In 1946 he ran for US Congress, beating his opponent in a massive landslide. His rise in politics was astounding – he was aged only 29 at the time of his first victory and never lost any election until his death. Following three terms in the House of Representatives he ran for US senate in 1952, beating the popular Republican candidate Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. JFK’s marriage to Jacqueline Lee Bouvier the following year would further boost his popularity with voters. As a US senator he was campaigning to abolish the electoral college system and implement labour reform, while becoming increasingly committed to civil rights legislation. 

By the mid 1950s John F. Kennedy became one of the most well known figures in US politics. His 1960 US Presidential campaign would result in him winning the highest office, though with a very narrow margin. His term was marked by many challenges, most famously the Cuban Missile Crisis, which almost triggered a war between the US and the Soviet Union. He also famously promised to send a man on the moon by the end of the decade. On 22 November 1963, John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas, Texas, during the President’s tour of the state. 

Here, we look back at the life of one of the most influential and best known figures of the 20th century, from his childhood until his tragic death.

John F. Kennedy in his Dexter Academy football uniform, 1926

Image Credit: Kennedy Family Photographs Collection. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

The second child out of eight, John F. Kennedy was encouraged by his parents to engage in intense academic and athletic competition with his siblings. Touch football was especially popular with the Kennedy family.

The Kennedy Family at Hyannis Port, 04 September 1931. L-R: Robert Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, Eunice Kennedy, Jean Kennedy (on lap of) Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy (behind) Patricia Kennedy, Kathleen Kennedy, Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (behind) Rosemary Kennedy

Image Credit: Public Domain, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

The Kennedy’s were of Irish decent, with JFK’s father Joseph Patrick Kennedy amassing a sizeable fortune in banking and playing the stock market. The family funds granted the future US President financial security for the rest of his life.

John F. Kennedy sits and studies at his desk at Harvard

Image Credit: Public Domain, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

In 1936 John F. Kennedy started his studies at Harvard University.

Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., and John F. Kennedy arriving at Southampton, England. 02 July 1938

Image Credit: Public Domain, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

During 1938 JFK worked for six months as a secretary for his father who became the US Ambassador to Great Britain.

Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., Kathleen Kennedy, and John F. Kennedy, sons and daughter of United States Ambassador to England Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., arrive at the House of Parliament in London to hear Prime Minister Chamberlain’s announcement that a state of war existed between England and Germany

Image Credit: Public Domain, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

Kennedy toured across Europe (the Balkans and the Soviet Union) and the Middle East in 1939. When visiting Berlin, he received a secret message informing him about the upcoming war. JFK returned to London on 1 September 1939.

John F. Kennedy graduates from Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, June 1940

Image Credit: Public Domain, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

His senior thesis was about the Great Britain’s unreadiness for war. It was turned into the best-selling book ‘Why England Slept’ in 1940.

John F. Kennedy in 1942

Image Credit: Public Domain, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

In 1941 he joined the US Navy, taking on an active role in the war. JFK narrowly avoided death when his patrol torpedo was shot down by a Japanese destroyer. He managed to bring his men safely back behind allied lines, receiving the US Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroism.

Lieutenant John F. Kennedy sitting in the cockpit of World War II Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109 (left); John F. Kennedy and Paul “Red” Fay during World War II at Tulagi, Solomon Islands, 1943 (right)

Image Credit: Public Domain, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

The injury he received during the war on his back never fully healed, causing life long displeasure. He also suffered from the rare Addison disease, which also caused intense physical pain.

The Wedding Party of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy in Newport, RI. 12 September 1953

Image Credit: Public Domain, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Lee Bouvier were introduced to each other by a common friend in 1952. Their engagement was announced on 25 June 1954, he was 36, she 24. The wedding took place in September the same year. 

During a campaign trip Senator John F. Kennedy greets a roadside crowd in Indiana, 1960

Image Credit: Public Domain, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

During his Presidential campaign in 1960, JFK had to fight against the notion that a Catholic candidate could never win the office. He managed to charm the country with his looks, elegance and wealth. His election slogan was ‘Let’s get this country moving again’.

Inaugural Address of John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States. Washington, D.C. 20 January 1961

Image Credit: Public Domain, Army Signal Corps, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

Kennedy narrowly won the election against Republican incumbent Vice President Richard Nixon. He became the youngest US President in history.

President John F. Kennedy and astronaut Lieutenant Colonel John Glenn, Jr. look inside space capsule Friendship 7 following the presentation ceremony of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). 23 February 1962

Image Credit: Public Domain, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

His time as President of the United States saw major developments in the Cold War, including the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis and his speech in West Berlin where he announced: ‘Ich bin ein (I am a) Berliner.’

President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy sit with their children, John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Caroline Kennedy, on the stairs inside the Auchincloss home at Hammersmith Farm, Newport, Rhode Island. 29 September 1961

Image Credit: Public Domain, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

The Kennedy’s seemed like the perfect upper class American family, with his two children becoming widely known across the country. Behind the scenes JFK had multiple affairs, including with Marilyn Monroe, Ellen Rometsch and Mary Pinchot Meyer.

Monroe with U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and President John F. Kennedy at the birthday celebration

Image Credit: Cecil W. Stoughton, official White House photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In 1962 Marilyn Monroe famously sang a sultry version of ‘Happy Birthday’ to the President to which he jokingly replied, ‘I can now retire from politics after having had Happy Birthday sung to me in such a sweet, wholesome way.’

President John F. Kennedy visits with Sister Domenica, of Stafford, England (native of County Galway, Ireland), and an unidentified boy in the Oval Office. White House, Washington, D.C. 06 November 1963

Image Credit: Public Domain, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

JFK stayed very popular both in the USA and abroad. He is credited for increasing morale during very turbulent times in the country’s history.

President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy arrive at Love Field, Dallas, Texas. 22 November 1963

Image Credit: Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald on 22 November 1963 during his visit to Dallas, Texas. He and Jackie were driving in an open limousine before two bullets hit JFK at 12:30PM.

Arrival of President John F. Kennedy’s casket at the White House. 23 November 1963

Image Credit: Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

The pinnacle of the project’s success came when Neil Armstrong took his first historic steps on the Moon in 1969. This is the Apollo programme’s lasting legacy. The Apollo Mission remains one of the most important contributors to the technological advancement of humankind.

1. The Apollo mission was the 3rd US human spaceflight programme carried out by NASA

Following Project Mercury and Project Gemini, the Apollo programme was the third human space programme conducted by NASA.

2. The Apollo Programme wasn’t initially planned to land on the Moon

Initially, the Apollo missions were not intended to land on the Moon but to simply launch a three-person spacecraft. It was in fact President Kennedy who set the new goal of landing on the Moon in his address to congress on 25 May 1961.

First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth.

