Meet Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 6 Kids
The following article mentions suicide and addiction.
In October 2023, members of the Kennedy family made headlines after denouncing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s decision to run for president in 2024. Born to Robert F. Kennedy Sr., RFK Jr. is one of 11 children; out of those 11, four stepped forward with a strong public statement the year before the election. "The decision of our brother Bobby to run as a third party candidate against Joe Biden is dangerous to our country," Kerry Kennedy posted on Instagram while also speaking for Rory Kennedy, Hon. Joseph P. Kennedy II, and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. "Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision, or judgment. Today's announcement is deeply saddening for us. We denounce his candidacy and believe it to be perilous for our country."
In addition to being a member of an American dynasty, RFK Jr. has made a name for himself as an outspoken anti-vaccine activist, environmental lawyer, and politician. He also happens to be a father to six children. His two eldest kids — Bobby Kennedy III and Kick Kennedy — were born to his first wife, Emily Black, while the latter four — Conor Kennedy, Kyra Kennedy, William Kennedy, and Aiden Kennedy — are from his marriage to Mary Richardson. Here's what you need to know about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s kids.
Conor Kennedy dated Taylor Swift
Born in 1994, Conor Kennedy, for the most part, has kept a low profile over the years. That said, Conor's short-lived romance Taylor Swift was anything but under the radar. According to Us Weekly, back in 2011, Swift became infatuated with the Kennedy family after tuning in to the year's "The Kennedys" miniseries, which chronicled the lives of the family's members. Soon, the singer began collecting memorabilia and doing extensive research on Kennedy history. Upon hearing about Swift's interest, Rory Kennedy reached out to see if she could get her hands on some concert tickets, and the two became quick friends. Rory invited Swift to spend the Fourth of July at the Kennedy compound, which is where she met Conor.
By July of 2012, Swift and Conor were photographed together while spending time in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, and could be frequently spotted in the town throughout the rest of that month. The duo were even caught displaying some PDA. "Conor put his arm around Taylor and they kissed behind the boat shed," one source told Us Weekly. The news outlet went on to confirm that the pair were "officially dating" by August, after which Swift purchased a home near the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port.
The Swift/Kennedy pairing fizzled by the fall. And yes, there seems to be at least one song that was inspired by their time together: Many fans believe Swift's track "Begin Again" is about moving on with Conor in the wake of her split from Jake Gyllenhaal.
Conor Kennedy secretly fought in Ukraine
In 2013, Conor Kennedy was arrested during a Washington D.C. protest outside of the White House in opposition to the Keystone Pipeline. His father, actor Daryl Hannah, and prominent environmental activists also joined the frontlines. According to CBS News, the protest was organized as an effort to make others aware that the pipeline could, as they put it, "boost carbon pollution by triggering a boom of growth in the tar sands industry in Canada, and greatly increasing greenhouse gas emissions." Conor and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. were arrested together, and ultimately driven to a police station in handcuffs. The father and son paid a fine and were free to go.
In 2022, Kennedy revealed on Instagram that he had secretly fought in Ukraine's International Legion. "Like many people, I was deeply moved by what I saw happening in Ukraine over the past year," he wrote. "When I heard about Ukraine's International Legion, I knew I was going, and I went to the embassy to enlist the next day." He went on to confess that his time in Ukraine was "scary," but the overall risk was worth it. While he didn't have any previous military experience when he enlisted in the legion, Kennedy noted that his physical strength and fearlessness proved to be major assets. Family, friends, and fans all took to the comment section with vast support.
Robert F. Kennedy III married a former undercover CIA agent in 2018
For the most part, Robert F. "Bobby" Kennedy III, who was born in 1984, has stayed out of the limelight for most of his life. However, he made headlines in 2018 when it was announced that he was set to marry ex-CIA spy Amaryllis Fox that same year. A friend of the duo dished to Page Six that they had known each other for some time. "They met in the desert through mutual friends four years ago," the source shared. "They share a commitment to social justice." Furthermore, Bobby III's father, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., gushed over Fox to Town & Country after the wedding announcement was made public, admitting that the whole of the family adores her.
