In many ways, the world is still mourning the Kennedys. John F. Kennedy, Jr., was famously assassinated back in 1963, but he was survived by his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy. She helped to carry on her husband’s legacy while becoming a political and fashion icon in her own right.
Sadly, Jacqueline Kennedy died back in 1994. At the time, many of her biggest supporters worried that this might mean the death of her legacy.
However, it looks like this legacy is secure thanks to her granddaughter, who happens to be a dead ringer for Jacqueline herself. Who is this granddaughter, though, and how else is she like her famous grandmother? Keep reading to discover the answers!
The influence and legacy of Jacqueline Kennedy
After JFK was elected as president, Jacqueline Kennedy wasted no time making some big movies. This included restoring the White House by establishing a White House Fine Arts Committee to help restore the famous building’s many public rooms. She also hosted White House dinners to which she invited various artists, writers, musicians, and other creatives, giving her the reputation of being a major supporter of the arts. Finally, she essentially served as an ambassador when traveling with her famous husband all around the world.
Even after his death, Jacqueline Kennedy helped to save and restore Grand Central Station and prevented the destruction of famous structures like the Renwick Building. And she did all of this while showing an immaculate fashion sense that inspired an entire generation of women. And she was certainly an inspiration to her oldest granddaughter, who has grown into the spitting image of Jacqueline herself!
Meet Jacqueline Kennedy’s oldest granddaughter
The oldest granddaughter of Jacqueline Kennedy is Rose Kennedy Schlossberg. She was born on June 25, 1988, and is 34 years old as of the time of this writing.
While Rose has been involved in politics on a mild level (more on this in a minute), she is best known for putting her college degree to use. Rose earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Harvard, and she used what she learned to create a female-centric apocalyptic comedy series known as the End Times Girls Club.
Her inspiration for the series was seeing how many women were unprepared for the ravages of Hurricane Sandy and suddenly became much more dependent on other people. The series lampoons some of what she saw while also offering some practical advice for actual emergencies.
Dipping her toes into politics
Given her family history, many have wondered if Rose was going to take up a career in politics. While she seems to have very few political ambitions of her own, Rose has been happy on occasion to lend a helping hand to others who have major political aspirations.
For example, during the 2010 Senate special election in Massachusetts, she pitched in to volunteer for the Alan Khazei campaign. Unfortunately, the Democrat Khazei ended up losing that election to Republican rival Scott Brown, but Rose likely felt it was a kind of family duty to aid in the campaign. After all, the only reason the special election was being held was due to the death of Ted Kennedy, JFK’s younger brother.
On a more successful note, Rose also volunteered to help with Barack Obama’s campaign back in 2008. Her contribution helped Obama secure the presidency, and he became a president that many likened to Rose’s famous grandfather. As for Rose, while she is happy helping others achieve their political ambitions, she seemingly has very few of her own.
Other family bonds
Sadly, Rose didn’t get much of a chance to know her grandmother. Jacqueline Kennedy passed away back in 1994, and Rose was only six years old at the time. This gave the two precious little time to bond, but they were still close enough for Rose to give the older woman an adorable nickname: “Grand Jackie.”
Aside from her close relationship early on with Jacqueline, Rose was also very close to her uncle, John F. Kennedy, Jr. When he died in a plane crash in 1999, it left Rose feeling devastated and lonely.
Rose went on to create a happy and successful life of her own despite the loss of these influential family members. And she even earned a happy ending for herself by finding and marrying the love of her life.
Finding her own happily ever after
One lesson Rose likely learned from her famous grandparents is the importance of finding the right partner. While both JFK and Jacqueline Kennedy were educated and successful in their own right, neither could reach their full potential until they met each other and got married.
As for Rose, she fell in love with restaurateur Rory McAuliffe when she was a caterer for the Kenndy compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. They secretly dated for eight years, and Rory became a close friend of the family. This likely made things much easier for them when they tied the knot in May 2022.
The cherry on top of all this is that they would not have been able to get married if Barack Obama had not championed gay marriage by ending support for the Defense of Marriage Act, which ultimately led to the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. In other words, the man Rose once helped on the campaign trail proved pivotal to helping her marry the woman she loves and live happily ever after.