From this moment on the Apollo programme was committed to this end, firmly putting the Apollo programme on a course to make history.

3. Apollo 1 ended in tragedy

AS-204 was intended to be the Apollo programmes first crewed mission. The objective was a low Earth orbital test of the Service and Command module which was scheduled to launch on 21 February 1967, however, during a rehearsal a fire broke out in the cabin and ignited the pure oxygen environment, killing all three crew members.

The mission was posthumously renamed Apollo 1 in memory of the three astronauts who lost their lives and in recognition of the sacrifice they made.

4. Apollo launched 12 crewed missions, with 6 landing on the Moon

Apollo 7 was the first mission of the Apollo programme to carry a crew into space. This mission, alongside Apollo 8, 9 and 10, paved the way for the success of Apollo 11, when Neil Armstrong made history with his first ‘small step’ and realised Kennedy’s national goal. Apollo 11 was followed by 5 more Moon landings (Apollo 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17).

Portrait of the Apollo 1 crew for first manned Apollo space flight. From left to right are: Edward H. White II, Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom, and Roger B. Chaffee.

Image Credit: NASA / Public Domain

5. The US Government was sued after Apollo 8

When Apollo 8 succeeded in orbiting the Moon for the first time in December 1960, the crew made a live broadcast on Christmas Eve. During the broadcast, the astronauts read from the book of Genesis.

Despite being the most-watched TV programme ever at the time, not everyone was impressed by the inclusion of religion. Prominent activist and atheist Madalynn Murray O’Hair filed a lawsuit against the US government claiming violation of the First Amendment. The lawsuit was eventually thrown out.

6. The Apollo programme cost a total of $25.4 Billion

When adjusted for inflation this figure is now closer to $153 billion dollars. The Apollo programme was the biggest research and development project ever conducted in peacetime, at its peak employing 400,000 people all over the US.

It is unsurprising then that the project proved unsustainable. Political and social turbulence in the US meant both public and political support for the programme began to diminish and NASA struggled to continue to fund missions.

7. The Moon is now an astronaut junkyard

Whilst on the Moon the Apollo astronauts took photographs, set up experiments and collected samples, including 382 kg of Moon rock. But one thing they didn’t do was clean up after themselves. The items left on the Moon range from the sentimental and poignant, to the mundane and quite frankly disgusting.

The most famous of the Moon rocks recovered, the Genesis Rock, returned from Apollo 15.

Limited space on the lunar module meant astronauts had to leave a few things behind including: a camera, tongs, tools, scales, a hammer, empty food bags, insulated blankets, urine containers and defection collection devices.

However, more sentimental objects of significance were also placed on the Moon. During each Moon landing a commemorative plaque was left to mark the mission. The plaque left after the historic Apollo 11 landing read:

Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon July 1969, A.D. We came in peace for all mankind.”

Armstrong and Aldrin left a mission patch in memory of the Apollo 1 astronauts who died in 1967. Clearly, the camaraderie and respect among astronauts went beyond borders and transcended cold war politics as medals awarded to deceased Russian cosmonauts Yuri Gargarin and Vladamir Komanov were also left.

View of the plaque to be left at the Taurus-Littrow lunar landing site by the Apollo 17 astronauts. It is attached to the ladder on the landing gear strut on the descent stage of the Apollo 17 Lunar Module “Challenger”.

8. An experiment set up by Apollo 11 is still collecting data

Whilst on the Moon, astronauts set up various experiments to expand our knowledge of space and incredibly, the Lunar Laser Ranging experiment continues to provide important data today.

The experiment which measures the distance from the Earths surface to the Moon has been able to confirm existing theories, like Einsteins theory of relativity, whilst providing new findings:

• The Moon is moving away from Earth at a rate of 3.8 cm/year
• The Moon probably has a liquid core of about 20% of the Moon’s radius
• The universal force of gravity is stable

9. Apollo 13 never made it to the Moon

What was due to be the third Moon landing was aborted after an oxygen tank exploded, causing severe damage to the service module. Despite several issues including loss of power, loss of cabin heat, a shortage of portable water and the need for makeshift repairs, the crew were able to land safely back to earth, narrowly avoiding another tragedy.

10. Record-breaking Apollo 17 was the last Apollo mission to the Moon

Apollo 17 was the last mission of the Apollo programme. The mission broke several records including the longest Moon landing, the longest Moon walk, the largest lunar sample, the longest time spent in lunar orbit and with 75 rotations, the most orbits around the Moon. 

11. The Apollo missions led to inventions of everyday items

The Apollo missions invested billions of dollars in the development of new technologies. Alongside spacecraft, space suits and rocket launchers, NASA has pioneered more than 6,300 technologies that are now used in everyday life, including the cordless power drill which was initially developed to drill through Moon rock, and computer joysticks which navigated the Apollo Lunar Ranger.

12. The planned Artemis Programme gives hope for more Moon exploration

In Greek mythology, Artemis was the Goddess of the Moon and the sister of Apollo. Consequently, she is a fitting patron for NASA’s current ongoing mission to return astronauts to the Moon by 2024.

The mission aims to explore more of the lunar surface including Tycho, Copernicus and the South Pole. Artemis is an important step in maintaining a sustainable human presence on the Moon and eventually sending humans to Mars.

Here are key figures that Queen Elizabeth met over the years, from Winston Churchill to Indira Gandhi, Mikhail Gorbachev to Donald J. Trump.

Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Churchill, 1941 (left) / Winston Churchill with Queen Elizabeth II (right)

Image Credit: Yousuf Karsh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (left) / Official photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (right)

Winston Churchill served as the Queen’s first Prime Minister from 1951 to 1955. They both met for the first time when Elizabeth (then princess) was two years old. The Queen wrote a personal handwritten letter to Churchill when he decided to retire from his role as Prime Minister.

Josip Broz Tito 

Josip Broz Tito – President of the SFR Yugoslavia, picture taken 1961 (right) / The Queen walking with Tito, 1971 (left)

Image Credit: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (right) / Stevan Kragujević, CC BY-SA 3.0 RS , via Wikimedia Commons (left)

On 16 March 1953, the Yugoslavian leader Josip Broz Tito visited Buckingham Palace – the first time following the end of World War Two that a communist leader travelled to a Western country.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

The US President and the First Lady accompany the British royal family on a visit to the National Presbyterian Church, 1957

Image Credit: National Presbyterian Church, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

In 1953 Dwight D. Eisenhower was sworn into office as the President of the United States of America. He became the first US leader who met the Queen during her reign. Elizabeth II had made acquaintance with President Truman when she was still a princess in 1951.

John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy

The Kennedys with The Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, 1961

Image Credit: Keystone Press / Alamy Stock Photo

John F. Kennedy served as the 35th President of the United States from 1961 until his death in 1963. He and his wife Jacqueline Kennedy (later Onassis) visited Buckingham Palace in June of 1961. 

