A secret marriage contract allowed Jacqueline Kennedy not to sleep with her second husband, Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis. Be, not seem to be
This wedding was not magnificent, but it was one of the loudest and scandalous weddings XX century.
Multimillionaire Aristotle Onassis, the richest man in the world, married Jacqueline Bouvier-Kennedy, the famous woman, the widow of the most popular of American presidents, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, who was assassinated just five years ago... Jacqueline was almost cursed in the United States by all those who, quite recently, were ready to pray to her as the widow of a national hero-martyr.
“John Kennedy has died for the second time,” the newspaper headlines screamed.
Celebrities in their interviews seemed to be competing to see who would judge Jacqueline Kennedy more harshly.
Fashion designer Coco Chanel said: “Everyone knew that this vulgar woman would not be faithful to her dead husband all her life.”
TV presenter Joan Rivers quipped: “Let’s be honest. Would you sleep with Onassis? Do you think she will sleep with him?
Monsignor Fausto Wallein was indignant: “It is clear that when a Catholic woman marries a divorced man, she violates church law.”
Only Cardinal Cushing, a friend of the late President Kennedy, wished Jacqueline happiness with all his heart: “She has the right to marry anyone. Is it possible to curse her for this?... I turn on the radio and hear people blaspheming her, but few people understand Jacqueline Kennedy... I helped her as best I could. I received a letter from her that would have been worth hundreds of thousands of dollars if I had offered it to a magazine, but I burned it. In this letter she thanked me for my understanding. Many people from the late President Kennedy's administration and members of his family asked me to stop what happened. They said that Kennedy's widow should not marry Onassis. But I urge you to show mercy."
Aristotle Onassis and Jacqueline Bouvier-Kennedy
However, in response to this call, letters full of hatred followed, and he was threatened by telephone. Ultimately, he was so shocked by all this that he decided to retire for two years ahead of schedule: “My dear friend, the 35th President of the United States Kennedy asked me to take care of Jacqueline and the children if something happened to him. Now I can say that I fulfilled his order. But I received so many offensive letters that I decided to change my plans. “I intended to remain a priest until 1970 as Archbishop of Boston, but in this situation I am submitting a petition to His Holiness Pope Paul VI for my resignation this year.”
But, despite this stream of indignation and hatred, despite the dislike of the Kennedy family and even her own mother towards Onassis and the very idea of an alliance with him, Jacqueline still went to the end. She wanted this marriage, and she always got what she wanted.
Aristotle Onassis was known as a heartthrob, a collector of famous women: his mistress was the greatest singer Maria Callas, and he brutally beat his wife, the daughter of a millionaire Tina Livanos, and then completely threw him out of his life, without looking at the fact that she was the mother of his children , Christina and Alexander.
Onassis's children, who adored their mother and, contrary to common sense, dreamed that someday Tina and Aristotle would be together again, immediately hated the arrogant, cold Jacqueline, who did not hide the fact that she married Onassis for convenience. They said that Jacqueline's marriage contract with Onassis included 100 clauses, 99 of which related to money, and another one stated that Jacqueline was not going to give birth to children from Onassis. This, of course, is just a historical anecdote: there were much more clauses in the marriage contract. But essentially everything is true. Jacqueline married for money and security.
Society journalist Kitty Kelly described the wedding:
“The atmosphere of hatred that reigned around Cardinal Cushing in Boston was not felt in the small chapel of Our Lady on the Greek island of Scorpio. Here American queen married the king of magnates. The most famous wedding of the twentieth century took place.
Holding her ten-year-old daughter's hand, Jackie entered the chapel, dressed in a beige dress with long sleeves. She first appeared in Washington in this dress several months ago. The hairdresser who flew in from Athens styled her long brown hair and braided it, tying it with a beige ribbon that matched the color of her dress. Although she was wearing low-heeled beige shoes, the five-foot-seven bride towered over her short, stocky groom, who wore a baggy blue suit with a double-breasted jacket, a white shirt and a red tie.
John Jr., dressed in a white suit, stood next to his mother, holding ceremonial candles. He looked serious and a little surprised. The only flower in the church was a branch of hydrangea. The first lady's former bodyguard, wearing a John F. Kennedy tie, stood at the door and kept reporters away.
At 5.15 pm on October 20, 1968, a bearded Orthodox archimandrite, dressed in gold-embroidered robes and a tall black cap, began a service that lasted 30 minutes. Hugh Auchincloss again, like fifteen years ago, gave his stepdaughter in marriage.
