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Who was Lauren Bessette? What we know about Carolyn Bessette's sister killed in JFK Jr plane crash

Carolyn Bessette’s older sister, Lauren Bessette, died while traveling with Carolyn and John F. Kennedy Jr.
posted by Shreya Ghosh
Sunday 8/10/2025 at 6:21AM EDT
  • Lauren Bessette (Image via Getty)
    Lauren Bessette (Image via Getty)

    Carolyn Bessette, wife of John F. Kennedy Jr., and her sister Lauren Bessette tragically died alongside Kennedy in a plane crash in the summer of 1999. According to Tatler magazine, their private small aircraft went down into the Atlantic Ocean on July 16. The devastating accident was reported near Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. 

    Lauren, older sibling to Carolyn, worked at Morgan Stanley in New York, the magazine reported. Known for her intelligence, discretion, and career focus, she kept a much lower public profile compared to her sister. 

    She was in her 30s when she lost her life to the accident.

    The plane crash tragedy drew massive media attention at the time, as all three were prominent public figures, and it remains one of the most high-profile aviation accidents in recent American history. Decades later, the tragedy continues to be remembered and discussed.

    Everything we know about Carolyn Bessette's sister, Lauren Bessette

    Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr. were one of the most photographed and talked-about couples of the 1990s. According to CNN, they exchanged vows in 1996 in a secret ceremony, only in the presence of their close family and friends.

    In July 1999, on their way to Cape Cod via Martha's Vineyard, the couple was accompanied by Carolyn's loving sister, Lauren. Despite being closely connected to the American royalty, she chose to keep her personal life under wraps. However, her untimely death, at the age of 34, caught worldwide attention, particularly for her younger sister's affluent in-laws' popularity. 

    A look at her younger days

    Lauren and Carolyn were just 14 months apart in age. Along with the other Bessette family members, she grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut. She attended Hobart and William Smith Colleges to pursue her degree in economics. Following her studies, she secured an impressive job at Morgan Stanley in Hong Kong in a graduate position. 

     

    Over time, she worked relentlessly and made a dynamic progression in her career, prompting her rise from vice president to principal. Years later, she returned to her country and began staying near her sister in New York's Manhattan. Lauren spent her days in her luxurious property worth a million on White Street in Tribeca. She shared a close and cordial dynamic with both her sister and John F. Kennedy Jr. After her relocation to the Big Apple, she spent many memorable moments with the couple. 

    A look at her interests 

    Amid the path of climbing fast on the corporate ladder and achieving massive success in her professional trajectory, Lauren Bessette was passionate about fashion and was mostly seen donning elegant pieces from Prada. Also, she shared her interest in exploring art and often made appearances in fundraisers and eminent events in the Hamptons and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

    Was she dating anyone?

    Despite choosing to stay far from the limelight, the media attention was often on her. As per the July 2025 article published by the Tatler magazine, Lauren was dating Bobby Shriver, the cousin of John F. Kennedy Jr.

    On the day of the fatal incident, the single-engine Piper Saratoga was piloted by Kennedy, according to a report by History. Accompanied by the Bessette sisters, Kennedy departed from Fairfield, New Jersey, bound for Martha's Vineyard to drop off Lauren. From there, he and Carolyn planned to continue to Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, for his cousin Rory Kennedy’s wedding. Tragically, the flight ended in disaster when the aircraft went down over the Atlantic Ocean, claiming the lives of all three.

    Pictures and clips of the tragic plane crash surface on social media platforms from time to time, even today. It has been over 25 years since the unfortunate incident, and still the late couple and late Lauren make the headlines on their death anniversary. According to the magazine, their ashes were spread in the Atlantic. After the disastrous accident, Lauren and Carolyn's parents released an official statement to the media back then. They stated,

    "John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette were true soul mates, and we hope to honour 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."

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    TOPICS: Lauren Bessette