Page 48 - All About History - Issue 52-17

The Curse of the Kennedys

Michael Kennedy was holidaying in
a ski resort at Aspen, Colorado, and
Kathleen
Kennedy
Townsend
playing American football on skis. He
Kennedy Jr.
(1915-1944)
(1951-Present)
Patrick Joseph
Arabella
was not wearing a helmet, and was
Kennedy
(1956-1956)
killed when he skated into a tree. Two
years after that, in 1999, JFK’s only
surviving son, John F Kennedy Jr, died
Kennedy II
Kennedy
Kennedy
(1917-1963)
Caroline
when his private plane went into the
(1952-Present)
Joseph Patrick
(1957-Present)
John Fitzgerald
Kennedy
Atlantic Ocean off Martha’s Vineyard,
(1858-1929)
Patrick Joseph
en route to his cousin Rory Kennedy’s
(1980-Present)
wedding. His wife, Carolyn Bessette-
John F.
Joseph Patrick Kennedy III
Kennedy Jr.
(1960-1999)
Kennedy, and her sister Lauren died
Kennedy
(1929-1994)
Jacqueline
Sheila Rauch
(1949-Present)
with him.
Bouvier Kennedy
The unfulfilled life of JFK Jr (1960-
99) reflects the decline of the Kennedy
Kennedy
(1963-1963)
dynasty from ambitious public service
Patrick Bouvier
Robert F.
Kennedy
Rosemary
Kennedy Jr.
to complacent private wealth. Trained
(1918-2005)
(1954-Present)
as a lawyer, ‘John-John’ dabbled in
Rose’s second son became the youngest
assassination in 1963 shocked the world.
journalism and acting, but excelled as
elected president in American history. His
a socialite. A recently qualified pilot, he
Kennedy
did not hold a license for night flying,
(1959-2012)
Kennedy
Kathleen
Mary Richardson
(1920-1948)
but delayed his take-off until dusk
because his sister-in-law was held up at
in a plane crash.
JFK’s only surviving
son, he died in 1999
work. He was also flying with one ankle
in a cast from a paragliding accident.
Kennedy
Shriver
The retirement in 2011 of Rhode
(1955-1984)
(1921-2009)
David Anthony
Island Congressman Patrick J Kennedy,
Eunice Kennedy
Sr. (1888-1969)
son of Ted Kennedy, after a series of
Joseph Patrick Kennedy
Maria Shriver
(1955-Present)
drink- and drug-related problems, ended
the Kennedys’ unbroken run in office
Shriver
Courtney
Kennedy Hill
(1915-2011)
(1956-Present)
Robert Sargent
“The curse
Arnold
(1947-Present)
Schwarzenegger
is to be
Lawford
(1924-2006)
Kennedy
(1958-1997)
Patricia Kennedy
Michael LeMoyne
born a
(1890-1995)
Peter
Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy
Lawford
(1923-1984)
Kennedy ”
Kennedy
Shriver’s daughter Maria.
The bodybuilder, actor and
Mary Kerry
married Eunice and Sargent
(1959-Present)
on Poverty’.
Republican governor of California
from 1947 – and, apparently, Joe Sr’s
Kennedy
(1925-1968)
Eunice, Shriver founded
Husband to JFK’s sister
the Peace Corps and led
Robert Francis
President Johnson’s ‘War
dream of an American Irish and Catholic
dynasty. During the Chappaquiddick
inquest, Ted Kennedy wondered aloud
The Kennedy family tree
Christopher
(1963-Present)
if “a curse actually did hang over all the
George Kennedy
Kennedy
Kennedys.” But the real curse of the
Ethel Skakel
(1928-present)
Kennedys is to be born a Kennedy – to be
cursed with the expectation to live large,
Fascinated by
to be cursed with the obligation to strive
Hollywood, Pat
children with the
Kennedy had four
actor Peter Lawford.
the matriarch of the Kennedy family.
(1965-Present)
for high office, and to be cursed with the
Taylor Kennedy
Fitz’ Fitzgerald, Rose Fitzgerald was
The daughter of Boston mayor ‘Honey
Smith
Matthew Maxwell
impulse to tempt fate with hedonistic
(1928-Present)
Jean Kennedy
and dangerous behaviour.
The Kennedys are not finished yet,
Kennedy
Kara Anne
(1960-2011)
though. In 2013, a Kennedy returned to
Kennedy
(1863-1950)
Congress with the Democratic Party’s
(1967-Present)
Douglas Harriman
Kennedy
John Francis Fitzgerald
(1932-2009)
delegation from Massachusetts. Joseph P
Edward Moore
Kennedy III is Joseph P Kennedy II’s son,
Edward
Kennedy Jr
Bobby’s grandson, Jack and Ted’s grand- © Gage Skidmore, Lyndie Benson, Alamy, Getty Images
(1961-Present)
nephew, and Joe Sr’s great-grandson. A
Kennedy
Kennedy
happily married teetotaller, he is tipped
(1968-Present)
Rory Elizabeth
Joan Bennett
(1936-Present)
as a future Democratic candidate for the
Patrick
Kennedy II
governorship of Massachusetts.
(1967-Present)
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