“Bless, Lord, Thy servants, Aristotle and Jacqueline, and may the wife cleave to her husband according to Thy will,” said the priest.
He addressed the newlyweds with the words that the wife must obey and fear her husband, and he must love his wife as Christ loves His Church. Then Onassis's sister, Artemis, placed elegant wreaths of lemon sprouts, intertwined with white ribbons, on the heads of the newlyweds.
Simple gold rings were placed on the newlyweds' fingers and passed from hand to hand three times, symbolizing the Holy Trinity. With the help of three acolytes, the priest offered the newlyweds a silver cup of red wine, which they had to kiss before drinking. Throughout the ceremony, Jackie watched the priest closely. At the end of the ceremony they were not offered to kiss. The priest only said that the servant of God Aristotle is given to the servant of God Jacqueline in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Standing next to each other in the small chapel, Jackie's relatives and friends, as well as Onassis's two children, his sister, Artemis Garafalidis, his half-sister and her husband, his niece, Mrs. Panos Drakos and her husband, his friends and business partners from Monte Carlo, Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Kokims, Yaonis Georgakis, executive director of Olympic Airways, and his wife listened patiently to the service. Only twenty-two guests were allowed to enter the chapel. Onassis did everything to protect Jackie's personal life from intrusion by outsiders. He hired two large helicopters from electronic equipment to protect the island. A guard of 200 armed men held back the crowd of journalists and photographers who had arrived in the morning. Patrol boats, as well as cruisers and helicopters of the Greek navy were on duty near the shore.
Turning to reporters, Jackie asked them to leave her alone and agreed to pose for photographers at the end of the wedding ceremony.
“We want our wedding on Scorpio Island to be a family event. If you leave us alone, we will allow you to take the necessary pictures,” she said.
After the wedding ceremony, the photographers were only allowed to go about their business for a few minutes. In the photographs, which later went around the world, the smiling bride was holding the hand of the sixty-two-year-old groom. Alexander and Christina Onassis had these sad faces, as if they were not at a wedding, but at a funeral. Caroline and John also did not smile and stood with their heads down..."
Jacqueline's mother could not hide her indignation when she saw her daughter's hand next to the modest wedding ring John Kennedy's huge ring with a ruby the size of egg. It was a unique ruby, it was simply difficult to wear... But Jacqueline wore it as a symbol of her new life and new wealth. She wore it next to the assassinated president's ring. And everyone around considered it blasphemy.
But over time, to a new Jacqueline - the brilliant Jacqueline the millionaire! - got used to it. And she regained popularity, albeit not as enthusiastically as before. But the marriage with Onassis was not happy... And above all for the multimillionaire himself. Jacqueline did not hide that she treated this marriage as a deal. Actually, all Onassis could do for her was to pay her monstrous bills. Jackie suffered from shopomania all her life - a passion for shopping - and when she married Onassis, this passion reached a certain highest stage. Onassis's only and beloved son, Alexander, died shortly after his marriage to Jacqueline. At the end of his life, Onassis acutely felt loneliness and spiritual collapse: he understood that his daughter Christina would not be able to become a worthy heir and keep his business afloat, and he regretted that he married Jacqueline, and not Maria Callas, who loved him. However, it was too late to change anything.
Aristotle Onassis died in Paris on March 15, 1975. At the funeral, Jacqueline said: “Aristotle Onassis saved me at a moment when my life was full of ghosts. He meant a lot to me. With him I found love and happiness. We experienced many wonderful moments that I will never forget and for which I will be forever grateful to him..."
Christina Onassis gave Jacqueline $26 million (instead of the $3 million stipulated by Onassis's will) on the condition that Jackie would never come to Scorpio or board his yacht Christina, and would not approach the Onassis family at all. Jacqueline easily agreed to this. She needed money, not an island or a yacht. The years she spent in New York after the death of Aristotle Onassis became the happiest of her life.
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Aristotle Onassis He passionately loved two things: money and women. Money - the more, the better, and women - those who could help him increase his status in the eyes of society and bring him one step closer to strong of the world this.
