Carolyn Bessette Kennedy Wears Her Father's Wedding Band on a Necklace in“ Love Story”, but Did She Wear It in Real Life?
Carolyn Bessette Kennedy Wears Her Father's Wedding Band on a Necklace in“ Love Story”, but Did She Wear It in Real Life?
Michelle LeeMon, March 2, 2026 at 9:28 PM UTC
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Sarah Pigeon as Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in 'Love Story'Credit: FX -
Love Story is filled with memorable looks reflecting Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's timeless style, but are they accurate to the late fashion publicist's life?
In the series, Carolyn (Sarah Pidgeon) wears a simple chain necklace adorned with a wedding band, which she later says belonged to her father
However, accounts of Carolyn's style claim that the ring belonged to her mother, but here's what the show got right about its symbolism
Ryan Murphy's Love Story: JFK Jr. & Carolyn Bessette has not gone without talk of fashion, and that's primarily because of one of its main characters.
The series follows the on-again, off-again relationship between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Calvin Klein publicist Carolyn Bessette, whose undeniable sense of style is felt through the screen.
Sarah Pidgeon portrays the late Carolyn in a variety of understated yet defining ensembles designed and selected by costumer Rudy Mance. If you notice, many of the looks are without a touch of sparkle, an intentional move likely done to portray Carolyn's habit of going jewelry-free in real life.
Sarah Pigeon as Carolyn Bessette KennedyCredit: FX
There is, however, a necklace that frequently makes an appearance.
Context around the accessory is brought to light in episode 4, titled "I Love You." The morning after Carolyn spends the night at JFK Jr.'s loft, he points out a wedding band hung around a chain necklace that she says belonged to her father.
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Later in the episode, Carolyn explains that the necklace is symbolic of her guarded outlook on relationships. "I don't wear this because I love my father. I wear this to remind me that what he seemed to be, he wasn't. And anyone else who seems as wonderful as he did, they're probably not either. I wear it to remind me to be careful, and I am," she says.
The backstory explains why she's much more timid about talking about her dad on her first date with JFK. Jr., but its inclusion doesn't necessarily tell the truth, at least concerning the ring's origins.
Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and her mother AnnCredit: Patrick McMullan/Patrick McMullan via Getty; AP Photo/Mark Lennihan
Carolyn's parents, William and Ann, divorced when she was 8 years old. An article published by WWD in 2024 about Elizabeth Beller's book, Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, notes that William was absent during Carolyn's adolescence, but JFK Jr. suggested that she reconcile with him later on.
And, as Marion Fasel, a jewelry historian, journalist and author, points out on her Substack, The Adventurine, the band Carolyn wore in her real life likely belonged to her mother, a detail shared in Once Upon a Time, the primary inspiration for the show. The change, Fasel adds, could've been due to the storyline and to depict Carolyn's reservations about her and JFK Jr.'s blossoming romance. It is, after all, explained after Carolyn walks out on JFK Jr., only for them to reconcile by the end of the episode.
Sunita Kumar Nair’s 2023 book CBK: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: A Life in Fashion also touches upon Carolyn's collection of her mother's jewelry, the author writing that she would wear the band in college and "joked about having to dip it in holy water” in reference to her parents' divorce, per Page Six.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
