Lauren Bessette was living life to the fullest before her tragic death alongside sister Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and brother-in-law John F. Kennedy Jr.
Lauren was one of Carolyn’s older sisters, and they shared a close bond. In July 1999, tragedy struck as JFK Jr., Carolyn and Lauren lost their lives in a plane crash near Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. Lauren was 34 while Carolyn was 33 and JFK Jr. was 38.
“John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette were true soulmates, and we hope to honor them in death in the simple manner in which they chose to live their lives. We take solace in the thought that together they will comfort Lauren for eternity,” the Bessette family shared in a statement at the time.
The trio were buried at sea, and a candlelight vigil was held in Lauren’s honor in Greenwich, Connecticut, where she had grown up.
JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s Relationship Timeline
JFK Jr. and Carolyn’s relationship was revisited in FX’s 2026 limited series Love Story. Sarah Pidgeon played Carolyn while Paul Anthony Kelly portrayed JFK Jr. Lauren was also featured in the show, with Sydney Lemmon playing her.
Keep scrolling for everything to know about Lauren:
Lauren Bessette Was a Twin
Lauren Bessette and twin sister Lisa Bessette were born in November 1964 to parents Ann Freeman and William Bessette. The sisters were 14 months older than their sister Carolyn Bessette.
Lauren Bessette Was in Carolyn Bessette and John F. Kennedy Jr.’s Wedding
Lauren Bessette served as Carolyn Bessette’s maid of honor during her 1996 nuptials to John F. Kennedy Jr. The couple tied the knot in an intimate ceremony held on Cumberland Island in Georgia.
Lauren Bessette Worked in Finance
Lauren Bessette made a name for herself in the financial industry. She studied economics at William Smith College in New York. Right out of college, Lauren joined the treasury staff of the Morgan Stanley Group. Later, Lauren earned her master’s degree in business administration from the Wharton School. Prior to her death, Lauren was a vice president of investment banking at Morgan Stanley.
Lauren Bessette Lived in Hong Kong for Years
While Lauren Bessette worked in the American financial market before her death, she previously specialized in the Asian market. She was fluent in Mandarin and lived in Hong Kong from 1994 to 1998 working at Morgan Stanley’s office there.
Lauren decided to relocate to her company’s New York City offices so she could be closer to her sister Carolyn Besette, who worked for Calvin Klein.
Lauren Bessette Was Linked to Bobby Shriver Before Her Death
Lauren Bessette was reportedly dating Bobby Shriver before her death. Shriver was one of John F. Kennedy Jr.’s cousins. He attended the group’s funeral services in 1999.
Why Was Lauren Bessette on the Plane With Carolyn Bessette and John F. Kennedy Jr.?
Carolyn Bessette and John F. Kennedy Jr. were flying from New Jersey to Cape Cod to attend his cousin Rory Kennedy’s wedding at the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. Lauren joined the couple on the trip, as she planned to be dropped off at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport before they went on to Barnstable Municipal Airport.
JFK Jr. piloted the plane, and it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard due to spatial disorientation at nighttime. All three passengers tragically died.