Aristotle Onassis in 1932. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
To then get more more money and women. He did not have beauty, but only a few could resist the billionaire’s charm and persistence. Aristotle (or, as he was called, Ari) literally besieged the woman he liked like a fortress until she surrendered completely. And the more unapproachable the object of adoration was, the more excitedly the businessman tried to conquer him. True, the Greek passion faded as quickly as it appeared. Having achieved his goal, Aristotle, as a rule, lost interest. Who did billionaire and womanizer Onassis love? AiF.ru highlighted the most prominent women in his biography.
Ingeborga Dedichen
Daughter of the late owner of a Norwegian shipping company Ingeborg Dedichen Onassis met in 1934, by which time the 28-year-old businessman already owned a substantial fortune, but understood that his good origin new lover can help him increase his capital. Of course, when he began to seduce the impregnable Inga, Aristotle was guided not only by cold calculation. The girl was pretty, and the hot Greek, greedy for feminine beauty, I couldn’t help but notice this. It was not possible to conquer Dedikhen right away; there were many others around Ingeborga who wanted to get her heart and connections, so at first she treated the businessman as just another obsessive admirer. Ari was not at a loss and used all the charm given to him by nature. As a result, the girl drove out her swimming coach and allowed Onassis to take the vacant place. He, in turn, taught her not only to swim, but also to love. This passionate romance was overshadowed only by Onassis’s unbridled jealousy, which often resulted in assault. Ingeborga endured bullying for several years, but at one point she realized that such games could end badly. Dedikhen left her tyrant lover.
Tina Levanos
A holy place is never empty, Onassis easily found a replacement for Inge. His next lover was a 16-year-old Greek girl Tina Levanos. She (like her predecessor) was from rich family. This time, the businessman had to first find an approach to the girl’s wealthy father, and only then win the heart of the young lady. The future father-in-law, naturally, was embarrassed by the large age difference and the reputation of a forty-year-old womanizer. But in matters of love, Ari was as enterprising and persistent as in business.
Aristotle Onnesis and Tina Levanos with children. Photo: Frame youtube.com
In 1946, he managed to break the resistance of Tina’s father and marry the young beauty. It was she who gave Onassis a son Alexandra and daughter Christina. But there was no talk of any happy ending to this story. Having changed his beloved, Aristotle remained the same violent and jealous lover, who sincerely believed that “He who hits well loves well.” Moreover, neither his young wife nor his children could stop his endless infidelities. For love pleasures he often used his yacht, named after his daughter “Christina”. It was one of the most expensive private ships in the world. It was this floating paradise that became the place where the passionate Greek Onassis realized what had overtaken him. new love. Despite the stamp in his passport, the billionaire, like a boy, plunged headlong into a new relationship.
Aristotle Onassis's yacht "Christina". Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / George Onassis
Maria Callas
After the first meeting with Maria Callas in 1959, at one of the balls in Venice, Aristotle invited an opera diva and her husband Giovanni Meneghini on a Mediterranean cruise on the Christina. Tina was there too, but it didn't matter to the loving businessman. His heart was already burning with passion for another woman, and he did not want to hide his feelings. The journey ended when Tina accidentally caught her husband with Maria and immediately reported Giovanni's betrayal. The man had a hard time, because all this time he was in the dark about Onassis’s true motives. In addition, Menegini was not just a husband, but also a manager opera star. Tina filed for divorce as soon as she set foot on solid ground. From that moment on, Aristotle took the place of Callas’s husband with great pleasure; he was the diva’s patron of the arts. But, unlike Giovanni, the successful businessman did not like opera and was frankly bored at the performances of his new passion.
Aristotle Onassis and Maria Callas. Photo: Frame youtube.com
Relationship between two temperamental people did not develop easily. Quarrels in this union were commonplace - most often the reason for sorting things out was Ari’s reluctance to officially marry. One day, Maria publicly announced the lovers’ joint decision to tie the knot, but the very next day the businessman himself called this news “just a fantasy.” At 42, Callas became pregnant, but Onassis insisted on an abortion. He believed that two children from his first wife were enough for him. Maria submitted to Aristotle’s decision, which she later regretted all her life. She never became his legal wife; the enterprising rich man decided to give this place of honor to Jacqueline Kennedy. As usual in the case of Onassis, Callas learned about the sudden change in her lover’s feelings from the newspapers. After Onassis’s marriage, Maria was left with nothing: she lost her voice, the opportunity to be a mother and wife, because, unlike Ari, the opera diva loved him until her death.
Queen of Italian divas. The life of Maria Callas in photographs.