Kwame Nkrumah

Ghana’s president Kwame Nkrumah with Queen Elizabeth II, 1961

Image Credit: World History Archive / Alamy Stock Photo

The Queen has kept a close relationship with the countries in the Commonwealth of Nations, mostly comprised of former British colonies. One of these is the West African state of Ghana, which gained its independence in 1957. Elizabeth II decided to visit the country in 1961, which famously culminated in a dance between her and the President of Ghana Kwame Nkrumah.

Hassanal Bolkiah

Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei, 2021 (left) / State visit of Queen Elizabeth II in Brunei on 1 March 1972. Queen Elizabeth II is walking in the first row of the procession with the Sultan of Brunei on her left side (right)

Image Credit: Quirinale.it, Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons (left) / AnonymousUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (right)

The Sultan of Brunei is one of the few absolute monarchs in the world. Hassanal Bolkiah met the Queen during her state visit to Brunei in 1972.

Indira Gandhi

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh with India’s Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at the President’s Palace, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. 17 November 1983

Image Credit: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo

Indira Gandhi served as India’s 3rd Prime Minister from 1966 to 1977 and from 1980 until her assassination in 1984. She was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the 1st Prime Minister of India and the wife of Feroze Gandhi (no relation to Mahatma Gandhi). 

She met Queen Elizabeth II in 1969, during a visit to the UK. The Queen visited India herself on three occasions: in 1961, 1983 and in 1997. 

Ronald Reagan

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip stand with President and Mrs. Reagan during a state dinner. The Queen was on a tour of the West Coast of the United States.

Image Credit: U.S. Military, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

US President Ronald Reagan and the Queen shared a love for horses, with both of them riding together during Her Majesty’s visit in 1983. Elizabeth II made the US President laugh with a joke about the Californian weather during a dinner.

Mikhail Gorbachev

Mikhail Gorbachev visiting The Queen at Windsor Castle. 7 April 1989

Image Credit: Trinity Mirror / Mirrorpix / Alamy Stock Photo

Mikhail Gorbachev was the last leader of the USSR, overseeing the programs of glasnost and perestroika. His time as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union oversaw the fall of the Berlin Wall and the warming up of relations with the West. 

The Queen met Gorbachev and his wife in Windsor Castle during his visit to the United Kingdom in 1989. He also engaged in talks with the then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

François Mitterrand

Queen Elizabeth II speaks with French President Francois Mitterrand during a dinner at the Guildhall on 4 June 1994. The dinner was one of a series of events marking the 50th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

Image Credit: Kevin Lamarque of REUTERS / Alamy

François Mitterrand was one of the French presidents who enjoyed the most contact with the Queen. It is said that they got on very well and that the Queen enjoyed talking with him. Between 1981 and 1995, they met on several occasions, most notably at the creation of the European Union in 1992, and at the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994.

Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Putin shaking hands with Prince Philip. Lyudmila Putina, Tony Blair, and Elizabeth II are in the background.

Image Credit: kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Elizabeth II met Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2003 during his state visit to the United Kingdom. He allegedly broke Royal protocol by being 15 minutes late for his meeting with the Queen.

George W. Bush

President George W. Bush and Queen Elizabeth II in WWashington, D.C. 7 May 2007

Image Credit: Joseph Sohm / Shutterstock.com

The Queen met the 43rd US president for the first time in 2001 during his visit to London. George W. Bush led the US during some of its most turbulent times following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. 

This picture shows the Queen’s visit to the United States in 2007 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestowne. President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush hosted Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in the White House.

Donald J. Trump

Former President Donald J. Trump and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 13 July 2018

Image Credit: The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The 45th US president paid an official visit to the United Kingdom in July 2018, where he was greeted by the Queen. It was Donald J. Trump’s first time meeting the British head of state. As pictured, while at Windsor Castle, Trump broke royal protocol by walking in front of the Queen as they inspected the Guard of Honour.

Joe Biden

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden pose for an official photo with Queen Elizabeth II in the Grand Corridor of Windsor Castle. 2021

Image Credit: The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

President Joe Biden and his wife Jill had tea with the Queen at Windsor Castle in June 2021 following the G7 summit in Cornwall. The visit came just two months after the death of the Queen’s husband, Prince Philip.

Though Ted carved out a name for himself as an influential legislator on Capitol Hill, he has also courted controversy over the years. In 1969, he drove his car off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts. While Ted escaped, his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne, drowned. He fled the scene, only reporting the incident roughly 9 hours later.

The Chappaquiddick Incident, as it became known, would ultimately dash Ted’s hopes of becoming president: he launched a presidential bid in 1980 but lost to Jimmy Carter. Instead settling for the senate, Ted enacted countless liberal bills and reforms over his long career.

Here are 10 facts about Ted Kennedy.

1. He was JFK’s youngest brother

Ted was born on 22 February 1932 in Boston, Massachusetts, to mother Rose Fitzgerald and father Joseph P. Kennedy, the wealthy patriarch of the famed Kennedy dynasty.

Ted was the youngest of Rose and Joseph’s 9 children. From a young age, he and his brothers were drilled to strive for success and to reach the most senior political office in the country: the presidency. Ted’s older brother, John F. Kennedy, would go on to do exactly that.

Robert, Ted and John Kennedy. All 3 brothers had successful political careers.

Image Credit: National Archives / Public Domain

2. He had changed school 10 times by the age of 11

Ted’s father, Joseph Sr., was an influential businessman and politician. His career often took him to different posts across the country, meaning the family moved regularly.

As a result of this, Ted is thought to have changed school some 10 times before his 11th birthday.

3. His early life was marred by tragedy

The Kennedy family was no stranger to tragedy and scandal. Throughout Ted’s early life, the Kennedys suffered various devastating incidents.

In 1941, for example, Ted’s sister Rosemary suffered a botched lobotomy. She was institutionalised for the rest of her life. Later, in 1944, Ted’s brother Joe Jr. was killed in action during World War Two. Just 4 years later still, Ted’s sister Kathleen was killed in a plane crash.

It’s said that Ted fell into the role of the family clown during this period, striving to add some light to that dark period of Kennedy ill fortune.

4. He was expelled from Harvard University

Like his brothers before him, Ted attended Harvard University. There, he showed great promise as a footballer, but struggled with Spanish. Rather than fail the class, Ted had a classmate sit his Spanish exam for him. The scheme was discovered and Ted was expelled.

Following the expulsion, Ted spent 2 years in the military before ultimately being allowed to return to Harvard. He graduated in 1956, before studying at the Internation Law School at The Hague, Holland, and then the Virginia Law School, which he graduated from in 1959.

