A treasure trove of Jackie Kennedy's secrets has been discovered

A treasure trove of letters Jacqueline Kennedy wrote to an Irish priest before and after she was first lady have been discovered by an auction house in Ireland. The letters, which span nearly 15 years, include revelations about her political ambitions, her worries that her husband John F. Kennedy was womanizing, and how his assassination made her "bitter against God."

Between 1950 and 1964, Kennedy wrote 30 letters to Father Joseph Leonard, a Vincentian priest who lived in Dublin and whom she only met twice. "It's so good in a way to write all this down and get it off your chest — because I never do really talk it with anyone," she said to him. In a letter following the assassination of her husband, she said: "I have to think there is a God — or I have no hope of finding Jack again," adding, "God will have a bit of explaining to do to me if I ever see Him."

The letters, described by the auction house as "the dream find of a lifetime," are expected to fetch more than $1.5 million next month. Read more details about them at The Irish Times.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up