Aristotle Onassis in 1967. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
Jacqueline Kennedy
Marriage with the former first lady of the United States was to Onassis's advantage; in his opinion, it should have given the businessman an even higher status. With the help of the president's 39-year-old widow, Ari planned to conquer America. Jackie was also interested in this union - after the murder of her husband, and then his brother, she seriously feared for the lives of her children. Besides multi-billion dollar fortune the groom who appeared on the horizon was very attracted to the lady who was accustomed to luxurious life. The future husband and wife met on the same yacht “Christina”. Having a relationship with Callas, Aristotle did not hesitate to show signs of attention to another woman and fulfill her every whim.
Their wedding took place on October 20, 1968 on Onassis's private island called Skorpios. Many Americans were offended by this event. The public believed that the past 5 years since the assassination of the president was not enough time for a new marriage. The media refused to pronounce Jacqueline’s new surname in full and came up with the nickname “Jackie O” for her.
Aristotle Onassis (left) and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
So the marriage desired by both turned out to be a dummy. Having become the legal wife of a businessman, Jacqueline appeared before him in her true form - far from the “correct and unattainable Jackie” that she seemed before marriage. The only activity that gave the newly minted Mrs. Onassis true pleasure was uncontrolled spending of money. She was not stopped by the mountains of dresses and endless boxes of shoes in her own dressing room. On the contrary, appetites grew all the time, regardless of prices. At first, Aristotle, who himself was not averse to showing off, was amused by all this. But he soon realized that spending on such a scale could significantly reduce his fortune. The larger the wife's accounts became, the less generous the billionaire was.
Wanting to put an end to his relationship with the spendthrift Jackie, Onassis turned to a private detective - he followed his wife’s every move and tried to collect some incriminating evidence on her. The presence of incriminating evidence would help the billionaire to divorce the least financial losses. However, luck turned against Onassis. Unexpected death beloved son Alexander was seriously damaged by the health of 67-year-old Aristotle. The entire time he was in the Paris hospital, his daughter and sisters looked after him. Mrs. Onassis was in New York at that moment. However, on March 15, 1975, when the billionaire died, Jackie immediately remembered her dear husband. After Ari’s death, she was worried about only two questions: who would get the deceased’s fortune and what mourning dress to wear to the funeral. Of course, the businessman left his wife a small inheritance, but in order to forget about this woman forever, his daughter had to pay her former stepmother $26 million.
Maestro Cardin: "Jacqueline Kennedy was mediocre."
Onassis followed his father's advice so clearly that he did not take into account one important point“Jacqueline couldn’t ruin the billionaire’s reputation, but she didn’t know how to love either. On his deathbed, one of the world's richest men and a once tireless lover was left alone.
Love triangles involving famous people, always arouse genuine interest. And if the main characters are the recently widowed first lady of America, the odious Greek billionaire and the temperamental opera diva, then with high probability this “intricacy” will still be remembered long years. the site tells tragic story relationships between Jacqueline Kennedy, Aristotle Onassis and Maria Callas.
Greek Maria Callas, before meeting the Greek businessman Aristotle Onassis, was already a famous and beloved opera singer and star of La Scala. She toured all over the world and was already considered one of the greatest opera divas of the twentieth century. Callas didn't just sing - she turned every performance into a show. Thanks to her innate artistry, she managed to attract one of the richest people on the planet. “If Madame Callas had chosen politics instead of opera, she would definitely have become the most influential woman in the world,” Onassis told his friend after attending her performance for the first time. The billionaire shipowner believed that as soon as he beckoned Maria with his finger, she would immediately come running. However, she had been married for several years to Italian industrialist Giovanni Battista Meneghini, who was also her manager and producer.
Aristotle, by the way, was also married, but this did not stop him at all. His wife Tina gave birth to his son Alexander and daughter Christina, however family life The oligarch became bored, and he was looking for something new - a woman who would bring glamor, fire, passion into his life. Callas was perfect for this role.
Before each concert, Onassis sent huge bouquets of roses to her dressing room, signing himself “another Greek.”
In the end, in 1957, at one of the parties, they met in person. 51-year-old Aristotle, fascinated by 34-year-old Maria, invited her and her husband on a cruise on his yacht Christina. The singer refused for a long time, because, according to her, she had absolutely no time for entertainment. Callas understood the dangers that a vacation with Onassis would pose for her marriage (which had long been a mere formality), so she did not accept the billionaire’s invitation for a long time. He waited patiently, realizing that one day the ice would melt. Aristotle regularly sent the singer expensive gifts, organized parties for her, to which the right people obediently came, but “hard to reach” even for Maria. From time to time, in a completely unobtrusive manner, the gallant boyfriend reminded that the invitation to relax on his yacht was still valid... One day, Callas and Meneghini agreed, not knowing that this would be their last trip together.