5. He took JFK’s seat in the US Senate

After college, Ted campaigned for brother JFK’s successful 1960 presidential campaign. When JFK vacated his seat in the US Senate to take up the presidency, Ted tried for his former seat and won: he became a Massachusetts representative at the age of 30. JFK was killed by assassination 3 years later, in 1963.

6. He survived a plane crash in 1964

Ted had a brush with death in June 1964 while aboard a small plane over Massachusetts. The craft encountered bad weather and crashed, killing 2 people on board.

While Ted luckily escaped with his life, he suffered a broken back and internal bleeding. He spent 6 months in hospital recovering and would endure chronic pain for years to follow.

7. The Chappaquiddick Incident damaged Ted’s public image

On 18 July 1969, Ted was driving himself and campaign worker, Mary Jo Kopechne, across Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts. He accidentally steered the car off an unmarked bridge.

While Ted managed to escape the vehicle, Kopechne drowned. Ted then left the scene of the incident, only reporting it to the authorities some 9 hours later, apparently because of a concussion and from being exhausted from trying to rescue Kopechne. He was later found guilty of leaving the scene of an accident, receiving a 2-month suspended sentence.

Bridge to Chappaquiddick Island that Ted Kennedy drove off, killing Mary Jo Kopechne. 19 July 1969.

Image Credit: Everett Collection Historical / Alamy Stock Photo

While Ted escaped with his life from the crash at Chappaquiddick, his dream to become president did not. The incident caused a national scandal, badly damaging Ted’s public image. He made a presidential bid in 1980 against incumbent Jimmy Carter, but his campaign was damaged by both poor organisation and by scrutiny into the Chappaquiddick Incident. His try for the presidency was unsuccessful.

8. Ted courted controversy later in life

Ted also attracted scrutiny and scandal later in life. In the 1980s, rumours of Ted’s adultery and alcohol abuse swirled amongst the American press and public, and in 1982 he and his wife Joan Bennett Kennedy divorced after 24 years of marriage.

Decades later, in 2016, Ted’s son Patrick Kennedy published a book, A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction. In it, he described Ted’s alleged struggles with alcohol and mental illness:

“My father suffered from PTSD, and because he denied himself treatment — and had chronic pain from the back injury he received in a small plane crash in 1964 when he was a very young senator — he sometimes self-medicated in other ways.”

9. He remained a prominent liberal politician throughout his later years

But despite scrutiny into his private life, Ted remained a prominent politician for decades. He was consistently reelected to the US senate, serving for some 47 years between 1962 and 2009, making him one of the longest-serving senators in US history.

Over his career, Ted forged a name for himself as an incredibly effective liberal legislator. He passed numerous bills, encompassing reforms on immigration, education, access to health care, fair housing and social welfare.

10. He died on 25 August 2009

Ted was diagnosed with a brain tumor in the summer of 2008. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on 15 August 2009 and was made an honorary Knight of the British Empire in March 2009 for services to Northern Ireland and to British-American relations.

Ted Kennedy died on 25 August 2009 at his home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

From saluting his father’s coffin as a toddler to the glittering Manhattan fast life, the glamour and tragedy of JFK Jr.’s life have captivated the imaginations of millions. Here are 10 facts about John F. Kennedy Jr, heir to the Kennedy political dynasty.

1. He was born 2 weeks after his father was elected president

JFK Jr. was born 2 weeks after his father, John F. Kennedy, was elected president, and exactly 8 weeks before he took office. He had an older sister, Caroline, and subsequently had a short-lived younger brother, Patrick, who died 2 days after birth.

Born into America’s First Family, JFK Jr. lived in the White House as a young child. His 3rd birthday coincided with his father’s funeral, following his assassination a few days prior.

President John F. Kennedy’s family leaves the Capitol after his funeral. From left to right: Caroline Kennedy, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, Jr. (on his third birthday).

Image Credit: Public Domain

2. President Lyndon B. Johnson’s first letter in office was to JFK Jr.

For many, one of the enduring images of JFK’s assassination was his infant son saluting his coffin at his funeral. JFK’s successor, Lyndon B. Johnson, wrote his first letter in office to JFK Jr., saying that the young boy “could always be proud of his father”.

3. He showed an interest in politics as a teenager

Throughout his education, JFK Jr. used media interest in him and his family to highlight certain causes. He travelled to Guatemala in 1976 to visit the aftermath of an earthquake, and he subsequently founded a student discussion group focused on social justice issues including apartheid and civil rights, inviting UN ambassadors to speak on the topic.

4. It took him 3 attempts to pass the New York bar exam

After spending a few years working in development, JFK Jr. ended up working as an associate for a Los Angeles law firm. In 1989, he earned a law degree from the New York University School of Law, but subsequently failed the New York bar exam twice, passing on his third attempt.

Had he failed again, he would have been unable to serve as a prosecutor in Manhattan, which he did between 1990 and 1994.

5. He wanted to be an actor

Acting proved to be one of JFK Jr.’s passions, but he was forbidden from pursuing it as a career by his family, who deemed it unsuitable as a profession.

Nonetheless, he appeared on stage and screen a handful of times in minor roles, often in front of an invite-only audience.

6. He founded a glossy lifestyle magazine called George 

In 1995, Kennedy and his friend Michael Berman founded a glossy monthly lifestyle magazine called George. Kennedy aimed to cover politics in an accessible, entertaining way, writing an editor’s column and interviewing assorted contributors.

However, Kennedy and Berman found themselves with major editorial differences, locked in a power struggle. Berman sold his share in George and left. His departure from the magazine saw a significant drop in sales. The magazine folded in 2001, just 2 years after JFK Jr.’s death.

7. He remained a lifelong Democrat

Despite never personally running for office or becoming embroiled in politics, Kennedy introduced his uncle, Ted Kennedy, at the 1988 Democratic National Convention and endorsed and campaigned for other members of his family running for political office. His appearances on the campaign trail were consistently met with a warm welcome.

8. He married Carolyn Bessette

After dating a string of glamorous women, JFK Jr. married Carolyn Bessette, a senior publicist for Calvin Klein, in September 1996. The wedding generated a huge amount of media attention, and the pair were hounded by the paparazzi. Bessette found it difficult to cope with the fame and pressure that becoming a member of the Kennedy family brought with it.

John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.

Image Credit: MediaPunch Inc / Alamy Stock Photo

9. He died in a plane crash in 1999

A qualified pilot, JFK Jr. was flying his wife and sister-in-law to Martha’s Vineyard from New Jersey in 1999, en route to a wedding in Massachusetts: the plane never arrived.

Debris and belongings were found floating in the Atlantic Ocean, and after a deep-sea search, the bodies of all 3 on board were recovered from the ocean floor. Kennedy was still strapped into the pilot’s seat. The inquest found that the crash had occurred because of ‘pilot error’, possibly due to some form of spatial disorientation.

