after John proposed, the couple were travelling back to Martha’s Vineyard for the wedding of John’s cousin Rory when they died in a plane crash.
John had been gaining experience as a pilot and was found in the cockpit, while Carolyn and her sister Lauren were found in their passenger seats.
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette drops on Disney+ on Friday 13 February.
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