Behind him alone
From the very first days of the cruise, Mary and Aristotle openly enjoyed each other's company. Giovanni lay in the cabin almost all the time because he suffered from seasickness, and Tina, seeing her husband flirting, began to suspect something was wrong. She has long been accustomed to Onassis’s endless infidelities, but girls for a week, a day or an hour are one thing, and another is a serious hobby that risks breaking up a marriage. Tina's instincts did not deceive her. Callas and Onassis constantly joked, exchanged glances and repeatedly retired below deck... Thus began one of the loudest, but at the same time tragic novels of the 20th century. Maria threw herself into the pool headlong. “The woman who did not know half measures,” as her relatives called her, immediately told her husband that everything was over between them, because only with Aristotle could she be happy - especially since he was going to divorce.
Callas started new life, and wings seemed to grow behind my back. However, Onassis, like a true insidious tempter, realizing that the victim had been caught, began to disappear for weeks. Every time when heartbroken Maria thought that everything was over, he showed up again. It turned out that the businessman doubted whether he should leave his family. The headlines of all the world's media were full of the names of the opera diva and billionaire, and Aristotle enjoyed it, because this is exactly what he lacked in his former boring life with Tina. By the way, she soon filed for divorce herself because of his “cruelty.”
For the first time in her life, Callas fell in love.
She completely surrendered to her feeling, dissolved in it. Onassis captured her heart.
Maria decided to temporarily interrupt her career. Wherever Aristotle went, wherever he went, she followed him everywhere, and he flew to her at the first opportunity (she lived in Paris, he lived on his own Greek island of Skorpios). Divorce, a series of scandals associated with difficult relationship, caused severe stress, due to which the singer lost her voice. In 1959, there was a turning point in her brilliant career, which suddenly ceased to be so. In subsequent years, the relationship between the two temperamental people continued to be difficult. Quarrels in this union were commonplace - most often the reason for sorting things out was Onassis's reluctance to officially marry.
Interests on the side
Aristotle could not resist the need to have affairs with new women - although he was in a relationship. This happened with Tina, and the same happened with Maria. Even while experiencing the brightest novel with the singer, the entrepreneur did not deny himself the pleasure of having an affair with Lee Radziwill, younger sister Jackie Kennedy. She was socialite and enjoyed increased interest among men. Of course, Onassis could not pass by. He was impressed by the fact that she was closely acquainted with US President John Kennedy. The fact is that the billionaire could not establish a partnership with American representatives shipping business. He decided to kill two birds with one stone: to enjoy the beauty Li, and at the same time try to settle his affairs with the help of the head of state.
In 1963, Jackie and John Kennedy's newborn son Patrick died. Aristotle suggested that Lee invite his sister to his yacht so that she could rest and recover from the experience. At the same time, he would have the opportunity to start talking to her about own business. He did not invite Maria, but she knew very well how her amore spent her leisure time. Jacqueline accepted the invitation and, judging by the paparazzi photographs, had a good time in the company of her sister and her boyfriend. True, the fact that Aristotle dated two women at once did not prevent her from accepting attentions from the loving tycoon. Callas, meanwhile, was so worried about her Onassis’s affair with Lee that rumors about his affair with the First Lady of the United States became a real relief for her. She decided that there were no feelings involved - only business. And even the fact that Jackie and Aristotle were seen together at dinner several times did not bother Maria. In the end, the shipowner told Callas: “I love you, but I need Jackie.” According to close friend opera singer, at some point, the fact that Jacqueline could influence her husband about Aristotle’s company outweighed her feelings for Maria. They were still together, although their romance was overshadowed by scandals every now and then.
Love or profit?
A few months after the meeting between the entrepreneur and the first lady of the United States, John Kennedy was assassinated. After his death, Jacqueline experienced depression. She was burdened by the image of the holy martyr that the Americans awarded her. She was a living legend, people adored her, but she didn’t need all this. She was afraid of one thing - new attacks on her family.
