Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (1929-94) was probably the most famous American-born woman of the second half of the 20th century. Much has been written about her, yet J. Randy Taraborrelli provides new insights in his fascinating "Jackie, Janet & Lee: The Secret Lives of Janet Auchincloss and Her Daughters, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Lee Radziwill" (St. Martin's Press, $29.99).
Janet Norton Lee (1908-89) was born into a wealthy but unpedigreed family. Her father, attorney James Lee, made money in Manhattan real estate. He equated wealth with power, and didn't give power away - a lesson Janet absorbed.
In 1927 she married wealthy stockbroker John "Black Jack" Vernou Bouvier III. The Bouviers were American aristocrats with two Long Island estates and a huge Manhattan apartment. He was handsome, charismatic, a womanizer, a heavy drinker, and a reckless spender.
Jackie and Caroline Lee (b. 1933) adored him. But his infidelities led to a 1939 divorce, with Janet getting custody of the girls. Although Janet's alimony was substantial, it wasn't enough to meet her needs. Her father offered little help. Lacking her own money, she decided to marry another wealthy man.
Hugh D. Auchincloss, a very rich investment banker descended from a patrician New York family, fit the bill. Hugh owned two country estates - Hammersmith Farm in Newport, Rhode Island, and Merrywood in McLean, Virginia - and a lavish Washington, D.C. house. He had a son by his first wife, and a son and daughter by his second wife Nina Gore, mother of Gore Vidal. Janet accepted Hugh's impotency. Artificial insemination resulted in their having two children, Janet, Jr., and James, known as Jaime. Jaime (b. 1947), a photographer, is gay, but never came out to his family.
The Kennedy presidency and Jackie's impeccable style as First Lady thrilled Janet. Jackie's first White House reception was in Lee's honor. They were very close as girls, although Lee was overshadowed by Jackie. Her attempts at establishing herself as an actress, documentary filmmaker, and interior designer weren't successful. The sisters were supportive of each other. Lee was at Jackie's side following Kennedy's 1963 assassination and Bobby Kennedy's 1968 murder.
Although Jackie loved Kennedy, his family wealth was critical to her marrying him. Lee was more impulsive. Her first husband, banker Michael Canfield, was successful but not rich. She married him at 19, knowing he might be gay. They moved to London, but the marriage failed. When Canfield asked Jackie what he needed to make Lee happy, she replied, "Serious money."
WWII left Lee's second husband, Polish Prince Stanislaw Albrecht "Stas" Radziwill, broke, but he used his social connections to become a successful investment banker. They had a son, Anthony, and a daughter, Tina, and lived lavishly. The Kennedys eventually succeeded in getting Lee's first marriage annulled, but by then she was having an affair with the extremely rich Aristotle Onassis (1906-75). Janet and Jackie, both faithful wives, strongly disapproved of Lee's infidelities.
Following the annulment of her first marriage, Janet, Jackie, and the Kennedys insisted Lee wed Stas in a Roman Catholic service. Onassis opposed it, warning Lee that it would change their relationship. Lee reluctantly re-married Stas. Onassis kept his word.
Following Kennedy's assassination, the family gave Jackie a $150,000 annual allowance, a huge sum in 1963. It wasn't enough. Bobby Kennedy got it raised to $175,000, still insufficient. Jackie needed another wealthy husband.
Lee, who had introduced Onassis to her sister, was upset by their decision to marry, although she understood Jackie's need for security following Bobby Kennedy's assassination. She saw how relaxed her normally tense sister was around Onassis. Lee agreed to be matron of honor at their Greek Orthodox wedding on Skorpios, his private island. Janet, who disapproved of Onassis, didn't attend.
Lee divorced Stas and was hours away from marrying San Francisco real estate investor Newton Cope before canceling the wedding because he wouldn't give her the monthly allowance Janet and Jackie insisted she had to have.
Shortly before his death, Onassis, disenchanted with Jackie, disinherited her. With Teddy Kennedy's help, Jackie obtained a $25 million settlement from Onassis' estate, estimated at $500 million. Christina Onassis, Aristotle's heir, disliked her stepmother and paid to get rid of her. Jackie's final romantic partner, investment banker Maurice Tempelsman, shrewdly invested her money, increasing it many times over.
Lee, Jackie, and Janet were shocked that Stas Radziwill died broke. Lee was worried about her children's education, which Jackie agreed to finance. The sisters, however, were spending less time together.
Hugh Auchincloss also faced financial difficulties, forcing him to sell Merrywood. After his death, Janet sold large sections of Hammersmith Farm. Jackie strongly disliked Janet's third husband, Bingham Willing "Booch" Morris, whom she felt abused her mother.
When Janet developed dementia, Jackie actively organized her care. She had also been present when her half-sister Janet, Jr., began treatments for lung cancer before dying at age 39.
Lee was away for most of her mother's illness, although during a rare visit, Janet gave her $650,000, atoning for having favored Jackie when they were girls. Similarly, Lee was absent during Janet Jr.'s illness and death.
But Lee was with Jackie during her final days, and was devastated by her death. Most of Jackie's estate went to her children, Caroline and John, Jr., but she left Lee's children $500,000 each. She made no provision for Lee, stating she had done so in life, which wasn't true.
Lee married former dancer, choreographer, and movie director Herbert Ross, whose late wife was ballerina Nora Kaye. He was widely believed to be gay. Lee felt sexuality was fluid and wasn't bothered by Ross' alleged homosexuality. They divorced shortly before his death. Lee's $20 million settlement finally made her financially independent. She now lives in Paris. Her son, Anthony, predeceased her, as did her nephew, John, Jr.
Taraborrelli isn't a great stylist, but he is a thorough researcher. He captures the personalities of three distinct women whose resiliency helped them overcome tragedies and allowed them to thrive.