Kennedy Family Marriages That Were Doomed To Fall Apart

For several decades, the Kennedy family has remained a regular in American politics. The family patriarch, Joseph P. Kennedy, a highly successful businessman, came into the political limelight in 1938 when he was appointed the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom. Although he served in that role for only two years, it was enough time for Joe to pass his political interests to his children, encouraging them to follow in his footsteps. Since then, the Kennedy family has produced a United States President, an Attorney General, and several lawmakers who have served in the Senate and House of Representatives.

While the Kennedys left an indelible mark on the country's political scene, their personal lives were equally newsworthy. Meanwhile the Kennedy men would every so often indulge in extramarital affairs, their women were forced to publicly navigate the murky waters of a dysfunctional marriage. "For these women, if they ever did discuss [their husbands' infidelities], it was more like, 'This is what's going on; let's go out and get the kids and get on a horse.'" Cornelia Guest, whose mother CZ Guest was First Lady Jackie Kennedy's close friend, told People in November 2016.

Yet, this is barely a surprise, given that many of the marriages were set up to fail from the very beginning.

After their 1996 secret wedding, John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette put up the facade of a picture-perfect couple. Behind closed doors, however, their life together was far from a fairy tale. Bessette, a former publicist for Calvin Klein, struggled to cope with her husband's fame and the media's obsession with her. While they were still dating, Bessette was forced to move out of her home numerous times after being constantly harassed by paparazzi. "She recently had to move out of her New York apartment because the press had staked it out and so far, her new location has been kept a pretty good secret," The Boston Globe shared at the time (via Harper's Bazaar).

Beyond the media frenzy, JFK Jr. and Bessette also faced their fair share of marital problems. According to friends, the couple had been in counseling in the weeks leading up to their tragic 1999 plane crash. "John and Carolyn loved each other, but their struggles were much more real than people realize," J. Randy Taraborrelli, author of "The Kennedy Heirs," wrote in his book (via People). The couple was reportedly also on the verge of separation at the time of their death. "A week [after July 4], John had told several friends and colleagues that he and Carolyn were splitting up," Elizabeth Beller wrote in her 2024 book "Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy" (via People).

Joseph Kennedy Sr. and his wife, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, laid the foundation for the powerful Kennedy dynasty we have all come to know. Joseph and Rose got married in 1914 and went on to have nine children together. Despite their long-lasting relationship, their marriage was marred by numerous challenges, including Joseph's infidelity. In their 55 years together, Joseph had extramarital relations with numerous high-profile women, including film star Gloria Swanson, whom he first met in November 1927 after being introduced by a mutual friend. 

The former United States ambassador to the UK was also linked to Marlene Dietrich, another Hollywood legend. The pair first met while vacationing with their families in France in the summer of 1938. Though it is unclear how long it lasted, Joseph's affair with Dietrich continued even long after their vacation. The ambassador's longest-known affair was, however, with his secretary Janet Des Rosiers. According to the Daily Mail, Joseph's relationship with Des Rosiers' relationship spanned nine years. 

And given his high-profile status, Joseph's wandering eyes were no secret to the public. Though she never publicly acknowledged it, his wife Rose was reportedly aware of her husband's infidelities, choosing instead to look away. "I have no doubt that Rose knew what was going on, but, in my judgment, she willed that knowledge out of her mind. She didn't want to lose her marriage," historian Doris Kearns Goodwin observed of the couple's marriage (via PBS). 

When Patricia Kennedy met actor Peter Lawford in 1952, it was the start of a whirlwind romance that seemed destined for a happy ending. What began as a mere curiosity on Lawford's part soon turned into a full-blown love affair. "One night we were having dinner in L.A. and we started talking about love and marriage. I told (her) I was falling in love with her and that maybe she might consider making it permanent," Lawford recounted in his biography "The Peter Lawford Story: Life with the Kennedys, Monroe, and the Rat Pack." In 1954, the couple were married, going on to welcome four kids together: Christopher, Sydney, Victoria, and Robin. 

But despite what appeared to be a happy relationship, Lawford's insatiable appetite for sexual needs and Patricia's conservative beliefs about sex posed the biggest threat to their marriage. "Pat had been raised by her obsessively religious mother to believe that sexual intercourse was a sin except within marriage, and even then that its sole purpose was procreation," James Spada wrote in his book "Peter Lawford: The Man Who Kept Secrets" (via the Orlando Sentinel). Unable to tolerate his philandering ways, Patricia eventually filed for legal separation in 1963; their divorce was finalized three years later, in February 1966. By ending her marriage to Lawford, Patricia made history as the first Kennedy to get a divorce.