Onassis was right there. He constantly visited the widow and was ready to solve any of her problems, including money. She was glad for his support and sympathy, and she was not embarrassed by the fact that the influential admirer was still in a relationship with Callas. The most interesting thing is that the businessman himself did not want to let the singer go! In 1966, she had an abortion at so later that doctors were able to determine the sex of the child - it was a boy.
Callas always wanted children, but Onassis said that if she left this child, he would immediately end their relationship.
If only she knew then that in fact Aristotle was in full swing preparing for his wedding with Jackie...
Onassis was called a “thief in law.” He made his first million at the age of twenty-five, all necessary people were in his pocket, and US anti-mafia structures were unable to convict the entrepreneur of illegal activities. With his money he could buy anything except the love of Americans. He sincerely hoped that “saint” Jacqueline would help him with this too.
The only person The one who opposed this marriage was Robert (Bobby) Kennedy. The Kennedy brothers hated Onassis. A special mutual hostility connected Aristotle with Bobby, who, according to the businessman, constantly put a spoke in his wheels. He truly was a fierce champion of justice, and when he became Prosecutor General, he declared war on the mafia. There were also rumors that married Bobby had an affair with the widow of his murdered brother... So Robert had plenty of reasons to hate Aristotle. When he was shot in 1968, people began to say that it was with Onassis’s money that the attempt was made (there is no reliable evidence for this theory). Jackie didn't believe it. She begged Aristotle to take her away from “this terrible country full of murders.” The former first lady feared for the lives of her children.
From love to hate
Onassis proposed to Kennedy. He wanted to protect her and her children, Caroline and John, by providing them with housing on his island - along with full provision of the highest standard. She couldn't help but agree. Jackie got security, and he got the most famous woman in the world. The wedding took place in November 1968. Maria Callas was sitting in her Paris apartment at that time. She learned that her beloved had married someone else on the radio.
From the very beginning, the marriage was a disaster. The scales fell from the billionaire's eyes. He saw that in fact his dearest wife was a cold and calculating woman. Almost immediately after the wedding, he began to return Maria. At first she was adamant, but after the entrepreneur threatened her to commit suicide if she did not relent, she changed her mind. Aristotle went to Paris every week, and meanwhile Jackie spent his money. Designer clothes, jewelry, furs, rare paintings - in the first year life together Jackie O, as the Americans now called her, lost about twenty million dollars. From such extravagance, even one of the richest people on the planet clutched his heart.
His only consolation was Callas, who was always waiting for him in her Parisian apartment.
He complained to her that Jackie treated him like a bag of money, and she was of no use: the ex-first lady could not influence President Nixon regarding the promotion of his shipping business.
Soon Onassis realized that this marriage was main mistake all his life. She turned her own children away from him, who hated Jackie. And she herself stopped obeying him, beginning to behave not with the expected gratitude, but with defiance. She had nothing to lose. She was still protected by her image as a sufferer, although many Americans fell out of love with her as soon as she married the thief in law. And if Aristotle could calmly call Mary “waxwing” in public, then with Jacqueline he did not allow himself to do this - he did not dare. Meanwhile, Mrs. Kennedy Onassis returned to America.
She, of course, knew that Aristotle was spending time with Mary. When the paparazzi photographed her husband in a restaurant in the company of Callas, Kennedy Onassis immediately flew to Paris and had dinner with her husband in the same establishment, which did not go unnoticed by either the journalists or poor Maria. When the singer found out about this, she attempted suicide.
Broken heart
In 1973, Aristotle's son Alexander died in a plane crash, and the billionaire almost lost his mind from grief. His health deteriorated greatly (at that time he was sixty-seven years old), life lost its meaning, and his strength began to leave him. The billionaire fell ill with myasthenia gravis (an autoimmune neuromuscular disease). Having learned about the unfavorable prognosis of doctors, Onassis hired a private detective who would follow Jackie in the States and be able to convict her of treason - it would be easier to get a divorce without leaving her a dime. However, he was unable to find out anything. Despite this, the entrepreneur, who was no longer leaving the Paris hospital, secretly ordered his lawyers to begin preparing divorce papers.
At first, Jacqueline stayed with him for a long time and forbade the nurses to let him into the Callas hospital. When the businessman’s condition seemed to have stabilized, she went to the United States. After this, Maria was able to enter the hospital through the service entrance and was next to her loved one when he fell into a coma.
