Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's marriage to JFK Jr. was complicated

Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy was often seen as a picture-perfect blonde who epitomized downtown New York cool alongside her husband, John F. Kennedy Jr., but friends say the couple’s relationship was more complicated than the romantic image suggests. Those who knew her described Carolyn as down-to-earth and private.

"She would talk to people, but she preferred being alone — she didn’t want to be bothered," Gordon Henderson recalled, adding that she would often stand behind John and hide from strangers in their West Village apartment. Narciso Rodriguez called her "Strong. Authentic.

Incredibly beautiful. And quite complex." John, by contrast, enjoyed attention and grew accustomed to the paparazzi; friends said he "liked the attention." Their tensions sometimes played out publicly — photographs captured a Central Park argument in February 1996 in which Carolyn removed her engagement ring — and acquaintances acknowledged they could have "huge fights.

United States, New York City

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