The Untold Truth Of JFK's Three Grandchildren
It's probably not much of a stretch to assume that most people are familiar with John F. Kennedy. You know, the 35th president of the United States, whose assassination in 1963 has spawned more conspiracy theories than you can count. There's also a pretty good chance you know about the Kennedy family more generally, whether that be in relation to JFK's famous siblings — politicians Robert F. Kennedy and Ted Kennedy, for example — or simply the family name. After all, they're not known as America's royal family for nothing.
That said, the Kennedy clan is huge. JFK had eight siblings, and many of them had many kids of their own — RFK alone had 11 children. The family tree has a whole lot of branches that are pretty hard to keep track of, with some of those branches intersecting with some other very famous families (the Schwarzenegger and Pratt families, most notably).
When JFK married Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, they had four kids, two of whom (John F. Kennedy Jr. and Caroline Bouvier Kennedy) survived into adulthood. JFK Jr. died in a plane crash in 1999, but Caroline is still alive today, and she has three kids with Edwin Schlossberg — Rose, Tatiana, and John "Jack" Schlossburg. All three of them are incredibly talented — what you'd almost expect of a Kennedy — but they've also tried to lead normal lives, regardless of the spotlight.
They're Kennedys, but when they were kids, you wouldn't have known it
It's really hard to understate just how famous the Kennedy family is. Being the closest thing to an American political dynasty will do that, and even though the fame that comes from politics may not be the same as, say, celebrity status, JFK is one of the most famous American presidents. So you'd think that JFK's grandkids could easily have been the target of the media spotlight for their entire lives, right?
The truth is wildly different, though. Despite their famous grandfather, Rose, Tatiana, and Jack Schlossberg had remarkably normal childhoods. There weren't any bodyguards or fancy chauffeurs to speak of, and no celebrity treatment that could easily spoil young kids. Instead, there was a lot of time spent with close family, playing in the park, buying candy from a local sweetshop, visiting the zoo, and the like. As the three grew up, you wouldn't have ever guessed they were members of such a famous family. Rose and Tatiana would cheer for Jack at his baseball and basketball games; their mother Caroline Kennedy was the basketball team's photographer, and their father Edwin Schlossberg was the assistant coach who would go to post-game pizza parties with his son. If you go off of the stories told by people close to them, they were your everyday, close-knit family unit — just people living their lives (despite the media doing its best to stir up drama).
'Grand Jackie' was a huge part of their lives
When it comes to fame within the Kennedy family, it'd be impossible to overlook JFK's wife and first lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Intelligent and a style icon, Jackie Kennedy was an especially popular first lady, followed around by the paparazzi even after the death of JFK. It's easy to expect that celebrity of that kind would affect family dynamics in some way — or potentially mean that Rose, Tatiana, and Jack Schlossberg wouldn't see much of their grandmother — but that wasn't the case.
Rather, the three of them (particularly Rose, as Jackie died when the kids were still pretty young) saw a lot of "Grand Jackie," as they called her. And in much the same way as their upbringing, their relationship with Jackie was exceedingly normal — exactly the relationship you'd hope a kid had with their grandparents. Reading stories, making art, playing in the park (even a snowball fight or two) — it's clear that they were all really close. In fact, when Rose was in elementary school, the parents of her classmates were surprised by the situation they found themselves in on a field trip: Jackie Kennedy accompanying her granddaughter as a chaperone (and the only grandmother to do so).
Jack Schlossberg was singled out in his uncle's will
The Kennedy family is one that has seen its fair share of fame, but also more than its fair share of tragedy. Of course, there's JFK's assassination, and just beyond that, there's RFK's assassination. It doesn't end there, though; JFK's son, John F. Kennedy, Jr., died in a plane crash in 1999 when he was only 38.
His death was a huge tragedy, and for all the public mourned, there was also a far more personal side to all of this. After all, Rose, Tatiana, and Jack Schlossberg were all really close with their uncle. He doted on them as much as their parents did, playing with them, taking them hiking and sailing, and going on weekend getaways with them. So, of course, his sudden death wasn't an easy thing for any of them. An unspecified member of the family told biographer C. David Heymann (via the New York Post), "Rose withdrew after John's death ... He'd been like a father to her." By all accounts, it seems like those ensuing months were really difficult.
The bond between the siblings and their uncle was only further reinforced when it came to the reading of JFK Jr.'s will. Of course, there were the financial and legal matters — funds donated to nonprofits, estate executors, and the like. But there was only one instance of a specific item being mentioned in the will: "a scrimshaw set previously owned by my father," which he left to his beloved nephew, Jack (via C. David Heymann's "American Legacy").
