Who Was Carolyn Bessette? Ryan Murphy Recreates Her Love Story With John F. Kennedy Jr.

John F. Kennedy Jr. was the son of the president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, and was known as the most eligible bachelor in New York. As magnanimous as his life was, his love life with Carolyn Bessette was something that people were most interested in. Carolyn and John died alongside each other, along with Carolyn's sister Lauren, in 1999 in a plane crash. 

Ryan Murphy is ready to reignite the whirlwind romance between Carolyn and John in his first instalment of the series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette. The trailer came out on February 2, 2026, and people have been reminded of their epic love story once again. Let’s look at who Carolyn Bessette was, the doomed wife of John F. Kennedy Jr.

Carolyn's early life and education

Carolyn was born on January 7, 1966, in White Plains, New York, to devout Roman Catholic parents William J Bessette and Ann Messina. Her father was an enginner and and an administrator in the New York City public school system. Carolyn had two twin sisters who were 14 months older than her, named Lauren and Lisa, and she was very close to them. Carolyn’s parents divorced when she was eight years old, and the family moved to Connecticut when her mother remarried another man named, Richard Freeman. 

Lauren also died alongside Carolyn, being one of the passengers on the plane that took the life of the beautiful family. She attended Hobart and William Smith College for economics and also had an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Lisa had a doctorate in Renaissance studies from the University of Michigan and lived a life off the grid.

Since her schooling days, Carolyn has been a beautiful woman known for her looks and fashion choices. She was loved by her classmates and was always in the popular crowd and friends with the popular kids. She attended Boston University’s School of Education for her undergraduate studies and graduated in 1988. During her college years, she hired a photographer who clicked amazing shots of her and considering that she was well known for her beauty, Carolyn was featured in the 1988 Girls of Boston University calendar. 

While in Boston, Carolyn dated a man named John Cullen, who later played hockey in the NHL. She was also linked with the son of the Italian clothing conglomerate owner Alessandro Benetton. According to interviews with her friends and her college roommate, Colleen Curtis, Carolyn was a warm, kind, funny, extremely beautiful person who was well read and had a knack for vintage clothing. They also said that Carolyn was the kind of friend who was always there for them, and people always relied on her for support. 

Carolyn's journey at Calvin Klein

Carolyn started as a salesgirl at Calvin Klein and made her way all the way up to the top of the ladder as the director of the brand. According to her co-workers, she had a strong work ethic and was very welcoming and kind at work. Because of looks that were similar to those of Elaine Irwin, Calvin’s top model at the time, she was offered the job to handle Calvin's top clients. Her charm and wit did not make her feel intimidated to work with those people. 

Carolyn was most known for her fashion and beauty, but according to her friend Colleen Curtis, Carolyn would have been least concerned with being known as a fashionista. Colleen told The Daily News on July 25, 1999, just a few days after the fatal plane crash, that Carolyn was much more than a style icon. She said: 

“loved to laugh. Many of her friends feel sad that she is being remembered primarily as a style icon. Carolyn should also be remembered for her warmth, for her kindness and generosity, for her wit, for her compassion and, most of all, for her great sense of fun.”

Carolyn and JFK Jr.'s first meeting and subsequent marriage

Carolyn met JFK Jr. in the 1990s, and the two dated for a brief period before breaking up, but they reconciled later, and John was filled with regret over letting her go in the first place. John was the most desired man in all of America at the time, but his popularity or celebrity-like persona did not bother Carolyn. She was not at all smitten or intimidated by him or his status that came with the Kennedy name. Carolyn was a composed person who did not try too hard with him, and even when he proposed marriage in 1995, she replied, ‘' I’ll think about it’'.

John and Carolyn first met in 1992 when she was 26 and he was 32 at the private viewing of Calvin Klein’s latest men's wear collection. The two did not start dating for another two years, but met during society events or when out jogging. The news of their romance broke in 1994, and she became a star overnight. Ever since her news about dating John came out, she became an object of media scrutiny and a life in the public eye.