10. The circumstances of his death gave rise to conspiracy theories

At the time, many cited Kennedy’s death as another example of the so-called ‘Kennedy curse’. In subsequent years, fringe conspiracy theories were developed, including one by the far-right group QAnon.

Believing that JFK Jr. faked his own death in 1999, QAnon followers gathered in Dealey Plaza (the site of JFK’s assassination) in November 2021. There, they awaited JFK Jr.’s return, believing that he would emerge from hiding and announce Donald Trump’s return to the presidency.

The extraordinary acts of violence and the motivations behind them have fuelled speculation for decades. Here are 10 facts about Lee Harvey Oswald.

1. He was born in Louisiana

Oswald was born on 18 October 1939 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He lived with his mother and experienced a peripatetic childhood. By the time he was 17, they may have moved as many as 20 times.

2. He was a marine

Lee Harvey Oswald joined the United States Marines Corps in October 1956 after dropping out of high school. He was designated a sharpshooter after obtaining a shooting score of 212, but was demoted to marksman in 1959 with a score of 191. While a marine, he was court-martialled twice.

3. Oswald defected to the Soviet Union

9 days after leaving the Marine Corps in 1959, Oswald travelled to the Soviet Union. His political opinions were not unknown while he was a marine: he studied the Russian language, which earned him the moniker ‘Oswaldskovich’.

Though he attempted to become a citizen after arriving in Moscow, his request was denied. Instead, he was assigned work in Minsk, Byelorussia (now Belarus). Oswald lived in Minsk until 1962, where he met his wife Marina Prusakova and with whom he had two daughters.

Photo of assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, Dallas Morning News (replica copy), 23 November 1963, following the assassination of John F Kennedy

Image Credit: Maurice Savage / Alamy Stock Photo

4. He was arrested for the assassination of JFK

Oswald shot Kennedy on 22 November 1963 during a motorcade in Dallas, Texas. He did so from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository. Oswald was apprehended at 1.45 pm, and arraigned for the murder of JFK the next morning.

5. He also killed a police officer

In addition to assassinating President Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald shot and killed police officer JD Tippit on a local street. Tippit was murdered at 1.15 pm, 45 minutes after JFK’s death and one mile away from Oswald’s accommodation. Governor John B. Connally was also seriously wounded.

6. He was shot and killed by Jack Ruby

Lee Harvey Oswald was killed in custody by nightclub owner Jack Ruby on 24 November 1963, two days after the assassination of JFK. Apparently on good terms with police officers as a result of legal run-ins at nightclubs he worked at, Ruby was able to access the basement area of Dallas City Hall. There he fatally shot Oswald in the stomach.

The event was captured live on television. Ruby maintained that he acted alone, and claimed to be upset by the assassination of JFK. Ruby was found guilty of murder and received the death penalty, but this was overturned in 1966. Before a new trial was held, he died from a pulmonary embolism.

7. Oswald was deemed to have acted alone by the Warren Commission

The President’s Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, led by Chief Justice Earl Warren, concluded on 24 September 1964 that Oswald alone had fired the shots that had killed Kennedy. It also declared that no evidence connected Oswald or his assassin Jack Ruby to a conspiracy.

8. A 1979 investigation suggested a second assassin had been involved

However, a special US House of Representatives Assassinations Committee reported in January 1979 that there may have been a second assassin involved in the death of President Kennedy. They based this conclusion on acoustic evidence of a police channel dictabelt recording apparently documenting another gunshot.

This evidence was discredited by the FBI soon afterwards, unanimously discredited by the National Academy of Sciences in 1982, and the House of Representatives conclusions’ repeatedly criticised over the following decades. Despite this, the suggestion of a second shooter and a wider cover-up has proved fertile ground for conspiracy theories.

9. Oswald was retrospectively linked to another assassination attempt

Before the assassination of President Kennedy, Oswald is alleged to have attempted an assassination of Edwin Anderson Walker, a former general with outspoken right-wing political opinions. On 10 April 1963, a bullet hit a window frame of Walker’s home and fragmented, causing minor injuries to Walker’s forearm.

Marina Oswald later testified that Lee Harvey Oswald regarded Walker as a “fascist” and that he had travelled by bus to the location and shot at Walker with his rifle. The Warren Commission concluded that Oswald was responsible for the assassination attempt.

The weapon used by Lee Harvey Oswald to assassinate President Kennedy.

Image Credit: Everett Collection Historical / Alamy Stock Photo

10. He used the pseudonym A. Hiddell

Lee Harvey Oswald used the pseudonym ‘Alek Hiddell’ when he mail-ordered the rifle that was used in his assassination of Kennedy. According to his wife’s testimony, it was the same rifle he used in his attempt on Edwin Walker’s life that April.

Oswald had previously used the alias ‘AJ Hiddell’ when he ordered a Smith & Wesson revolver. This is the weapon he was holding when he was arrested in the Texas Theatre 80 minutes after Kennedy’s assassination, and the weapon he used to murder Dallas police officer JD Tippit.

John F. Kennedy, more commonly known as ‘JFK’, served as the 35th President of the United States from January 1961 until his assassination on 22 November 1963.

Regarded as a youthful representation of a new generation of Americans, JFK championed the world-leading US space program, navigated the country out of a recession and supported the American Civil Rights movement. He also led America through the Cuban Missile Crisis, ultimately avoiding war, and was respected around the globe for encouraging peace and supporting less economically developed countries.

JFK still consistently ranks as one of the most popular presidents in US history, but his life was not without scandal. Behind closed doors, he suffered from an array of medical conditions and pursued extramarital affairs, while his wider family suffered untold tragedies and controversies throughout the 20th century.

Here are 10 facts about John F. Kennedy.

1. He remains the youngest elected president in US history

JFK still holds the record for being America’s youngest elected president. He was 43 when he was elected, which was 12 years below the median age of an elected American president. He also holds the record of being the youngest president at the end of his tenure, at the age of 46.

2. He was the first Catholic president

When elected, JFK became the first Catholic president. This was seen as a triumph amongst the Catholic community, as there was marked prejudice towards Catholicism in the US at the time.

To achieve this feat, JFK first had to enter the state primaries to prove to sceptical party leaders that he was a viable national candidate. Later in his presidential campaign, JFK established an informal network of advisers on the religious issue, including speechwriter Ted Sorensen, Dean Francis Bowes Sayre Jr. of the National Cathedral and several journalists.

3. He was president during the Cuban Missile Crisis

Upon taking office, JFK was immediately faced with many challenges. One of the darkest moments of his presidency was the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, a conflict between the US and the Soviet Union over the presence of Soviet nuclear weapons in Cuba.

