New details of Jackie Kennedy's life after JFK's assassination have been revealed, focusing on her surprising-at-the-time marriage to Aristotle "Ari" Onassis. Americans were shocked when President John F. Kennedy's widow wed the tycoon, who was 23 years her senior, and while Jackie gushed about her second husband to reporters on their wedding night, things were not quite as they appeared.
Jackie O., a legendary first lady, had just managed to come to grips with the death of her husband, who was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963, while sitting next to Jackie, with a bullet from a high-powered rifle fired by Lee Harvey Oswald on the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository Building, according to the History Channel. Then her brother-in-law was killed in 1968.
It was a traumatic experience and she found comfort with Onassis and they married on October 20, 1968. "She feared for her life and feared for her children," Paul Brandus, author of "Jackie: Her Transformation from First Lady to Jackie O," revealed to Closer Weekly. "Onassis offered security. He had Skorpios, his own island in Greece, a private army with 75 heavily armed men and he owned an airline. He could give her anything she wanted."
It helped that Onassis was charming and cultured. "Jackie had a liking for a kind of buccaneer. Her father, Black Jack Bouvier, was kind of a rogue back in his day," William Kuhn, author of "Reading Jackie: Her Autobiography in Books." explained. "Ari also possessed a cultured side that appealed to Jackie. "He was extraordinarily charming and a good listener. He could talk about opera and paintings and spoke several languages."
Onassis was also extremely wealthy and ensured Jackie was looked after. According to Closer Weekly, she was given a monthly allowance of $30,000 but far exceeded it. She reportedly spent the equivalent of $9 million in today's currency on clothing in the first year.
"The joke is that Onassis gave Jackie a blank check – and she exceeded it!" Brandus said.
Over the years, their marriage began to sour. Onassis was spotted with his ex- Maria Callas, prompting Jackie to retaliate by seeking company with other men while out in public. Onassis shrugged it off, stating that Jackie "can do exactly as she pleases," adding that he could do the same, but there may have been some bitterness.
In 1972, nude photos emerged of Jackie sunbathing and strolling along the beach. Kuhn said Onassis may have been behind the scandal.
"It’s been said that he was the one who tipped off the photographers. It's a pretty awful thing to do to your own wife," he said.
Adding to the detoriation of their marriage was the death of their only son, Alexander, who was killed in a plane crash the following year. Onassis, who was superstitious, blamed Jackie and would reportedly call her "The Witch" and "The Widow."
Onassis died in 1975. Five years later Jackie met Maurice Tempelsman, with whom she remained in a relationship until her death in 1994. Brandus described Tempelsman as a "wealthy, reliable partner" and a "gentleman" who made her "very happy."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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