The year following the wedding, Fox and Bobby III welcomed their first child, a daughter named Bobby. "Baby Bobby arrived safe and snug on January 7th at 6:27 pm," Fox wrote on Instagram. "She's named for her father, grandfather, and great grandfather, carrying their legacy into a future where women stand shoulder to shoulder with their fathers, brothers, and sons to do the work of love in the world. May she hold in her heart their fathomless commitment to human dignity, peace among nations, and protection of our natural world." In 2021, Fox gave birth to the couple's second child, son Cassius Watts Thoreau. As Fox noted on Instagram, he was named after boxing legend and activist Muhammad Ali.
Bobby Kennedy III has worked in filmmaking and theater
Before his marriage to Amaryllis Fox, Bobby Kennedy III wore a number of different hats. He graduated from Brown University and worked briefly in politics, even joining the team of a political fact-checking site called Ameritocracy.com. "[W]e live in a culture of sound bites," he told Teen Vogue in 2008. "But you have to dissect them, you have to look at their sources."
However, Bobby III eventually pivoted to the arts, writing and starring in a film that took place in Italy. After that, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s eldest son left the screen to try his hand at writing a musical. He debuted "ELEW: Live from Infinity," a one-act comedy about rock-jazz pianist Eric Lewis, in 2011. The musical featured puppets, which, surprisingly, had somewhat of a more symbolic undertone than you'd think."It's a story about immortals — people that attain immortality through going through various universes and defeating your alternate selves," he told HuffPost. "It's kind of hard to pin it down."
He also felt like this was the perfect time to explain why he had no interest in following his father and grandfather's political footsteps. "People that, I feel at least, get into politics too early before they've had a chance to express themselves and kind of be free and do what they want to do, end up being the most corrupt politicians," he explained. "I don't really care for American politics as they're currently playing out. Campaign finance is basically legalized bribery."
Aidan Caohman Vieques Kennedy was born when his dad was in jail
Out of all his siblings, Aidan Caohman Vieques Kennedy is one of the more private Kennedys. What we do know is that he is the youngest child of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his late ex-wife Mary Richardson. Aidan was born while his father was incarcerated in Vieques Island, Puerto Rico, for trespassing and illegally protesting the 2001 U.S. Navy bombing. After Aidan was born in 2001, Richardson told Tampa Bay Times reporters, "I think that when he is older, the child will understand why he has the name of Vieques and how important it is. And he'll be proud to be a part of that history."
Reflecting on his time in jail in a piece for Outside magazine, RFK Jr. touched on missing his son's birth. "My wife said she thought I was a hero, but if she could see me, she'd peg me as a slacker," he wrote. "She's the only real hero in this, having cared for our five children and produced our sixth, Aidan Caohman Vieques Kennedy, in my absence."
RFK Jr. filed for divorce from Richardson in 2010 after 16 years of marriage. In 2012, Richardson died by suicide. Aidan was only 11 years old. Allegedly, Richardson was distraught over the ongoing custody battle she had with RFK. Jr. regarding their children amid their divorce. Richardson struggled with alcohol addiction and had become dependent on RFK. Jr, whom she called the day before she was found dead.
Kyra Kennedy struggled following her mother's death
After Mary Richardson died, Robert F. Kennedy's daughter Kyra Kennedy, who was born in 1995, apparently struggled with her grief to a great degree — so much so that RFK Jr. sent her off to live with the woman who would become his third wife, Cheryl Hines. "Kyra took the news of her mother's death very, very hard," one source disclosed to RadarOnline in 2012. "She started going off the rails a bit and the family was concerned over what she would do, how it would all play out. The last thing the Kennedys wanted was another embarrassing scandal, so Robert decided the best move was to pack her off to live with Cheryl in L.A., away from her friends and any bad influences."
Although RFK Jr. thought he was making the best decision for his daughter and that living with Hines might help her, Krya continued to make headlines in later years. Page Six reported that in one incident, after she denied entry to a club in New York for being underage and using a fake ID, Kyra lashed out at security screaming, "I am a Kennedy, Google me!" She also reportedly added, "If you don't let me in, the governor will be calling." Afterwards, Kennedy and her friends took to Instagram to share photos of themselves partying in the town.
