logo
Getty Images
Getty Images

Who Was Jacqueline Kennedy's Last Love? Meet Maurice Tempelsman, the Man Who Stayed with Jackie to the End

Christell Fatima M. Tudtud
May 19, 2022
09:40 A.M.

On May 19, 1994, Jacqueline Kennedy passed away in her Manhattan apartment following a battle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. She was 64. The public regarded her as a symbol of American sophistication and style.

Advertisement

Fondly called Jackie, the former U.S. first lady's death happened just a day after the doctors noted she was fighting a losing battle with cancer and that they could no longer treat her condition.

Caroline and John Jr., Jackie's children with the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy, mourned their mother's death. Grieving with the Kennedy children was Maurice Tempelsman, who stood by Jackie's side until the end.

Jacqueline Kennedy at her Georgetown home in August 1960. | Source: Getty Images

Jacqueline Kennedy at her Georgetown home in August 1960. | Source: Getty Images

WHO IS MAURICE TEMPELSMAN?

Advertisement

Often publicly noted as a "frequent escort" or "companion," Maurice was the American socialite's third and last great love during the last decade of her life.

Born into an Orthodox family in Belgium, Maurice emigrated to New York with his parents. They fled amid the rise of the Nazi party in their country.

Once settled in New York, then 16-year-old Maurice followed his father's footsteps in the jewelry business. Now, he is regarded as one of the pillars of the diamond import industry.

Jackie Kennedy and Maurice Tempelsman in New York City on May 2, 1982. | Source: Getty Images

Jackie Kennedy and Maurice Tempelsman in New York City on May 2, 1982. | Source: Getty Images

Advertisement

HOW DID JACQUELINE KENNEDY AND MAURICE TEMPELSMAN FIRST MEET?

Maurice first met Jackie in 1950 when then-senator, John, was still alive. Maurice arranged a meeting with the late American politician and other business associates interested in diamonds.

The friendship between the Belgian businessman and the Kennedy couple continued for a long time, but only on the sidelines. As destiny would have it, tragedy would strike the couple and that friendship would later turn into a romance between Maurice and Jackie.

After John's assassination in 1963, Jackie dated many men before Maurice. It took a long while before Jackie and Maurice took their companionship to the next level.

Advertisement

Before Maurice, Jackie dated one of the world's wealthiest men, Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. Despite their wide-age gap, they tied the knot in 1968, surprising the public.

Unfortunately, the couple's union fell apart. Few of the couple's issues had been about Aristotle's alleged affair with Jackie's sister, Lee Radziwill.

Amid their strained relationship, Aristotle succumbed to respiratory failure in March 1975. A large portion of his estate went to his daughter Christina.

Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis with Jackie Kennedy on October 18, 1968. | Source: Getty Images

Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis with Jackie Kennedy on October 18, 1968. | Source: Getty Images

Advertisement

In the wake of her second husband's death, Jackie reconnected with Maurice, who later helped her manage her finances. She later received $26 million from Aristotle's estate as a settlement.

Jackie's love for Maurice grew over time, but their relationship had been discreet as the top jeweler tended to avoid the spotlight and public scrutiny.

Maurice had separated from his former wife a long time back, but he and Jackie agreed not to marry each other. Maurice lived and stayed with Jackie in her 15-room Fifth Avenue apartment in New York in the mid-'80s until she died of cancer in 1994.

Maurice Tempelsman and Jacqueline Kennedy attend a gala at the New York Public Library on November 21, 1986 in New York City. | Source: Getty Images

Maurice Tempelsman and Jacqueline Kennedy attend a gala at the New York Public Library on November 21, 1986 in New York City. | Source: Getty Images

Advertisement

WHAT HAPPENED TO MAURICE TEMPELSMAN AFTER JACKIE KENNEDY'S DEATH?

Maurice had been Jackie's constant companion during the last 15 years of her life, and her death left the mega-rich diamond merchant heartbroken. He became the executor and trustee of the socialite's estate.

With Jackie's death leaving a massive hole in his life, Maurice went on to date a career woman named Alice Kimball Malone, a romantic affair that earned support from his inner circle.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Related posts

Lindsey Graham's Sister Breaks Her Silence, Trump Recalls His 'One Bad Moment,' and His Estate Raises New Questions

July 14, 2026

Facebook Star John Davis, 55, Makes Final Post Hours Before Sudden Passing — What Happened

June 12, 2026

Father Was Days from Reuniting with His 4 Children When They Were Found Dead Under 'Heartbreaking Circumstances'

June 30, 2026

Trump Calls Lindsey Graham 'One of the Greatest People' — but Others Who Knew Him Have a Very Different Farewell

July 13, 2026

Inside Actor Charles Bronson's Family Life: His Kids and What Happened to His Former Home – Details

August 07, 2026

Pierce Brosnan's Wife Keely Built Their $100M Malibu Dream Estate After His James Bond Bonus — and the Inside Is Something Else — Photos

August 07, 2026

Inside Burt Reynolds' past Romances: The Love of His Life and the Marriage He Admitted Was 'A Really Dumb Move' – Photos & Details

July 28, 2026

Paris Jackson Shares Health Update After Neck Ultrasound, Reveals Surprising Discovery

May 19, 2026

John Travolta's Changed Appearance Sparks Buzz – Experts Discuss Possible Cosmetic Procedures

May 18, 2026

John Travolta Walks Cannes Red Carpet with Daughter Ella – Fans Say She Looks like Her Late Mother

May 18, 2026

Ted Turner's Massive Empire Across America Revealed — Photos and Video

May 07, 2026