To the public, Jackie Kennedy was the picture of elegance and composure.
But behind the perfectly polished image, she lived with a secret heartache — one she chose to quietly endure rather than confront head-on.
A new biography delves into the deeply personal side of Jackie’s marriage to President John F. Kennedy, especially when it came to his now-infamous affair with socialite Mary Meyer.
Why Jackie Didn’t See It as “Cheating”
According to author J. Randy Taraborrelli in his upcoming book JFK: Public, Private, Secret, Jackie was well aware of JFK’s fling with Meyer — and chose not to react in the way many would expect.
As shocking as it sounds, Jackie reportedly didn’t consider the relationship a “real affair.”
One relative told Taraborrelli that JFK swore to Jackie that his encounters with Meyer were limited to oral sex — and, for reasons rooted in the thinking of the time, Jackie didn’t see that as true infidelity.
Back then, many women believed that certain types of physical intimacy didn’t count as full-blown betrayal.
And Jackie, according to the book, agreed with that idea.
Jackie’s Quiet Disdain for Mary Meyer
Still, that doesn’t mean Jackie liked Mary Meyer — far from it.
In fact, she’s said to have had a “dim view” of her husband’s mistress.
Taraborrelli writes that Jackie once refused to shake Meyer’s hand during a White House luncheon, opting instead to hand her an empty champagne glass, treating her more like staff than a guest.
Jackie reportedly told a friend afterward, “Oh, I cut her dead, all right.”
She also criticized Meyer for being divorced — a big deal in that era — and once remarked, “A divorced woman is on the prowl.”
Even though Jackie’s own mother and sister were divorced, she confessed she had difficulty reconciling it.
The Night JFK Invited Meyer to the White House
The book reveals a moment in January 1962 when JFK arranged for Meyer to visit the White House while Jackie was away in Virginia with her sister and their children.
What the President didn’t count on was Jackie’s mother, Janet, being in the building.
Janet apparently questioned why Meyer was in the private residence, prompting JFK’s secretary Evelyn Lincoln to intervene and calm things down before it escalated.
Lincoln, who was fully aware of the President’s romantic entanglements, convinced Janet to let it go.
Jackie’s Pain and Her Unspoken Resilience
Despite the rumors and whispers swirling around her, Jackie maintained a brave face — but not because she didn’t care.
A Secret Service agent later confirmed she knew “all about Mary Meyer and the President.”
She even had sources in her husband’s inner circle feeding her information.
So why didn’t she leave or speak out?
Jackie is said to have told a friend, “My marriage was like a deep black hole, and I knew that if I looked down, I’d fall in.”
Her love for JFK and her sense of duty kept her going, even when her personal world was unraveling behind closed doors.
Jackie’s Cutting Words During a White House Encounter
In October 1962, just weeks after the Cuban Missile Crisis, Meyer and Jackie crossed paths at a White House event.
Meyer, trying to make conversation, asked Jackie about redecorating Lafayette Park.
Jackie, with her signature icy composure, replied: “Restore, Mary. I do not redecorate.
I restore. And it’s Lafayette Square, Mary. Not park.” When Meyer later offered her hand to say goodbye, Jackie handed her an empty glass instead.
A clear message was sent — Meyer wasn’t welcome.
Rumors of Love and the Dinner That Raised Eyebrows
There were even rumors over the years that JFK was in love with Meyer and had plans to leave Jackie for her if he won a second term.
While that may have been gossip, one dinner paints a dramatic picture.
After delivering his televised address on the Cuban Missile Crisis, JFK invited Meyer to a private dinner at the White House.
At the same dinner was another one of his reported lovers, Helen Chavchavadze.
Ethel Kennedy, Bobby’s wife, supposedly gave Jackie a look that said everything.
Jackie, seething inside, reportedly thought, “Are you kidding me with this goddamn woman?”
The Tragic Ending to a Scandalous Story
The affair ended in tragedy. In 1964 — just a year after JFK’s assassination — Meyer was shot dead on a towpath in Georgetown.
The only suspect, a Black man seen in the area, was later acquitted, and the murder remains unsolved.
Once the media discovered Meyer’s romantic link to JFK, conspiracy theories exploded.
Her death became another eerie chapter in the long, tangled story of the Kennedy legacy.
A Glimpse Into a Complicated Marriage
Jackie Kennedy may have been First Lady, but she was also a woman quietly navigating heartbreak and betrayal.
While she never confronted Mary Meyer publicly, her actions — and sharp words — made it clear where she stood.
Her story is a reminder that behind even the most glamorous public images are human emotions, complicated choices, and unspoken pain.