Kyra Kennedy had some drama on social media
Aside from using Instagram to show off her socialite status and party lifestyle, Kyra Kennedy may have used the platform to go a little too far sometimes — at least, according to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
As recounted by Page Six, The Cut's Allie Jones wrote a piece on Kyra and her friends in response to a 2016 New York Times article called "Move Over, Rat Pack and Brat Pack: Here Comes the Snap Pack." Kyra was not a fan. In a since-deleted series of comments left on Jones' Instagram, the Kennedy wrote things like "I can play games too b**ch" and "clearly taking your insecurities out on others. We can play too." Then, Jones published yet another piece on The Cut called "I'm Being Cyberbullied on Instagram by a Kennedy."
When RFK Jr. caught wind of what his daughter was commenting on Jones' Instagram, he did not take it lightly. "Mr. Kennedy has spoken to Kyra and informed his daughter that their family does not bully people," a rep for RFK Jr. told Page Six. "He has instructed her to shut down all of her social media accounts immediately." Kyra was banned for more than three years by her dad before she was finally allowed to begin posting again in 2019. She started off posting simple family photos and selfies, but soon it became apparent that by 2023, Kyra was part of a high-profile lifestyle, attending events of big-name designers like Louis Vuitton and Giorgio Armani.
Kathleen Alexandra Kennedy studied theater
Kathleen "Kick" Alexandra Kennedy is Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s eldest daughter. Born in 1988, she went on to graduate from Stanford, where she obtained a degree in history and theater. Kick inherited her father's passion for activism, particularly in the subject of clean water. In 2010, she hiked Mount Kilimanjaro with fellow activists Emile Hirsch and Jessica Biel in an effort to bring awareness to water shortage. "I like to say life is just a collection of experiences — some good, some bad — and the more you have the better," she said in a 2012 interview with Town & Country. "Saying yes has just kind of worked for me so far."
Apart from activism, Kick has a deep passion for acting as well. She made appearances on "Gossip Girl" and "The Newsroom" and worked alongside her brother, Bobby Kennedy III, in his 2021 film "Fear and Loathing in Aspen." But for Kick, fame is something that she doesn't aim for in her acting career. "I see all my actor friends really going for it in that way because it's such a big part of the job, but it kind of turns me off," she told Town & Country. "I'm frightened of it, or at least uninterested, unamused." On the other hand, Kick has a passion for the extreme. After revealing that her first word other than "dada" was "dangerous," she explained that she preferred going on adventures out in the wilderness to partying when she was in college.
Kathleen Alexandra Kennedy dealt with tragic loss
In April of 2018, it was reported that Kick Kennedy's boyfriend, billionaire banking heir Matthew Mellon, had died of a heart attack after taking ayahuasca before he was set to check into rehab in Cancun, Mexico. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s daughter and Mellon were dating for about four months at the time of his passing. "She is heartbroken, shocked, she didn't see this coming," Christine Schott, Kick's manager, told People after the news of Mellon's death was made public. "She is devastated and will not be making comment." Schott added, "He was sober and they were enjoying life. Then all of a sudden he apparently fell off the wagon."
Days following Mellon's death, Kick shared a tribute for him on her Instagram. Alongside a black and white video of the pair dancing and smiling, she wrote, "Most who knew Matthew knew he had an incredible way of manifesting wildly unpredictable miracles that shocked and awed us all, over and over again. Simply, he was magical." Kick went on to say that Mellon adored his friends and dubbed his ex-wives Tamara and Nicole as the "loves of his life." She added that he loved his three children, writing that they would inherit his "charm, wisdom, and spectacularly bizarre wardrobe."
William Finbar Kennedy graduated college with high honors
Alongside his brother Aiden Caohman Vieques Kennedy, William Finbar Kennedy steers clear of the public eye. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife Mary Richardson selected William's middle name after St. Finbarr, a sixth-century Bishop of Cork and abbot of a monastery in County Wexford, Ireland — the ancestral homestead of the Kennedys.
What we know about William mainly comes from his accomplishments listed on his now-deleted LinkedIn account. The Kennedy grandchild received his bachelor's degree with high honors from Brown University, where he studied history. In 2017, he completed an internship at Morgan Stanley, a leading financial services company. William then went on to complete an apprenticeship in 2018 at lending company Bailey Capital, where he was later permanently hired as analyst.
As of this writing, William doesn't have any social media accounts — or at the very least, he doesn't have any public accounts — proving just how serious he is about remaining out of the spotlight. He is rarely photographed in crowds or in public, unlike some of his higher profile relatives. That said, every now and again, he does pop up on his siblings' Instagram accounts.
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