In 1997, the Kennedys faced a big scandal when news broke that Michael Kennedy, who was married to Victoria Gifford at the time, had been having an affair with his family nanny, reportedly starting when she was only 14. Michael subsequently took three lie detector tests, proving that his affair with the nanny only turned sexual after she turned 16 — the legal age of consent in Massachusetts. Still, many couldn't get behind what was deemed an inappropriate affair. "I know that will be difficult, but I hope that in time the (babysitter's) family will forgive me. I also hope that my wife and children will forgive me and that I can someday earn and deserve their confidence again," Michael shared in a statement at the time (via Deseret).

Despite his public plea, Kennedy's marriage quickly ended all the same. Shortly after the scandal went public, the couple separated, signaling the beginning of the end for them. In November 1997, a judge approved Kennedy and Gifford's divorce petitions, with a mandatory 90-day wait period for finalization. "It allows for a cooling-off, or warming-up period. The state does not like to see families breaking up, and if there's a chance of a reconciliation, the state wants to do everything to encourage it," Julius B. Levine, a law school professor, explained to the Chicago Tribune. Tragically, neither the divorce nor a reconciliation was finalized as Michael died in a tragic ski accident in December 1997, rendering the couple's previous divorce petitions nullified.

With their long history in America's political scene, it is no surprise that the Kennedys have earned a spot as one of the country's most influential families. Yet, for some, like Joseph Kennedy II, this level of power proved intoxicating. In February 1979, Kennedy married Sheila Brewster Rauch, with whom he welcomed twin boys, Joseph III and Matthew, the following year. Kennedy and Rauch's union was, however, not a happily ever after fairytale as they divorced in 1991 after 12 years together. Initially dubbed amicable, the divorce later took a different turn, birthing the start of a public drama between the pair.

Two years after their divorce, Joseph secretly had his marriage to Rauch annulled by the Catholic church on the grounds that he was not mentally capable at the time of the wedding. Blindsided, Rauch appealed and subsequently won to have the decision reversed by the church. "There was a real marriage. It was a marriage that failed, but as grown-ups, we need to take responsibility for that. The [annulment] process was dishonest, and it was important to stand up and say that," she shared in an interview with Time.

In her 1997 memoir, "Shattered Faith," Rauch gave a glimpse into her tumultuous marriage to Kennedy, revealing that the former congressman often compared her to the rest of his famous family. "My former husband was powerful and popular. I was, as he so often reminded me, a nobody ... nobody in his town would be on my side," she wrote in the book (via The Boston Globe).

In 1986, Arnold Schwarzenegger got married to Maria Shriver, a journalist and niece of former president, John F. Kennedy. Shriver and Schwarzenegger first met in 1977 after being introduced by their mutual friend Tom Brokaw. The pair would go on to have a seemingly beautiful life, welcoming four children together: Katherine, Christina, Patrick, and Christopher. 

After 25 years together, the couple announced their separation in 2011. "This has been a time of great personal and professional transition for each of us," Shriver and Schwarzenegger shared in a joint statement at the time (via People). "After a great deal of thought, reflection, discussion, and prayer, we came to this decision together. At this time, we are living apart while we work on the future of our relationship."

After their separation announcement, news broke that Shriver left Schwarzenegger after finding out he had fathered a child with a member of their household staff years before. "This is a painful and heartbreaking time. As a mother, my concern is for the children. I ask for compassion, respect, and privacy as my children and I try to rebuild our lives and heal. I will have no further comment," Shriver said in a statement to Fox News. The following month, Shriver filed for divorce, with proceedings eventually finalizing ten years later in 2011. Despite their separation, however, Shriver and Schwarzenegger have maintained a cordial relationship through the years.

In May 1956, Jean Kennedy married businessman Stephen Smith. And like the others in her famous family, Jean had everything but a perfect marriage. Ten years into their union, Smith was reportedly unfaithful, seemingly following in the footsteps of the Kennedy men. A June 2020 essay by the Daily Mail explored the couple's marriage, likening Smith to his brothers-in-law Robert, John, and Edward Kennedy. "It was a way of life for those guys. Cheating on their wives was a rite of passage for Kennedy men, and Steve was kind of a hero to Teddy and Bobby because he was more open about it," a source told the outlet. "Jean thought about divorce but that was a no-no in her staunch Catholic beliefs."

Despite making no effort to hide it, Jean turned a blind eye to her husband's indiscretion, choosing instead to maintain the facade of a happy marriage. "She was too embarrassed to fess up to what was going on — even though her own sister-in-law, Jackie, had told her, 'Divorce that son-of-a-b****. He's no damn good for you," another insider told the Daily Mail of the couple's marriage.  

Eventually, in the '60s, Jean sought solace outside her marriage, reportedly taking up a sexual relationship with lyricist Alan Jay Lerner. Though she was said to have been "head-over-heels madly in love," Jean's affair with Lerner came to an abrupt end after the famous lyricist suddenly broke things off. Jean would later return focus to her marriage, remaining with Smith until his death in August 1990.