Though the crisis placed the world on the brink of nuclear war, a US-Soviet agreement was eventually reached and Cuba was disarmed. As such, JFK is generally regarded as having handled the situation well, ultimately preventing a war from breaking out between the two countries.

4. His marital life was marred by controversy

JFK famously had several affairs during his marriage to Jackie Kennedy. Despite JFK’s infidelity, he and Jackie remained married for 10 years, until he died. His most famous affair was alleged to have been with movie star Marilyn Monroe. He is also believed to have engaged in affairs with the actresses Gene Tierney and Anita Ekberg.

Robert Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe and JFK (with back to camera). Taken on President Kennedy’s 45th birthday at Madison Square Garden in New York City. 19 May 1962.

5. Jackie was slow to accept JFK’s marriage proposal

Jackie was a successful editor. She took some time to accept JFK’s proposal because she had been assigned to cover the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in London for The Washington Times-Herald. After taking some time to consider, she accepted. JFK and Jackie married on 12 September 1953 in Newport, Rhode Island.

6. He served in the Navy during World War Two

JFK served in the Navy during World War Two and was awarded a Purple Heart and a Navy and Marine Corps Medal for efforts during his military service. He was awarded the latter for helping to rescue his crew after their vessel, PT-109, was destroyed near the Solomon Islands.

JFK was honourably discharged from active duty on 1 October 1944.

7. He came from a large family

JFK was the second of 9 children born to Joseph Patrick ‘Joe’ Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald. His older brother, Joe Jr., died during World War Two when JFK was just 29. He also had two sisters: Margaret, who became a nun, and Eunice, who founded Special Olympics, a sports organisation for people with disabilities.

JFK grew up in a number of homes across the United States. His father pushed JFK and his younger brother Robert into politics despite their initial lack of interest.

The Kennedy Family at Hyannis Port, 04 September 1931. L-R: Robert Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, Eunice Kennedy, Jean Kennedy (on lap of) Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy (who was pregnant with Edward “Ted” Kennedy at time of this photo), Patricia Kennedy, Kathleen Kennedy, Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (behind) Rosemary Kennedy. The dog in the foreground is Buddy.

8. He was an award-winning author

JFK wrote two books about World War Two. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for the category of Biography or Autobiography for his book Profiles in Courage (1956), a volume of short biographies describing acts of bravery and integrity by 8 United States Senators. He wrote the book while recovering from a difficult surgical operation on his back.

9. He suffered from various medical problems

Although closely guarded during his presidency, it is now known that JFK suffered from a plethora of medical issues. As a child, he spent a significant amount of time in hospital with ulcers, colitis and various other medical problems.

He also endured crippling lower back pain throughout his life (for which he had 4 unsuccessful surgeries) and was also afflicted with Addison’s disease, a life-threatening condition which required a plethora of treatments to manage.

10. He was assassinated on 22 November 1963

Traveling in a presidential motorcade through downtown Dallas, JFK was shot once in the back, with the bullet exiting via his throat, and once in the head. Lee Harvey Oswald, an employee at a warehouse, is officially reported to have shot him, but was himself shot and killed before he could be tried.

JFK’s last words were addressed to Nellie Connally, the First Lady of Texas. She remarked, “Mr. President, you can’t say Dallas doesn’t love you.” Kennedy replied, “no, you certainly can’t.”

Because the murder ensured that Oswald never stood trial, conspiracy theorists have long debated whether Ruby was part of a wider cover-up concerning the murder of Jonh F. Kennedy. Official US investigations have found no concrete evidence to support this claim, however.

Aside from the infamous murder, Ruby was born in Chicago and endured a difficult childhood. He later moved to Texas, where he carved out a career as a nightclub owner and was occasionally involved in violent altercations and minor crimes.

Though he was initially sentenced to death for murdering Oswald, the verdict was thrown out. Ruby died of lung complications before he could stand trial again.

Here are 10 facts about Jack Ruby, the man who killed JFK’s assassin.

1. He was born in Chicago

Ruby was born in Chicago in 1911, then known as Jacob Rubenstein, to Polish immigrant parents of Jewish heritage. The exact date of Ruby’s birth is disputed, though he tended to use 25 March 1911. Ruby’s parents split up when he was aged 10.

2. He spent time in foster care

Ruby’s childhood was chaotic and he himself was a difficult child. He was supposedly “incorrigible” at home, rarely attended school and into his teens developed a violent temper which earned him the nickname ‘Sparky’.

Aged around 11, Ruby was sent to the Chicago Institute for Juvenile Research, which conducted psychiatric and behavioral studies. The centre deemed Ruby’s mother an unfit carer: she was institutionalised more than once throughout Ruby’s childhood, forcing him in and out of foster care.

3. He served in the armed forces during World War Two

Ruby dropped out of school aged around 16 and took an array of odd jobs, working as a ticket scalper and a door-to-door salesman before joining the armed forces.

During World War Two, Ruby worked as an aircraft mechanic at American airbases.

4. He became a nightclub owner in Dallas

After the end of World War Two, Ruby moved to Dallas, Texas. There, he operated gambling houses and nightclubs, initially running the Singapore Supper Club and later becoming the owner of the Vegas Club.

This period saw Ruby become embroiled in minor crimes and altercations. He was arrested, though never convicted, for violent incidents and for carrying a concealed weapon. He is thought to have had tenuous links to organised crime, though was by no means a mobster.

5. He killed Lee Harvey Oswald live on TV

On 22 November 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated President Kennedy during a presidential motorcade in Dallas, Texas.

2 days later, on 24 November 1963, Oswald was being escorted through a Dallas jail. Surrounded by officers and journalists, Ruby lunged at Oswald and shot him at point-blank range in the chest. Americans across the country watched the incident unfold on live TV.

Ruby was tackled and arrested by officers, while Oswald died in hospital shortly after.

Jack Ruby (far right), raising his gun to shoot Lee Harvey Oswald (centre), 24 November 1963.

Image Credit: Ira Jefferson Beers Jr. for The Dallas Morning News / Public Domain

6. Ruby said he killed Oswald for Jackie Kennedy

When asked why he killed Oswald, Ruby claimed that he did it so that Jackie Kennedy, President Kennedy’s widow, would be spared the ordeal of returning to Texas for Oswald’s murder trial where she would have to testify to the court.

7. He was initially sentenced to death

During the murder trial in February-March 1964, Ruby and his attorney, Melvin Belli, claimed that Ruby had blacked out during the murder due to psychomotor epilepsy, committing the crime while mentally incapacitated. The jury dismissed this argument and found Ruby guilty of murder. He was sentenced to death.

Belli demanded a retrial and was ultimately successful. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals threw out the initial conviction in October 1966, citing the admission of illegal testimony. A new trial was arranged for the following year.

Jack Ruby being escorted by police after his arrest on 24 November 1963.

