She Was Born Into a Wealthy Family in New York
While you may have assumed that Jackie Kennedy rose up through the social ladder, that’s not the case. Instead, she was born into a wealthy family with a New York socialite mother and a Wall Street stockbroker father. But while her parents had a lot of money to their name, that’s not to say that their lives weren’t without struggle. It’s been noted that her father was a bad gambler and regularly lost portions of their fortune.
As a result, her parents often had to live by the ‘fake it until you make it’ rule, pretending that they still had money and ties to other wealthy families even when they didn’t.
Her Father Made Sure That She Had Everything She Wanted
Although his gambling habits often made it hard to do so, Jackie’s father wanted to make sure that his beloved daughter had everything she could ever want or need. He spoiled her and attended to her every need, making sure that she would grow up in America’s elite. Because of this, Jackie had a very privileged childhood. She grew up riding prize-winning horses and even took part in horseback riding competitions herself.
She was also sent to Manhattan’s Chapin School, an elite private school where she rubbed shoulders with other socialites and even royalty. During this time, she was one of the most popular girls in school – but she also rebelled.
First, Jackie Fell in Love With the Son of an Author
When it was time for Jackie to go to college, she didn’t want to follow the traditional route. Although her family wanted her to attend the female-only Vassar College in order to stay away from the big city and focus on her attention, Jackie dreamed of attending Sarah Lawrence and expanding her horizons. Her parents ultimately won the fight, but Jackie got her own back by traveling back home to Manhattan every weekend.
In her junior year, Jackie jumped at the chance to study abroad and moved to Paris. Here, she met and fell in love with John P. Marquand Jr, the son of a famous American author. She wanted to marry him, but her mother disapproved.
Then, She Started to Focus on Her Own Writing Career
With her mother’s disapproval in the back of her mind, Jackie moved back to the U.S. and tried to focus on her education and career instead. And after graduating with a BA in French Literature, she moved to get a headstart in journalism. In fact, she beat hundreds of applicants to land a job at the prestigious Vogue magazine, where recruiters praised her obvious independence, zest for life and fiery personality.
However, after just one day at Vogue, her editor advised that she quit and move to Washington instead. At the time, she was 22 years old, and her prospects of marrying the right man were dwindling.
She Worked Her Way up to Become a Trusted Journalist
Although Jackie took her editor’s advice and moved to Washington, she didn’t do so to find a husband. Instead, she moved to Washington to work at the Washington Times-Herald and prove she was a trusted journalist. And while she started as a part-time receptionist at the paper, she later climbed the ladder to become a fully-fledged reporter with her own segment that suited her charming personality down to a T.
Jackie’s segment saw her stop men on the street and ask them questions about her life. Through these interviews, she met high-profile politicians and made her way into high social circles. It was here that she met John F. Kennedy.
At First, Jackie Wasn’t Interested in Dating JFK
After working her way into the high society circles of Washington, Jackie grew close to countless political players. And while everyone could see that JFK was the perfect man for her, she wasn’t so sure. Sure, they were both journalists from well-to-do families, were both raised Catholic, and had a similar sense of humor, but she didn’t initially feel that romantic spark between them. So, she initially shot him down.
When JFK asked Jackie out on a date, she reluctantly accepted but wrote in her diary that she found his “toothpick legs” to be slightly offputting. However, the date must have gone well as they got together soon after that.
Jackie Visited the Same Psychiatrist as Her Husband’s Former Lover
The supposed affair between John F. Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe is one that has rocked the high society world for decades – especially as it’s believed that Jackie Kennedy knew of her husband’s transgressions. But while she chose to turn a blind eye to their misdeeds, Jackie unwittingly visited the same psychiatrist as her husband’s former lover after he was killed. What’s more, she had no idea that was the case.
Dr. Marianne Kris didn’t feel like she needed to tell Jackie about her other patient, but it wasn’t long before Jackie found out for herself. And this didn’t go down well with her.
Jackie Delayed Her Engagement to Focus on Her Career
As Jackie and JFK’s relationship blossomed, he knew what to do. JFK bought a ring and proposed to his beloved lady – but she didn’t accept his proposal immediately. As a fiercely independent and confident woman with big career goals, she had also been given the chance to fly to England and cover Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation for the paper. So, she couldn’t turn it down and miss the opportunity.
During her time in England, Jackie reportedly started to second-guess her relationship with JFK. He was a charming young gentleman, and she began to worry that his eyes would wander later down the line.
In the End, JFK’s Mother Convinced Jackie to Accept His Proposal
When Rose Kennedy learned that Jackie had yet to accept her son’s proposal, she decided to step in. She loved Jackie and knew that she would make the perfect wife and the perfect addition to their high society family, but she understood her concerns. After all, Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. reportedly engaged in countless extramarital affairs during their marriage. But what was her advice to Jackie? Well, she told her to grin and bear it.
Rose told Jackie that JFK – like all men – would likely have an affair and that she should ignore it and focus on her own life. This seemed to convince Jackie, as she later returned home and accepted his proposal.