Kerry Kennedy’s upcoming biography, “Ethel Kennedy: The Extraordinary Life and Bold Legacy,” offers an intimate look at the enduring friendship between Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and her sister-in-law, Ethel Kennedy. The book, copyrighted 2026, details a bond forged in shared experiences and mutual support, from early courtship to profound tragedies.
Early Encounters and Shared Interests
The unique connection between the two women began in 1953, when John F. Kennedy, then a US senator, asked to bring his girlfriend, Jackie Bouvier, to a St. Patrick’s Day party Ethel was hosting. Ethel, known for her outgoing personality, made an unusual request for all female guests to dress in black. She then “flounced down the stairs in a dazzling green chiffon dress,” using “enormous live bullfrogs” as green centerpieces for added humour, according to Vanity Fair. A week later, Jackie showed her “own sense of humor and generosity” by giving Ethel a green four-leaf clover pin with a small diamond on each leaf.
The women quickly “hit it off,” sharing similar ages, a deep Catholic faith, and passions for horses and interior design. Ethel recalled Jackie as “fun, and really funny—a wonderful wit,” noting their natural rapport. This early bond solidified before Jackie’s marriage to John F. Kennedy on September 12, 1953, in Newport, Rhode Island, where Ethel served as a bridesmaid.
An Enduring Bond Through Shared Trials
Despite their differing personalities – Jackie being “understated and reserved” while Ethel was “outgoing and exuberant” – their friendship provided a crucial support system. They exchanged “sweet notes and gifts over the years,” symbolising their enduring affection.
Their relationship proved particularly vital during times of immense grief. Both women became “pillars of strength for each other” after burying their husbands. Following Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1968, Jackie and Coretta Scott King accompanied Ethel on the “dreaded flight” carrying his body from Los Angeles. This mutual reliance continued until Jackie’s final days in 1994, when Ethel visited her at her Fifth Avenue apartment as she succumbed to lymphoma. During this tender visit, Ethel recounted stories from their early years and “lay down next to her and said the Rosary with her,” a moment described in the biography as filled with “tenderness, of holiness, of shared life and shared tragedy.”
Ethel Kennedy’s Legacy
Kerry Kennedy’s decision to write her mother’s biography stemmed from her love for Ethel and the belief in her “extraordinary story to tell,” as reported by The Boston Globe. The book traces Ethel Skakel’s life from a family of modest beginnings who later became wealthy, through her marriage to Robert F. Kennedy, and her public role as a political wife. After her husband’s murder in 1968, when Ethel was 40 and pregnant with her 11th child, she embraced a new role as “protector of the family legacy” and founded the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights. Kerry Kennedy highlights her mother’s resilience, stating she “didn’t pull the covers over her head” and continued to actively raise her children, guided by her “deep Catholic faith.” The book also incorporates parts of an unfinished memoir Ethel herself had written. According to The Boston Globe, Presidents Biden, Obama, and Clinton delivered eulogies upon Ethel Kennedy’s death in 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How did Jackie and Ethel Kennedy first meet?
They first met in 1953 when John F. Kennedy brought Jackie Bouvier to a St. Patrick’s Day party hosted by Ethel Kennedy. -
What shared interests did Jackie and Ethel Kennedy have?
They shared a deep Catholic faith, a love for horses and interior design, and were both close to two Kennedy brothers. -
When did Ethel Kennedy visit Jackie Kennedy for the last time?
Ethel visited Jackie in her Fifth Avenue apartment in 1994, shortly before Jackie’s death from lymphoma. -
What is the title of Kerry Kennedy’s biography about her mother?
The biography is titled “Ethel Kennedy: The Extraordinary Life and Bold Legacy,” copyrighted 2026.