The Kennedy Family Rift: What Really Happened?
The Kennedy Family Rift: How Ethel Kennedy’s Death and RFK Jr. Deepened the Divide
The Kennedy family’s unity, once epitomized by their “Camelot” era, has unraveled in recent years, marked by deep divisions, particularly during Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearings for his nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
In April of 2024, over 50 family members gathered to celebrate the 96th birthday of Ethel Kennedy, but her death in October, coupled with the public infighting, signaled the fading of this once-dominant political dynasty, the New York Post reported.
The end of Camelot: The Kennedy family’s vicious in-fighting, and how one death paved the way https://t.co/2KdIz5MeT4 pic.twitter.com/t0nuNT4hWL
— New York Post (@nypost) February 1, 2025
The golden era, which many associated with President John F. Kennedy and his family, had already been showing signs of internal discord, even before the family photo was taken.
Shortly after Ethel’s passing, six of Ethel and Robert F. Kennedy’s children publicly criticized their brother Bobby’s presidential campaign, calling it “dangerous” and backing Joe Biden instead.
The once-close-knit Kennedy family began its self-destruction, as Laurence Leamer, author of several books on the Kennedys, put it. He explained that for three generations, the family stuck together, facing external criticism but never voicing disagreement among themselves—until now.
The most recent battle erupted when Caroline Kennedy, daughter of JFK, sent a blistering letter to the U.S. Senate, urging them to reject Bobby’s nomination.
Caroline criticized Bobby’s behavior, including his history with pets and claims that he had introduced other family members to drugs, leading to their suffering and deaths.
She also accused him of dishonesty throughout his life.
This letter was widely praised by Caroline’s cousin, Maria Shriver, and her son Jack Schlossberg, who continued to disparage Bobby on social media, even mocking his neurological disorder that affects his speech.
However, some experts, including Leamer, criticized Caroline and Jack’s harsh words, arguing that they reflected a break from the Kennedys’ traditional sense of unity.
In contrast, Jerry Oppenheimer, another author and insider of the Kennedy family, suggested that the Kennedy feud has always been present, but it was historically hidden from the public by the media’s idealized image of the family.
This division traces back to their mothers—Jackie Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy—who reportedly despised each other, a rivalry that trickled down to their children and grandchildren. This toxic family dynamic resurfaced during the 1990s when John F. Kennedy Jr. criticized his cousins in George magazine.
The feud continued into the present with Bobby’s increasingly controversial positions, including his unorthodox views on vaccines and his efforts to gain parole for Sirhan Sirhan, who assassinated his father, Robert F. Kennedy, in 1968.
These actions, particularly his endorsement of Donald Trump, led several family members to accuse him of betraying the values the Kennedys once held dear. Even family matriarch Ethel Kennedy, who passed away in 2024, struggled to maintain the illusion of unity in the face of these public disputes.
As a result of these ongoing conflicts, some, like David Baron, a friend of Bobby’s, believe that the Kennedy name has lost much of its luster. The once-celebrated “Camelot” is now a shadow of its former self, with internal battles overshadowing its public image.
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