Rose Schlossberg knows how to look cute in an apocalypse
When you're watching TV shows or movies, do you ever wonder why all of the lead characters manage to look so good, despite the world falling apart around them? Well, maybe they know the same thing that Rose Schlossberg does.
Okay, that's not exactly the case here. Schlossberg began to be hailed by news outlets as a rising star in the comedy world, and many of those reports were specifically looking at a web series she helped create while in college. That web series was called "End Times Girls Club," and it featured Rose and her friend, Mara Nelson-Greenberg, as two young women with plenty of advice when it came to being a woman in an apocalyptic world, from the realities of hauling supplies back home from the army surplus store, to making your own lipstick out of plastic and oil. (When it comes to the latter, Rose's character explains that looking cute can be an easy way to invite yourself into someone else's safe bunker).
This whole project wasn't started purely as a comedic project, though. On the contrary, Rose explained in an interview with Mashable that the catalyst came from Hurricane Sandy and the state of New York mismanaging the issues that arose in the process. According to her, "People were grossly underprepared — specifically, girls in damsel in distress mode ... I thought it would be interesting to create this world where girls have to be survivalists without compromising their cute factor."
Tatiana Schlossberg chooses to honor her family in her own way
There's no denying that the Kennedy family name is very heavily entwined with the American political scene, and there seem to be constant questions of just who might be the next member of the family to pursue a future in politics. That was true of both of JFK's kids, and it's continued to be true of his grandkids.
But just being a Kennedy doesn't mean politics is in the cards. Tatiana Schlossberg, specifically, has made her name as a very successful journalist and author, and she's explained to Vogue that, while she has immense respect for the politicians in her family, that was never her own path. Rather, writing is where her strengths lie and the best way for her to make a difference — but that doesn't make her feel disconnected from her family and its legacy. On the contrary, it made her feel closer to them; after all, while the Kennedy family is known for its political ties, it's also a family full of writers. Both Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg are writers. Jackie Kennedy had her own news column in the Times Herald. And JFK himself won the Pulitzer Prize.
More than that, Tatiana has also mentioned to Vanity Fair that she connects with her family through history — her grandfather's speeches in particular, citing them as a major source of inspiration. It led her to learn more about that time period, as well as other parts of history that her grandparents were interested in, and to imagine what discussions with them could have looked like.
Tatiana explained environmental issues using goats and Los Angeles smog
Alright, this one probably sounds strange. After all, smog relates pretty closely to the environment, but goats? It sure sounds like the thread got lost in there somehow. Well, Tatiana Schlossburg has got you covered.
Tatiana is a respected journalist for The New York Times. She's focused a lot on environmental issues, and in 2019, she wrote her first book, "Inconspicuous Consumption." In a Vogue interview for her book, she noted, "I want people to understand the seriousness and scope of the problem, but I don't want people to feel total despair." So she avoided the doomsday tone that climate journalism tends to lean toward, instead showing people how their small, everyday decisions could be contributing to climate change. In other words, while large-scale policy is important, individuals could also help in their own small ways.
One of those surprising contributors to climate change? Cashmere supply chains. Schlossberg explained that cashmere comes from goats, which (through a complicated series of events) ended up in China. In simple terms, their burps and eating habits send both methane and dirt into the air, which ultimately ends up in Beijing. Pollution from the city's factories combine with the dust, worsening local air pollution, but that smog also finds its way across the Pacific, eventually settling in Los Angeles. Weird, right? Schlossberg's book is filled with wit and similarly surprising examples of everyday contributors to pollution (like how athleisure can ultimately lead to polluted waterways), though she does have a particular fondness for the goat chapter.
Jack Schlossberg felt the shadow of his grandfather at university
Late in 2023, media outlets found some fun headlines to be had with Jack Schlossberg's latest accomplishment in life: passing the New York Bar Exam. And, of course, many of those articles contained a little bit of trivia; Schlossberg had passed the test on his first try, while his uncle, John F. Kennedy Jr. rather famously took three attempts to accomplish the same thing. But this wasn't actually the first time that Schlossberg's legal career intersected with his family's legacy.
In fact, that had already happened back when he was attending Harvard Law School in 2017. In an interview with Boston.com, Schlossberg spoke on a number of different topics, at some points joking about both the stress and satisfaction of student life, and at other points speaking about climate change and his opinions on both solutions and current policies.
But it was also hard not to note that Schlossberg was attending the exact same school that his grandfather had attended decades earlier. More than that, campus buildings and some nearby streets even bear his name. "There's no pretending that it's not here when I'm at Harvard," he explained, and it was only harder to ignore when some of his favorite restaurants were located right on JFK Street. But he also added that he had a fairly easy time blending in, and the awkwardness began to fade: "The first few days felt a little weird, but now I don't think about it so much."
