Carolyn Bessette and John F. Kennedy Jr.'s love story continues to captivate the public, 25 years after their untimely deaths. In her new book, 'Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy', Elizabeth Beller provides an intimate portrait of the fashion icon and reveals details about her life outside of her marriage.
Born in White Plains and raised in Connecticut, Carolyn attended Boston University before moving to New York City to work in VIP sales for Calvin Klein. It was during a fitting at Calvin Klein that John asked for her number. The couple's relationship began with intense privacy, but they were often seen together at Central Park for touch football games and other outings.
Carolyn was an ambitious, smart woman who was intensely wary of fame. Behind closed doors, she and John shared vulnerability, trust, and a shared ability to shape culture and politics. Their union reigned over '90s society with its allure that even the most powerful publicists couldn't orchestrate.
In 1996, Sotheby's auctioned over 5,500 items from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis' estate after her death. The auction totaled an astonishing $34 million. Carolyn and John were often seen dining at high-end restaurants and shopping for designer clothes.
Despite their sophisticated lifestyle, Carolyn had a limited culinary repertoire and often ordered Kentucky Fried Chicken when they would order out. She once wanted to learn cooking from Martha Stewart but never got the chance. Her grace and sense of style continue to have influence, 25 years after her death on July 16, 1999.
Beller hopes her book will remind people of Carolyn's warmth and kindness. She was described as beautiful, elegant, smart, funny, kind-hearted towards kids, dogs, cats and old people. Her passing was a shock to the world as she had never given an interview.
Despite the tabloid press that surrounded their relationship and deaths, Carolyn's story remains a mystery in many ways. Beller's book aims to shed light on this enigmatic figure.