In 1957, Ted Kennedy met Joan Bennett — the woman who would eventually become his first wife. The couple got married in November 1958, marking the beginning of Bennett's troubles as Ted's wife, Bennett, a former model, struggled with the overwhelming demands of being a Kennedy. "I had no idea what I was getting into. I was just a nice young girl marrying a nice young man," Joan once recounted to The Chicago Tribune. 

With her naturally reserved personality, Bennett soon found herself drowning in the powerful, larger-than-life aura of the Kennedys. Eventually, it became obvious that what she wanted did not matter. "The house was always full of cooks, baby nurses, and staff. I felt extra, no good. When I said I didn`t want a baby nurse, we had a baby nurse. Everything was done and taken care of and I didn`t do it. I was nobody, nothing, not needed," Bennett lamented in the interview with The Chicago Tribune.

In addition to the demands of being a Kennedy, Bennett also struggled with rumors of her husband's infidelity. Though neither of the couple publicly confirmed the rumors, they would eventually go their separate ways in 1981. "With regret, yet with respect and consideration for each other, we have agreed to terminate our marriage. We have reached this decision together, with the understanding of our children and after pastoral counseling," they wrote in a joint statement to The New York Times.

While studying at the University of Virginia School of Law, Robert Kennedy Jr. began a romantic relationship with fellow student Emily Black. In 1982, Black and Kennedy got married in a combined Christian-Catholic ceremony that saw them surrounded by their closest family and friends. While their wedding was famously dubbed "wedding of the century" by UPI, their union was anything but rosy.

Particularly, the couple struggled to keep Kennedy's use of drugs under control. "It was physically a little difficult. He had a lot of willpower, but the issue was that he had used drugs so much that it changed the physiology of his body," a source close to Kennedy shared in "RFK Jr.: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and the Dark Side of the Dream." Help from loved ones also proved futile, with a friend admitting that all of their efforts were "amateurish to say the least."

In 1983, Kennedy made headlines after suffering a near heroin overdose during a flight from Minneapolis to South Dakota. Following the incident, Kennedy checked himself into rehab, telling Time in a statement that he was "determined to beat this problem." Though Black initially played the role of a dutiful wife, staying by his side and helping him through his struggles, the couple shocked many when they announced their separation. Two years later, in 1994, Black and Kennedy finalized their divorce.

Following his separation from Emily Black, Robert Kennedy Jr. began a new relationship, proposing to Mary Richardson, a longtime friend of his sister Kerry Kennedy, in 1993. Despite initially claiming to be divorced at the time of the proposal, Robert's divorce from Black was not finalized until 1994. That same year, Robert and Richardson said their "I dos" aboard a research vessel on the Hudson River. At the time, the couple was already expecting their first child together. Three months later, Robert and Richardson welcomed their first child together, son Conor Kennedy. In the years that followed, the couple welcomed three more children: Kyra, Aidan, and William.

Similar to his marriage to Black, Robert's wandering eyes posed a big problem in his marriage. Even worse, he spared his wife no details of his indiscretions. "Bobby had some big epiphany, and started divulging a lot of personal stuff that she'd never known, a lot of affairs that had happened," a source told the Daily Mail. A few of Robert's friends also confirmed his philandering ways, with one telling The New Yorker that: "He has a very addictive nature, whatever it is — whether it's drugs, whether it's sex, whether it's attention."

After over a decade of marriage, Kennedy filed for a divorce in May 2010. Sadly, the divorce was never finalized, as Richardson died by suicide two years later. "Mary inspired our family with her kindness, her love, her gentle soul and generous spirit," the Kennedys said in a statement released at the time, per CNN.

President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jackie Kennedy, were widely regarded as America's golden couple, but the pair's love story was far from rosy. Through their 10 years of marriage, the couple endured countless hardships, most notably Kennedy's highly publicized affairs. In his lifetime, JFK was linked to several women, including movie star Marilyn Monroe and a few of his White House employees.

With how public the affairs were, many have long speculated that Jackie was aware of her husband's indiscretions. "It was a marriage of its time. At the end of the day, Jack came back to Jackie — and that was it. They loved each other. It was kinetic between them. She wasn't trying to change him," a source close to the couple disclosed to People. Jackie's approach to her husband's infidelity reportedly stemmed from growing up in a similar household. Her father, an acclaimed businessman and socialite, also had numerous affairs outside of his marriage.

A few times, however, Jackie reportedly expressed her displeasure over John's affairs, even once considering getting a divorce. Yet, the couple stayed together till John's tragic assassination in 1963. "Jackie knew it going into the marriage, and Janet [her mother] knew it as well. They kind of knew what they were getting themselves in for. Then they had to live with it," author J. Randy Taraborrell told People in January 2018.