On March 15, 1975, Aristotle Onassis died. According to the will, most of his property went to his daughter Christina, and the rest went to the foundation of his late son. Maria did not get anything, however, like Jacqueline. The latter was categorically not happy with this. To avoid legal proceedings, Christina agreed to pay her stepmother twenty-six million dollars on the condition that she cut off all contact with their family.
Callas did not come to the funeral of her beloved, a little later telling reporters: “And what do you think it would look like - two wives next to each other?” The billionaire's permanent driver told the media that Maria was the only one true love Aristotle: “She was his real wife, although they were never married." Opera diva mourned him for two years: she stopped appearing in public and communicating with journalists.
In 1977, at the age of fifty-four, Maria Callas died of heart attack. As many later said - from broken heart. Everything she dreamed of before her last days, - to return again to those happy times when together with Onassis they sailed on his yacht “Christina”. Initially, Maria was buried in the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris, but later her ashes were scattered in Greece over the Aegean Sea.
In 1968, Maria Callas learned from the newspapers that Aristotle Onassis married the widow of US President Jacqueline Kennedy. After the assassination of John Kennedy, Jacqueline experienced terrible depression. Concern for her children prompted her to seek help from Aristotle Onassis. After Jacqueline's call, he arrived immediately, but her mother, Mrs. Auchincloss, did not greet him as kindly as he expected. Onassis's meetings with Jacqueline became more frequent, but the press did not pay attention to this, since the billionaire's habits were to deliberately attract celebrities. Jacqueline felt safe with this man who seemed to radiate vital energy. She could talk with Onassis on any topic, including about her tragically ended marriage. It was not difficult for Onassis to understand that Jacqueline wanted to get married again.
The children on both sides did not want to accept their new father, despite the fact that they had already met Onassis. The entire public was against Jacqueline’s marriage. Headlines like “John Kennedy Died for the Second Time” appeared on the pages of newspapers around the world.
The wedding took place on October 20, 1968 in the small chapel of Our Lady on the island of Scorpio. Jacqueline looked like a girl: her beige dress perfectly emphasized the curves of her body, her hair was braided and tied with beige ribbons. Only 22 guests were invited to the wedding ceremony, who were protected from the crowd of journalists and photographers by numerous security personnel. Photos taken on wedding ceremony, went around the whole world. They show a sharp contrast between the smiling bride and her children, who are as sad as if they were attending a funeral.
After the wedding ceremony, the guests left “Christina”, and Aristotle flew off for business negotiations. Jacqueline Onassis plunged into worries about her future home, calling the best designer Bill Baldwin from the USA: the famous yacht was a terrible combination of styles.
Newspapers never ceased to be outraged by Jacqueline’s commercialism. Society did not understand how the first lady huge country could marry a person of a different faith and culture. Along with her marriage, Jacqueline lost the halo of nobility that society had endowed her with. But she acquired the opportunity to travel and cruise around the world in cabins where there was always enough champagne, fruit and flowers. Onassis personally paid the bills for Jacqueline, who now drove exclusively in Rolls-Royces.
Marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy, however, did not completely banish the image of Maria Callas from Aristotle’s heart. In May 1970, he visited the singer in Paris. As Aristotle sat next to her, he placed his hand on her thigh. “How nice it is to feel Maria’s thick thigh again! - he said. “Jackie is just skin and bones.” Meetings with Maria began to become more frequent, and eventually they even stopped hiding their relationship. Callas possessed those qualities that Jacqueline clearly lacked. Onassis could completely trust Maria, who was always interested in his affairs and admired his tremendous successes in business. Jacqueline did not care about her husband, she only flew from Europe to America and back. This is how they lived throughout their marriage, although Jacqueline had nothing against his hobbies. She had fun, wore expensive jewelry, allowed herself tight jeans and hats of unimaginable styles.
Despite his meetings with Maria, Onassis still remained dissatisfied. He was looking for warmth and understanding that neither his wife nor his mistress could give him. The grown children also began to present surprises to their father. They didn't really have happy childhood among the luxury and celebrities with which Onassis’s house was always full. At the age of 20, Christina secretly married 48-year-old real estate salesman Bolker, which caused unprecedented anger from her father. He disinherited her and forced her to file for divorce a year later.
Son Alexander also did not please Onassis, having an affair with a woman twice his age, Fiona Thyssen. But gradually the relationship grew from family to friendship, and Aristotle began to discuss business issues with him. Aristotle admitted to Alexander that he could no longer stand the frivolous Jacqueline and wanted to divorce her. Onassis's grief was boundless when Alexander died in a car accident. Jacqueline, as before, had fun, and faithful Maria was next to the aging Onassis.