Not everyone in the Kennedy clan agrees on political matters
Politics is a sticky topic on the best of days; that hardly seems a controversial statement given the current political atmosphere. It's so easy for anyone to launch into arguments about just what is or isn't right, and evidently, even members of the Kennedy family don't always agree. In fact, sometimes, they disagree rather vehemently.
In short, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is campaigning for the 2024 presidential election, and he's a complicated political figure, to put it lightly. The cousin to Caroline Kennedy has become infamous for spreading misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic (including antisemitic arguments regarding the virus' origins), as well as supporting anti-vaccination arguments that have been long debunked. He's come under fire from members of his own family in the past, but his bid for the presidency angered Jack Schlossberg. In his Instagram video, Schlossberg explained his thoughts on the whole thing: "It's about a lot more than Camelot ... [Robert F. Kennedy Jr.]'s trading in on Camelot, celebrity, conspiracy theories, and conflict for personal gain and fame ... I have no idea why anyone thinks he should be president. What I do know is: his candidacy is an embarrassment."
Of course, news outlets leaped for a headline, and in ensuing interviews, Caroline Kennedy revealed that she hadn't known her son was planning to post that video. Not that it seemed to be a problem, as neither of them regretted it and continued to support each other's endeavors and opinions.
Jack argued with Mike Pence about his grandfather's beliefs
When it comes to history, everyone ends up with their own interpretation of things. But when the history in question relates to a family member, then that's a slightly different situation.
That was exactly what happened in 2020, after trials officially convened regarding the possible impeachment of President Donald Trump. In response, then-Vice President Mike Pence penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal in which he, essentially, urged Democrats to vote against party lines and acquit Trump. In doing so, he referenced the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson in 1868, but more specifically, he made reference to a chapter from JFK's book "Profiles in Courage." (In short, John F. Kennedy praised Senator Edmund Ross — the man with the deciding vote in Johnson's impeachment — for voting in favor of acquittal, despite his party's wishes).
Jack Schlossberg took immediate issue, saying on Twitter, "Mike Pence's recent piece ... is a total perversion of JFK's legacy and the meaning of courage." He further explained that there's a fundamental difference; Ross is admirable because he acted selflessly for the public's best interests, while Trump's impeachment came about due to selfishness and the breaking of federal law. He further argued that not only was Pence incorrect, but he'd gotten the point entirely backwards: A true act of courage would be a Republican senator voting for Trump's impeachment. Nor was he done, going so far as to include a scathing review of the Republican party on the whole: "Pence and Congressional Republicans have also failed the test of courage."
Jack swam a mile to commemorate his grandfather
Before becoming president, JFK had to make a name for himself. That respect came during World War II, when, long story short, John F. Kennedy was stationed on a patrol ship in the Solomon Islands. In the middle of the night, a Japanese warship rammed into his vessel, destroying it and throwing the crew into the ocean. Kennedy earned fame for helping the survivors swim to shore — even holding the strap of a fellow sailor's life vest between his teeth — then swimming for miles between the Solomon Islands to look for help and supplies.
Fast forward 80 years, and JFK's daughter and grandson decided to recreate that swim, alongside natives of the Solomon Islands, some of whom are descendants of those who had helped Kennedy all those decades prior. In interviews, both of them mentioned their admiration for JFK and his will to survive — after all, even just a mile of that swim proved plenty difficult. On top of that, Jack Schlossberg also thanked the residents of the Solomon Islands, having gained a renewed appreciation for their aid back in 1943. Without their help, neither he nor his mother (who beat him in their race, he was quick to add) would be alive today.
The family resemblances are scarily strong
There is no shortage of articles that point out just how much Rose Schlossberg looks like her grandmother, Jackie Kennedy. A New York Post article about Rose is simply titled "Jackie 2.0" — some pretty good clickbait, if nothing else — and even a Harper's Bazaar article about Rose's comedy web series makes sure to include a subtitle that mentions how she is "a dead ringer for the late style icon." Now, in all fairness, those aren't unfair comparisons, and more than one journalist has made mention of Rose's brunette hair and large, dark eyes, noting their similarity to those of her grandmother.
But Rose isn't the only one who strongly resembles another member of the family. During a trip to the beach, one vacationer, Mary Rachel Sullivan, happened to run into Caroline Kennedy and her then-teenage son. After a bit of conversation, Sullivan happened to mention that Jack Schlossberg looked a bit like his grandfather — just a younger version of him. Caroline saw things a bit differently, however, pausing and responding, "I think he looks more like my mother's side of the family. He looks a little like my brother" (via "American Legacy").
(Interestingly, the exact same comparisonto John F. Kennedy Jr. has cropped up far more recently, albeit from the mouths of media outlets, and in response to a series of photos Jack posted on Instagram in which he's posing shirtless at the beach. Not quite as wholesome as Caroline remembering her brother, though perhaps telling that other people have apparently begun to notice.)