Image Credit: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration / Public Domain

8. He died at the same hospital as John F. Kennedy and Lee Harvey Oswald

Ruby never made it to his second murder trial. He was admitted to hospital with pneumonia in December 1966, where doctors detected lung cancer. He died from a blood clot in the lung on 3 January 1967 at Parkland Hospital in Dallas.

Strangely enough, this was the same hospital in which both President Kennedy and Lee Harvey Oswald had died from gunshot wounds some years earlier.

9. His motives have been hotly debated by conspiracy theorists

Ruby’s murder of Oswald ensured that Oswald never went to trial, meaning the world was robbed of Oswald’s account of the assassination of President Kennedy. As such, it has been claimed that Ruby is part of a larger conspiracy and cover-up surrounding JFK’s death, perhaps killing Oswald to conceal the truth or doing so because of his supposed links to organised crime.

Despite these theories, Ruby always insisted that he had acted alone in the killing of Oswald. Moreover, the Warren Commission, the official inquiry into Kennedy’s assassination, found that Ruby had no real ties to organised crime and had likely acted as an individual.

10. The fedora he wore during the killing sold for $53,775 at auction

When Ruby fatally shot Oswald, he was wearing a grey fedora. In 2009, that very hat went on auction in Dallas. It sold for $53,775, while the restraints he had worn on his deathbed at Parkland Hospital fetched roughly $11,000.

However, not all debates are especially cagey, and they occasionally throw up remarkable gaffes. Here are 8 of the most significant moments from Presidential, Vice-Presidential and Primary debates.

1. Sweating the big stuff

John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon before their first presidential debate. 26 September 1960.

Image Credit: Associated Press / Public Domain

In the 1960 election presidential candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon embraced the prospect of a first set of televised debates. Both were confident of mastering this new medium. In the event, JFK prospered and Nixon floundered.

Several factors militated against Nixon. Whereas JFK had spent the afternoon before his debate resting in his hotel, Nixon had been out all day shaking hands and delivering stump speeches. When getting prepped for the debate, JFK opted to wear powder to prevent him sweating under the hot studio lights. Nixon didn’t. Kennedy also wore a crisp black suit, while Nixon wore grey.

All these worked against Nixon. Pre-debate he had commanded the authority of a seasoned Vice-President, and his young opponent had struggled to establish his credentials. However, on TV Kennedy appeared much more composed and less nervous than Nixon, whose grey suit also blended into the studio background.

The visual edge that Kennedy had was ilustrated by two polls – in one, radio listeners thought Nixon had edged the debate. In another, TV viewers had Kennedy ahead.

The first debate edged Kennedy ahead of Nixon in overall terms, and the Massachussetts Senator retained his lead up to poll day, where he recorded the narrowest victory in election history. In such a narrow victory, small wins, such as the first TV debate, prove crucial.

2. Sigh!

Al Gore didn’t even need to speak to gaffe during the 2000 presidential debate. His body language did all the talking.

His constant sighing was mocked endlessly in the aftermath of the debate. And in one peculiar moment, Gore stood up and swaggered toward his opponent (George W. Bush), standing inches away from him.

After losing the election, Gore enhanced his global standing by deploying this abrasive approach against climate change. However, he has yet to make a return to US politics.

3. Who is James Stockdale?

While Ross Perot was making a name for himself as a cheeky, anti-establishment performer in the Presidential debates, his running mate James Stockdale was delivering a less stellar performance in the Vice-Presidential race.

Stockdale was a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War who was awarded 26 personal combat decorations, including the Medal of Honor. However, he did not translate this remarkable record into political success. Famously, he opened the 1992 vice-Presidential debate with the line ‘Who am I? Why am I here?’

Although meant to be a self-deprecating stab at his own political inexperience, Stockdale instead left viewer’s thinking if he really knows the answers to those questions.

4. Quayle’s Kennedy fail

I have as much experience in Congress as Jack Kennedy did when he ran for President.

Comparing himself to the slain, iconic President was always likely to leave Republican Dan Quayle exposed. His opponent, Lloyd Bentsen, saw a chink in the armour and struck with unerring precision.

I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.

Quayle could only tamely retort that Bentsen’s comment was ‘uncalled for’.

5. Cold-hearted Dukakis

Vice President Bush debates with Michael Dukakis, Los Angeles, CA 13 October 1988.

During the 1988 election, Democrat nominee Michael Dukakis was targeted for his opposition to the death penalty. This led to a startling question from CNN’s Bernard Shaw during a presidential debate, who asked whether he would support the death penalty should Dukakis’ wife Kitty be raped and murdered.

No, I don’t, Bernard, and I think you know that I’ve opposed the death penalty during all of my life. I don’t see any evidence that it’s a deterrent and I think there are better and more effective ways to deal with violent crime.

Although it was certainly an unfair question, Dukakis’ response was widely considered dispassionate and dismissive. He lost the election.

6. Reagan’s age quip

As the oldest US President in history, Ronald Reagan knew his age would be a major factor in the 1984 Presidential Election.

The 73-year-old, when asked if he was too old to be President, answered:

I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience.

He drew a large laugh from the audience, and even a smirk from his opponent, Democrat Walter Mondale. Reagan had provided a perfect and memorable answer to the age critics, and he ended up winning by a landslide.

7. ‘There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe’

President Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter meet at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia to debate domestic policy. 23 September 1976.

The year is 1976. The debaters are Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter and incumbent President Gerald Ford. This happened:

In response to a question from the New York Times’ Max Frankel, Ford declared that ‘there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe.’

An incredulous Frankel asked Ford to re-state his answer, but Ford did not back down, listing a number of countries that he didn’t consider ‘dominated’.

Just to make things absolutely clear – Eastern Europe was thoroughly dominated by the Soviet Union at this time. Ford’s answer came off as glib and wilfully ignorant.

The statement stuck to Ford and arguably cost him the election.

8. ‘A noun, a verb and 9/11’

The 2007 Democratic primaries pitched several well-matched candidates against one another.

Joe Biden, when asked to define the differences between himself and Hillary Clinton, instead responded with an attack on Republican candidate Rudy Giuliani:

There’s only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun, a verb and 9/11.

The Giuliani camp rapidly issued a response:

The good Senator is quite correct that there are many differences between Rudy and him. For starters, Rudy rarely reads prepared speeches and when he does he isn’t prone to ripping off the text from others.

The sheer number of tragic illnesses and deaths involving the family has led many to deem them ‘cursed’ in some respect. The tragedies suffered by the Kennedys, combined with their glamour, ambition and power, has captured the imagination of people across the world for well over half a century.

We’ve rounded up a timeline of the most notable examples of the so-called Kennedy ‘curse’ below.

