Caroline Kennedy biography

Synopsis

Childhood

Caroline Bouvier Kennedy was born on November 27, 1957, in New York City, to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and John F. Kennedy. Caroline spent her early years living in the White House during her father's term as president. His time in office is often referred to as the "Camelot Presidency" for the hope and optimism the young politician brought to America. As a result, the Kennedys were thrust into the spotlight as the ideal American family. Caroline was a frequent media darling; people couldn't get enough of the little girl who walked her father to the Oval Office each morning, and rode her pony on the White House lawn.

Not everything in the Kennedy household was idyllic, however, and the family suffered numerous tragedies. Among them was the loss of Caroline's eldest sister, who was stillborn 15 months before Caroline was born. Three years later, on August 7, 1963, her youngest brother, Patrick, was born prematurely. He died two days later from lung failure. But chief among the young Caroline's early losses came on November 22, 1963, when her father was assassinated by sniper fire. Caroline was not yet six years old at the time.

Kennedy grew extremely close to her younger brother John, Jr. during her youth. Together, they endured a series of family tragedies, later dubbed "The Kennedy Curse." Among them were the assassination of their uncle and U.S. Senator, Robert F. Kennedy, and the death of a former campaign worker during a car accident involving their other uncle, U.S. Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy. Ted survived, but the incident became a national scandal.

In 1968, Caroline's mother, Jacqueline, made headlines when she married Greek Shipping magnate, Aristotle Onassis. The Kennedy family moved to New York City to be with their stepfather, and Jacqueline began working as an editor for Viking Press. Caroline's mother tried hard to shield her children from the public eye, often keeping them away from their rebellious, scandal-making cousins.

Growing Up in the Spotlight

As a result of their mother's raising, Caroline and her brother strayed away from drugs and alcohol, instead becoming conscientious students. Caroline performed well in New York private school, and went on to attend Radcliffe College (now part of Harvard) for her undergraduate studies. In addition to her courseload, the young Kennedy interned for the New York Daily News and worked in the summers as a political intern for her uncle, Ted Kennedy.

After earning her bachelor's degree in 1979, Caroline worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art where she met her future husband, an interactive-media designer named Edwin Schlossberg.