Meet the Alleged Mistresses of JFK — and the Mysterious Fates Some Met

Diving into the tales of President John F. Kennedy's extramarital affairs during his marriage to First Lady Jackie Kennedy, rumors and claims circulated even before his untimely death in 1963.

PEOPLE magazine featured some of the women who came forward in a cover story back in 2016, claiming to have been involved with the 35th president.

However, in August 2021, another woman stepped forward with news of an alleged affair.

Diana de Vegh revealed that she had engaged in a relationship with JFK when she was only 20 years old.

According to de Vegh, the affair began in 1958 when she was still a junior at Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Mass.

She attended a political dinner for Kennedy, where they locked eyes from across the table.

The Massachusetts Senator even asked someone to give up their seat so he could sit next to the young and pretty de Vegh.

Their relationship continued, and de Vegh eventually moved to Washington, D.C., after Kennedy was elected as president.

However, she emphasized that this was not a romantic story and it took her years to recover from the experience.

De Vegh reflected on Kennedy's behavior, stating that despite being a great man, he was still caught up in the male mythology of his time – pursuing pretty young women whenever he could.

Now, let's delve into the profiles of some other women who claimed to have been involved with JFK, as featured in PEOPLE's 2016 cover story.

Judith Exner was known for her connection between JFK and mobster Sam Giancana.

She famously asserted that she had an abortion after becoming pregnant with the president's child.

Exner described Kennedy as loving, concerned, considerate, and gentle towards her.

The long-standing gossip columnist Liz Smith revealed that Jackie Kennedy was not surprised by Exner's revelations and was even intrigued by the details.

Truman Capote and Gore Vidal, close friends of Jackie, confirmed her awareness of Exner and her interest in the stories written about her.

Marilyn Monroe's relationship with JFK has been the subject of speculation for years.

Monroe's iconic “Happy Birthday” performance for the president at Madison Square Garden fueled rumors of their involvement.

A rare photo taken after the performance, released to the public in 2010, is believed to be the only known image of Kennedy with Monroe.

Journalist Seymour Hersh, in his book The Dark Side of Camelot, highlighted Monroe's instability as a constant threat to the President.

Monroe tragically died from a mysterious overdose at the young age of 36 in 1962, fueling conspiracy theories surrounding JFK and his brother Bobby Kennedy's possible involvement or cover-up.

Mary Pinchot Meyer, sister-in-law of renowned Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, documented her alleged affair with Kennedy in her diary.

In 2016, a love letter from JFK to Meyer surfaced, providing further evidence of their relationship.

However, her life took a tragic turn when she was murdered in Georgetown in 1964, a crime that remains unsolved and is often linked to JFK-related conspiracy theories.

White House intern Mimi Alford claimed to have had an 18-month relationship with JFK, which she detailed in her memoir Once Upon a Secret: My Affair With John F. Kennedy and Its Aftermath.

Alford described the President as magnetic but clarified that he was not looking for a replacement for his marriage.

According to Kennedy biographer Laurence Leamer, the President's special assistant Dave Powers played a role in arranging the alleged encounters between JFK and Alford.

Jill Cowan, a secretary in the White House Press Office, accompanied the President on official trips but never disclosed the details of their relationship.

Cowan did mention that JFK had a fascination with youth in an oral history interview from 1965.

She also highlighted his admiration for Jackie's attention to detail in the White House's personal touches.

Priscilla Wear, another White House staff member, worked under JFK's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln.

According to Barbara Gamarekian, a Kennedy press aide, Jackie was aware of the alleged affair and even commented on it during an interview with a Paris-Match reporter.

The reporter was taken aback when Jackie referred to Wear as the girl who supposedly slept with her husband.

These are just a few glimpses into the alleged mistresses of JFK, shedding light on the complex relationships and mysterious ends that some encountered.

The stories of these women add layers to the already intricate tapestry of JFK's personal life, leaving us with more questions than answers about the man behind the presidency.