After Alexander's death, a question arose that haunted Onassis. Who will lead the empire after him? Having no more male heirs, he began to bring his daughter Christina up to date. Aristotle no longer tried to pretend that his family life was going normally, and he almost never appeared in public with Jacqueline, who at that time lived in a New York apartment on Fifth Avenue. Jacqueline did not even suspect that Onassis was preparing for divorce. In order to find a reason, he hired a private detective who should convict her of infidelity. In numerous interviews, Onassis complained about Jacqueline's extravagance, thus trying to attract the press to his side.
Jacqueline Onassis flew to Greece only when she was informed that Aristotle was seriously ill. Scandalous famous millionaire At Jacqueline's request, they were transported to an American hospital near Paris. After 5 weeks, which Onassis spent in a semi-fainting state, he underwent surgery. Jacqueline was not trusted to be on duty near Aristotle, instead of her last hours next to him were his sisters and daughter. Jacqueline was clearly not upset by this turn of events: she spent time with friends, walked around Paris, bought clothes, and visited hairdressers. When the doctors told her that Onassis was feeling better, Jacqueline calmly flew to New York for the weekend. A week later, on Saturday, March 15, 1975, Onassis died.
In 1953, Jacqueline Bouvier became a model fashionable woman XX century, it was in this year that she married John Kennedy, who was then a senator, and in 1960 became President of the United States.
When John Kennedy won the election, he and Jacqueline brought The White house feeling of luxury and youth. She was the youngest among the spouses of all political comrades. They soon became known as John and Jackie.
In 1961, the Kennedys visited France. Jacqueline wore Givenchy toiletries. She always looked so elegant that the press gave her the title “Her Majesty”.
Jacqueline was always brilliant and set the tone in fashion. Her name ensured popularity for all her toilets. She did not like to cover herself with a hat or veil. A hat was invented especially for Jackie, resembling a “box” that did not cover her face. And her luxurious black hair, loose or styled in a high hairstyle, seemed to create a magnificent frame for her face. Jackie always wore dresses with an open neckline or with a collar that visually lengthened the neck. All her toilets had simplicity and geometric rigor. In the evening, she allowed herself, with the same simplicity, to attach a bow to her belt or shoulder for decorative purposes.
During the day, clothes were decorated with large buttons. Jackie's typical outfit was a well-fitting shirt dress.
Most of the ladies dressed up in fur coats, hats with veils and jewelry. And Jacqueline Kennedy wore a beret and a simple wool coat. She knew how to show off her beauty with some simple detail, like attaching a bow. She did not like fabrics with colorful patterns; she preferred light colors. Her favorite color.
Jackie's style was youthful. She understood well what is most important when creating an image: easily recognizable, repeating features that can become symbols.
Her trademarks are a string of pearls, semi-long gloves, and a bow.
When Jacqueline was no longer the first lady of America, but Jacqueline Onassis, she allowed herself to wear straight trousers with a sweater or T-shirt, she always wore large sunglasses. But Jacqueline still remained a “stylish woman.”
Wedding of Jacqueline and John Kennedy
And when Jacqueline appeared in public, all the reporters rushed to meet her, but she always greeted them coldly, so they could only do one thing - discuss the outfits Jacqueline was wearing today. The next day, everyone knew from the newspapers what she was wearing, what purchases she had made, how much money had been spent. From everything that journalists wrote about, it was difficult to determine where the truth was and where it was not.
Contrary to the opinion of journalists that Jacqueline spent huge sums of money on outfits, one can express doubt. Yes, she always dressed luxuriously, but at the same time simply.
Jacqueline loved outfits from Givenchy, and, but whether she wanted it or not, she had to wear clothes from American designers in the future. There were political reasons. There were a lot of rumors about this, but if Jacqueline continued to wear outfits that were an exact copy her favorite designers, then these items were still made by American designers.
Jacqueline Kennedy did not dictate fashion, but everyone wanted to dress like Jacqueline.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and her style
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was well known in the city of Paris, as she and her mother-in-law regularly visited fashion shows. Each time, the two of them spent approximately $30,000, which at that time was a very significant amount, which means that the basis for conversations and gossip about the high cost of Jacqueline’s modest outfits had a real basis.