Did Jackie Kennedy, Meghan Markle, And Kate Middleton Have Similar In-Law Experiences?
It's no secret that being a member of the royal family is no walk in the park. From Princess Diana to Meghan Markle, the responsibilities, unavoidable attention, and dedication to the Crown are only some of the reasons that the members of the monarchy — particularly the women — have struggled deeply. Indeed, Meghan Markle's explosive, tell-all in which she and Prince Harry shared the incredible stresses that came with their place within the family, was eye-opening (via CNN). This momentous, nail-biting series of confessions played a huge role in starting a dialogue about the inherent challenges of their lives, and as a result, people began to look at public figures with a sense of empathy that perhaps they never had before.
But while the pressure and stresses within the British royal family are more well-known now than ever before, what about that of American public figures — specifically, the wives of politicians? As it turns out, there might be some major comparisons that the iconic Jackie Kennedy experienced during her time as the wife of the President of the United States that have been totally unknown to the public.
Like Meghan Markle, Jackie Kennedy abandoned her professional autonomy
John F. Kennedy met Jacqueline Bouvier at a dinner party in 1952 and was immediately smitten. Dating someone who was so present within the public eye, Jackie knew that her life would change forever if she began a relationship with him. Regardless, the pair was engaged less than a year later and married in Newport, Rhode Island (via Honey Nine).
This fear of losing her autonomy was similarly one that Meghan Markle has expressed concerns over, demonstrated in the ways in which her life changed forever upon dating and marrying Prince Harry. She was even discouraged from continuing her career as an actress (via ABC). In the same breath, Jackie Kennedy's life no doubt changed in the same kinds of ways that Markle's did by virtue of being married to the POTUS. When she met him, she was a journalist and photographer — otherwise known as an "Inquiring Camera Girl" — for the Times Herald (via The Library of Congress). But she certainly wouldn't be continuing this work while serving as FLOTUS.
Here's what one of Jackie Kennedy's letters said about her thoughts on being a housewife
Like Meghan Markle, Jackie Kennedy spoke her mind — but she did it a bit more privately. According to an article per The Washington Post, many of Kennedy's old letters were found that divulged riveting information about her experience in the White House. One particular letter read, "Maybe I'm just dazzled and picture myself in a glittering world of crowned heads and Men of Destiny — and not just a sad little housewife. ... That can be very glamorous from the outside — but if you're in it — and you're lonely — it could be a Hell." These sentiments are eerily similar to those of Markle, as well as other members of the royal family, including Princess Diana and Kate Middleton, per Insider.
According to Aricia Skidmore-Williams on the podcast "JFK & Jackie," the FLOTUS struggled to fit into her new life of glamor and fame, which is a sentiment that is certainly present within her letters."She sometimes found it hard to fit in with the other [Kennedy] wives at first," Skidmore-Willaims shared. "She called them the 'rah rah girls' and they all referred to her as the 'deb' because some of them thought she was stuck up," per Yahoo.
In the end, these "royal" family members had to prove that, no matter what, they were "'game:' athletic, gung-ho, and in possession of a generally sporting attitude," per the podcast. And while some were happy enough to smile and nod through the challenges, others — particularly the women — struggled to find their place, whether American, British, or otherwise.