Who Is Ethel Kennedy: The Kennedy Matriarch Back in the National Spotlight
Ethel Kennedy is one of the most enduring figures in American political history — and her story is dominating headlines again this week. Ethel Kennedy, the wife of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy, died at age 96 from complications from a stroke. Her legacy is simultaneously being honored through a major television portrayal and a landmark organizational renaming that cements her place alongside her husband in history.
Who Is Ethel Kennedy: A Life Defined by Tragedy and Purpose
Ethel Kennedy was the 96-year-old widow of Robert F. Kennedy, who turned the assassination of her husband into a long-running campaign for human rights and social causes, founding a lasting organization and raising 11 children while remaining a public figure for decades.
Ethel had 11 children from her 18-year marriage: Kathleen in 1951, Joseph in 1952, Robert Jr. in 1954, David in 1955, Courtney in 1956, Michael in 1958, Kerry in 1959, Christopher in 1963, Maxwell in 1965, Douglas in 1967, and Rory in 1968 — the last born six months after her husband was assassinated.
On June 5, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy was shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles and died the following day at age 42. Ethel was present at the scene and was three months pregnant with their youngest child, Rory Kennedy. The assassination left her widowed at age 40 with 11 children, whose ages ranged from 3 to 17.
Ethel Kennedy's Legacy: Human Rights, Presidential Honors, and a Renamed Foundation
Within months of Robert's death, Ethel founded the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. In 2014, President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The organization's work spans gun control, environmental protection, mental health advocacy, and international human rights.
During the 2025 Ripple of Hope Award Gala in New York City, the organization was officially renamed the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center in her honor. Kerry Kennedy, who served as president for over two decades, announced she would step down from the presidential role on December 31, 2026, while remaining on the Board of Directors.
Her grandson Joseph Kennedy III also served in the U.S. House of Representatives, and her son Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president in the 2024 presidential election before becoming U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Ethel Kennedy on FX's Love Story: Jessica Harper Brings the Matriarch to Life
The biggest reason Ethel Kennedy is trending right now is television. The February 26, 2026 ET episode of Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette put Ethel at the center of a tense and unforgettable dinner scene, showing the character's role as the family's authoritative matriarch and the pressure her presence placed on Carolyn Bessette.
Jessica Harper, a horror genre legend known for Phantom of the Paradise and Suspiria, was cast to portray Ethel. Harper prepared by watching Rory Kennedy's 2012 documentary Ethel extensively, studying Ethel's posture, bearing, and voice. "She holds herself with a certain almost regal posture," Harper said.
In the episode, Carolyn — played by Sarah Pidgeon — makes her first trip to the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, where John warns her to call his aunt "Mrs. Kennedy." Ethel zeroes in on Carolyn immediately, calling out the shawl she is wearing and steering dinner conversation toward trade embargoes and Senate seats.
Did Ethel Kennedy Actually Like Carolyn Bessette in Real Life?
Despite a tense and intimidating first encounter, Ethel actually became protective of Carolyn over time. After learning of a high-profile public argument between John and Carolyn in a New York park, Ethel called her to Virginia for a private heart-to-heart conversation.
Ethel shared her own struggles with the Kennedy family's high expectations, advising Carolyn that the only way to survive was to look in the mirror and say "I'm enough." She told her: "I went through that with Bobby at first. Then I finally got it. Eventually it will sink in and no one can ever take that away from you. Not even the Kennedys."
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette airs Thursdays on FX and streams on Hulu, with new episodes releasing weekly through spring 2026 ET.