While Carolyn had no interest in being the centre of attention for media coverage, John was not new to being in the spotlight. John and Carolyn moved to the former’s loft in Tribecca in 1995, and in July 1995, John proposed to Carolyn, putting a gorgeous sapphire diamond ring that belonged to his mother on her finger. In September 1996, the two married in a private ceremony because videos of her throwing the ring at John after the proposal in February 1995, after a huge fight in cental park had gone viral, and people blamed her for making John miserable.

When the photo of the couple leaving the church and John kissing Carolyn's hand came out, people adored and became absolutely obsessed with the newlyweds, and wishes came in from all over. Carolyn’s renowned wedding gown designer, Narciso Rodriguez, cemented her status as the divine fashion icon.

Carolyn was more than just a regal beauty and fashion icon

John and Carolyn were known as deeply compassion-driven people. Those who spent time with her often said she had a rare way of making you feel like you were the only person in the room. Photographs, many felt, never quite captured her true beauty. She had a distinctive laugh, an effortless warmth, and a presence that could instantly brighten any space.

Mindful that people often focused on her appearance, she made a conscious effort to be kind and put others at ease. Her charisma was undeniable, mesmerising, magnetic, and quietly electric. She was an avid reader who loved the works of Charlotte Brontë and Henry James, and she carried a sharp, thoughtful sense of humour. Carolyn was friends with actresses and top models like Jennifer Aniston and often hung out with them.

At Calvin Klein, she was known for her relentless work ethic and dedication. Though she was not without flaws, those who knew her well believed the cold, distant image often associated with her was deeply unfair. She was complex, sensitive, and empathetic, unafraid to voice her thoughts when needed. She carried herself with understated elegance, favourable to a neutral colour palette in her wardrobe, and often wore Bobbi Brown Sheer Lipstick. Above all, she was remembered for her intense, meaningful conversations and the genuine connections she formed with people around her.

Carolyn was an inspiration for Meghan Markle, for her personality was similar to that of Princess Diana

Carolyn was often compared to Princess Diana, for her looks, simplicity, compassion, kindness, fondness for childrend and most importantly for being a part of the most important families of the United States. The Kennedys were nothing less than royalty in America, and so her comparison to Princess Diana seemed apt. Meghan Markle is a huge advocate and fan of Carolyn Bessett Kennedy, like she is of her late mother-in-law, Princess diana and often mentions her during her interviews and conversations even today. Carolyn has often inspired the Duchess of Sussex’s looks and style. Meghan has donned her signature style, a white shirt and a black maxi skirt or jeans, on various occasions. The Stella McCartney dress she wore to a wedding reception was said to be an homage to Carolyn’s wedding dress.

The fatal plane crash that took the lives of John F. Kennedy, Carolyn Bessette and her sister, Lauren

Carolyn was a confident, flawless, chic, young woman who got linked to the Kennedy curse and lost her life just three years after her marriage. Carolyn and John faced a lot of difficulties during their marriage as news of her still visiting her ex-boyfriend became public, and she was caught with abusive substances by her husband. John’s job as the editor in chief at the political magazine named George also caused restrain over their marital life because he was not able to spend as much time with his wife and family.

On July 16, JFK Jr., a qualified pilot, was due to fly them to the Kennedy compound in Hyannisport, Massachusetts, for a family wedding. The two were reluctant to go until Carolyn’s sister, Lauren, offered to go too. That evening, their plane, Piper Saratoga, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. Reports concluded that JFK Jr. lost control before the plane hit the water and was most likely disoriented by reduced visibility and hampered by the ankle injury he suffered at the beginning of July.

Ryan Murphy is set to revisit the love story between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette

John and Carolyn’s romance was for the books with multiple memorabilia and books written on them as a couple and Carolyn alone as an icon for style and beauty. Ryan Murphy is once again set to have people relive the couple with his new series Love Story: John F. Kennedy & Carolyn Bessette, set to premiere on February 12, 2026, on the FX linear channel and Hulu. After the first episode releases on February 12, 2026, new episodes will be released every Thursday.

Designers, friends, and authors remember Carolyn and her trend-setting fashion choices, which often influence their works. Carolyn was an eccentric, magical and special woman who deserved more than the vilification of her by the media and people of America.

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