Description:

Kennedy Jacqueline

Jacqueline Kennedy ALS from 1962 Italian Vacation Mentioning Jack, the Kids, and her Widely Rumored Lover Giovanni Agnelli

 

3pp ALS on pale blue Florentine watermarked stationery with "L'Episcopio Ravello Prov di Salerno" letterhead inscribed overall and signed by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy (1929-1994) as "XX Jackie" on the bottom of the third page. In near fine condition, with expected light folds and a few isolated discolored spots, each page measuring 8.625" x 10.5." Accompanied by a matching envelope postmarked from Ravello on August 21, 1962 and bearing 310 lire worth of postage. Envelope with expected weathering and letter-opened at top. From the collection of Elisa Sullivan (1935-2012), Jackie's mother Janet Bouvier Auchincloss's personal caregiver and companion.

 

First Lady Jackie Kennedy wrote her mother, Janet Bouvier Auchincloss (1907-1989) from Ravello, Italy towards the middle of a 3-week-long vacation in the summer of 1962. Jackie was accompanied by children Caroline Kennedy (born 1957) and John Kennedy Jr. (1960-1999), as well as her sister Lee Radziwill (born 1933) during her August 8-August 31 sojourn on the Amalfi Coast. The First Lady stayed at "L'Episcopio," an old stone Bishop's Palace that had been converted to a hotel. Jackie described it as "the loveliest house - with the most staggering view in the world - ."

 

During her Italian getaway, the First Lady waterskied, danced, dined, went shopping, and took drives in the countryside. She did perform some light official duties, like attending an award ceremony granting her honorary citizenship and appearing at local costumed folk dances, but Jackie clearly relished the time away from Washington. She wrote to her mother, "you cannot realize what it was like to get here - + be away from phones - + only have newspapers with Italian soccer games as headlines - I never realized that even in Hyannis there is always that certain tension one lives with - + to have it all vanish completely was so incredible I slept more than Caroline for days - ."

 

It was widely rumored that Jackie also had a romantic relationship with her host and escort, Giovanni "Gianni" Agnelli (1921-2003), during the trip. The handsome industrialist and principal shareholder of Fiat accompanied Jackie everywhere and set tongues wagging in both English and Italian. In fact, Giovanni and his wife Marella (born 1927) are mentioned in Jackie's letter. "Then the Agnellis came + they organised [sic life to such a degree - + seem to need 3 hours sleep a day - we had a rather hectic week - ."

 

Jackie refers to husband John F. Kennedy several times in the letter. "I have talked to Jack 3 times - he is so looking forward to Newport - + I am so happy for him that you + Unk [Jackie's stepfather Hugh D. Auchincloss (1897-1976) are so sweet about letting him have Hammersmith - as the one thing I keep wishing is that he could have a change of scene like me - So Hammersmith will be his Ravello … it will be the happiest vacation for him - ."

 

Jackie talks extensively about 5-year-old Caroline's European experiences. The presidential daughter befriended boatmen's children, frolicked on the beach, rode donkeys, and visited a recently delivered dog with 7 puppies. Two-year-old John returned to the United States at some point during the trip, as Jackie wistfully asks her mother: "I miss sweet sweet John - is he still as afectionate [sic + strong minded - ."

 

Jackie's mother Janet had married stockbroker Hugh D. Auchincloss in 1942. They resided at Hammersmith Farm in Newport, Rhode Island. Elisa Sullivan had started working as a caregiver for Jackie's mother in 1979, after Janet was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. After Jackie's death in 1994, Elisa worked for Jackie's half-brother Hugh "Yusha" Auchincloss III (1927-2015) as a book-keeper, house-keeper, and chef at Hammersmith Farm.

 

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