1941: Rosemary Kennedy lobotomised

Rosemary Kennedy, sister to John F. Kennedy and the eldest Kennedy daughter, was thought to have suffered from a lack of oxygen at birth. As she grew up, she failed to hit the same developmental milestones as other children her age. Her family sent her to schools for the ‘intellectually disabled’ and ensured she had extra time and attention spent on her.

As she reached her early 20s, Rosemary began to experience violent mood swings and fits, making her mental illness much harder to hide. Her father, Joseph Kennedy Sr., decided to subject Rosemary to an experimental new procedure, a lobotomy, choosing not to inform his family until after it was complete.

The lobotomy was botched, leaving Rosemary with the intellectual capabilities of a 2-year-old and taking away her ability to walk and talk. She spent the rest of her life cared for in private institutions, hidden away and discussed in the vaguest of terms as her family believed knowledge of her mental illness could prove damaging for their political ambitions.

From left to right: Kathleen, Rose and Rosemary Kennedy on their way to be presented at court in 1938, several years before Rosemary’s lobotomy.

Image Credit: Keystone Press / Alamy Stock Photo

1944: Joe Kennedy Jr. killed in action

The eldest Kennedy son, Joe Jr., was a high achiever: his father had aspirations for Joe Jr. to one day become President (the first Catholic US president), and he had already begun a political career when America entered into World War Two.

He enlisted in the US Naval Reserve in June 1941 and trained to be a naval aviator before being dispatched to Britain. After completing 25 combat missions, he volunteered for top-secret assignments known as Operation Aphrodite and Operation Anvil.

On one of these missions, in August 1944, an explosive carried in his plane detonated early, destroying Kennedy’s plane and killing him and his co-pilot instantly. The details surrounding his final mission and death were kept secret until the end of the war. Joe Jr. was just 29 years old when he died.

1948: Kathleen ‘Kick’ Kennedy dies in a plane crash

Kathleen Kennedy’s first wedding to William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington and heir of the Duke of Devonshire, in 1944. Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. is second from right. By the end of the year, both Kathleen’s new husband and her brother would be dead.

Image Credit: Public Domain

Kathleen Kennedy, nicknamed ‘Kick’ for her spirited nature, had decided to visit her father in Paris in order to convince him of the suitability of her new beau, the newly divorced Lord Fitzwilliam.

Setting off in a private plane from Paris towards the Riviera, they were caught in a storm which subjected the plane to severe turbulence. When they emerged from the clouds, the plane was in a deep dive, moments away from impact. Despite attempting to pull up, the strain on the plane proved too much and it disintegrated. All 4 onboard were killed instantly. Kick’s father was the only member of the Kennedy family to attend her funeral.

1963: Newborn Patrick Kennedy dies

On 7 August 1963, Jacqueline Kennedy gave birth to a premature baby boy, who was quickly baptised and named Patrick. He lived 39 hours, succumbing to complications of hyaline membrane disease despite desperate attempts to save him.

The couple had already suffered one miscarriage and a stillbirth. Patrick’s death raised the profile in infantile respiratory diseases and syndromes into the public consciousness and encouraged more important research on the topic.

1963: John F. Kennedy assassinated

In one of the most famous presidential assassinations in history, on 22 November 1963, John F. Kennedy was shot dead in Dallas, Texas. He was 46 years old and had been in office for 1,036 days, or just under 3 years.

Unsurprisingly, his death shocked the world. People across America were devastated, and there was a massive public outpouring of grief. His own family had their world turned upside down as they lost not only their president but their husband, father, uncle, son and brother.

John F. Kennedy’s assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, was subsequently killed before he could be properly questioned or prosecuted, helping spark elaborate conspiracy theories about his motives. A dedicated investigation, the Warren Commission, found no evidence of conspiracy. Yet multiple polls conducted in the 21st century have consistently shown over 60% of the American public believe the assassination was part of a conspiracy and that its true nature has been hushed up by the government.

1968: Robert F. Kennedy assassinated

Another prominent member of the Democratic Party, Robert F. Kennedy (often known by his initials, RFK) served as US Attorney General between 1961 and 1964, and was subsequently a Senator for New York.

By 1968, RFK was a leading candidate for the Democratic presidential nominee, following in the footsteps of his brother John. Shortly after winning the California primary on 5 June 1968, RFK was shot by Sirhan Sirhan, a young Palestinian who claimed to have acted in retaliation for RFK’s pro-Israeli stance during the 1967 Six Day War.

The assassination prompted a change in the mandate of the Secret Service, which subsequently allowed for the protection of presidential candidates.

Robert, Ted and John Kennedy at the White House in 1962. All 3 brothers had successful political careers.

Image Credit: National Archives / Public Domain

1969: The Chappaquiddick Incident

Late one evening in July 1969, Senator Ted Kennedy left a party on Chappaquiddick Island to drop another party guest, Mary Jo Kopechne, back at the ferry landing. The car skidded off the bridge into the water: Kennedy escaped the car, swimming free and leaving the scene.

He only reported the crash to the police at 10am the next morning, by which point Kopechne’s body had already been recovered from the sunken car. Kennedy was found guilty of leaving the scene of an accident, receiving a 2 month suspended jail sentence and having his driver’s license suspended for 16 months.

The Chappaquiddick Incident, as it became known, severely undermined Ted’s hopes of ever becoming President. When he eventually did run in the 1980 Democratic presidential primaries, he lost to incumbent President Jimmy Carter.

1973: Ted Kennedy Jr.’s leg amputated

Son of Ted Kennedy and nephew of JFK, Ted Kennedy Jr. was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer in his right leg: this was swiftly and successfully amputated in November 1973, and the cancer did not reoccur.

1984: David Kennedy dies from an overdose

The fourth son of Robert F. Kennedy and his wife Ethel Skakel, David nearly drowned as a boy but was saved by his father. The day after his own near-death experience, David watched his father’s assassination live on television.

Kennedy turned to recreational drug use to cope with the trauma he had experienced, and a car accident in 1973 left him addicted to opioids. Despite numerous trips to rehab following minor overdoses, David never kicked his addiction.

He was found dead in April 1984, having overdosed on a combination of cocaine and prescription medication.

1999: JFK Jr. dies in a plane crash

John Kennedy Jr. was born 2 weeks after his father, John F. Kennedy, was elected President. John Jr. lost his father just before his third birthday.

In 1999, while working as a successful legal professional in New York, John Jr. flew from New Jersey to Massachusetts via Martha’s Vineyard to attend a family wedding with his wife, Carolyn, and sister-in-law. The plane was reported missing shortly after it failed to arrive on schedule and stopped responding to communications.

Wreckage and debris was later found in the Atlantic Ocean, and their bodies were discovered several days later on the seabed. It’s thought Kennedy became disorientated during a descent over water at night, resulting in the crash.