Tatiana might have annoyed her friends in the name of research
Tatiana Schlossberg's book approaches climate change and environmental issues with plenty of wit and personal anecdotes to show how individuals can impact the environment. For example, there's a good chance you leave your electronic devices — TVs, computers, kitchen appliances, and the like — plugged in, even if you're not using them. You'd think that means they're not drawing electricity, but that's not exactly true. Rather, Schlossberg's research and experimentation found that devices like cable boxes could draw just as much power when they're turned off as when they're turned on. The ubiquity of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth has only made things worse; your lights may look like they're off, but they still need enough energy (at all times) to be able to detect an input from your phone, right?
Of course, this anecdotal evidence is accompanied by statistics, but Schlossberg also threw in a bit of a research tip for free. The process of learning all this included plenty of lying on the floor with a watt measurer, determining just how much energy each device was using in its various states of on, off, or idling. And that was all well and good for her while she was on her own, but in her search for more data, her friends became unwilling test subjects. In her own words, "Most people don't like you going over to their houses and unplugging and replugging and then unplugging and replugging all their devices" (via Tatiana Schlossberg's "Inconspicuous Consumption").
Jack has very strong (and strange) opinions
As a member of the Kennedy family, it doesn't come as a huge surprise that Jack Schlossberg has spoken out about his political opinions; that almost feels par for the course. That said, he's also made quite the splash on social media for some of his less conventional opinions.
Yes, this is the restaurant rant. If you're not aware, a video of Schlossberg went viral in 2023, where he complained about restaurants. No one restaurant in particular but rather the entire experience: having to read menus, making uninformed choices, and then just waiting around for service. Reactions were mixed, with some seeing it as a result of detachment and privilege, while others just thought it was funny.
But it doesn't end there; his social media presence is truly something to behold. In one tweet, he goes off about printers and copiers, essentially saying society should adopt the concept of communal printers: "Cvs, grocery, bank, even Starbucks tbh ... could just have 3 each and we share?" Another time, he decided to make the New Year's announcement "I HATE lying down on grass" (via X, formerly known as Twitter). That was followed up by him explaining that one of his favorite places to lie down was on top of the kitchen table. Just over a week before that, he also tweeted the dramatic statement "Milk harassment. Milk harassment needs to stop!!" An interesting statement, undoubtedly. As to what it meant? Well, apparently Jack needed everyone to know that he vehemently believes oat, rice, and nut milks aren't real milk.
Rose Schlossberg's marriage reportedly strained family relations
Of the three siblings, Rose Schlossberg is the one who is perhaps the furthest away from the spotlight often shone on the Kennedy family. While Jack Schlossberg has taken part in events like the Democratic National Convention and the Profile in Courage Award, and Tatiana Schlossberg continues to work as a journalist, covering environmental issues, Rose has evidently settled into a quiet life on the West Coast, happily married to restaurateur Rory McAullife. By all accounts, the union between Rose and McAullife is a stable one, and photos have surfaced of her casually helping out at the restaurant and enjoying every Californian's favorite pastime — surfing.
The tabloids apparently want to paint a considerably more dramatic picture, however. The Kennedys are a famously Irish Catholic family, and some outlets have claimed that the simple fact that Rose married another woman was enough to cause some rifts in the family. If the rumors are to be believed, some members of the family didn't even attend the wedding. On top of that, those same outlets claim that Rose and McAullife want to have a child and are looking into in vitro fertilization to do so. While Rose's immediate family members are supportive, parts of her extended family might be less enthused about the prospect.
Jack isn't entirely sure what his path is
When it comes to being a Kennedy, it sounds like there are quite a few expectations, and the question of political futures seem to come into play quite often. In terms of JFK's three grandkids, that question has been lobbed fairly often at Jack Schlossberg, given he's been the most vocal of the siblings when it comes to political topics.
But despite outside observers often seeing him as the next Kennedy to enter the political sphere, Schlossberg himself isn't quite so sure about his future. In fact, looking at his career on the whole kind of supports that fact. After graduating from Yale, he spent some time in Japan, working as a speech writer and researcher. He even had a short stint as an actor, making his debut in the TV show "Blue Bloods."
Then, there's nothing more explicit than his own words on the topic. In multiple interviews, he's mentioned that he's proud of his family's legacy, but that he's still finding his own way. Upon entering Harvard Law, he admitted that he didn't know exactly what his plans were, alluding to his intention to keep an open mind and see where the future takes him. And though he's passed the New York Bar Exam as of late 2023, his statement that he didn't have any concrete plans or updates regarding a political future still seems to hold true.