Robert F Kennedy Jr: Unveiling the Fascinating World of His Family, Siblings, Children, Marriages, and More
Get to know Robert F Kennedy Jr's fascinating family, including his siblings, children, and wives Discover the influential Kennedys and their connections, shedding light on the life of this 2024 presidential election candidate
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nephew of the former President John F. Kennedy, hails from a prestigious political lineage. Born in 1954 to Robert F. Kennedy Sr. and Ethel Kennedy, he shares his family with eleven siblings: Joseph, Kerry, Courtney, Rory, David, Kathleen, Michael, Max, Douglas, and Christopher. Regrettably, David and Michael passed away in 1984 and 1997, respectively.
In 2000, Robert followed his father's path and established the environmental law firm Kennedy & Madonna. In 2023, he declared his intention to run as an independent candidate in the 2024 presidential race, but his candidacy was criticized by four of his siblings. Rory, Kerry, Joseph, and Kathleen Kennedy released a statement in October 2023, stating that Bobby's decision to run against Joe Biden posed a danger to the country. They expressed their disappointment and disapproval, emphasizing that while Bobby shares their father's name, he lacks the same values, vision, and judgment. They denounced his candidacy, believing it to be risky for the nation.
Keep scrolling to learn more about Robert’s siblings, wives and kids:
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Family Guide: His Siblings, Kids, Wives and More
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nephew of the renowned late President John F. Kennedy, hails from a prestigious political lineage. Born in 1954 to Robert F. Kennedy Sr. and Ethel Kennedy, this presidential candidate has a remarkable family consisting of 11 siblings: Joseph, Kerry, Courtney, Rory, David, Kathleen, Michael, Max, Douglas, and Christopher. It is worth noting that David and Michael sadly departed in 1984 and 1997 respectively.
Robert followed in his father's footsteps and established the environmental law firm Kennedy & Madonna in 2000. In 2023, he declared his intention to run as an independent candidate in the 2024 presidential race. However, four of his siblings criticized his candidacy.
"Our brother Bobby's decision to compete against Joe Biden as a third party candidate is a threat to our nation," stated Rory, Kerry, Joseph, and Kathleen Kennedy in an October 2023 announcement. "While Bobby may share our father's name, he does not share his values, vision, or judgment. We are deeply saddened by today's announcement. We reject his candidacy and consider it to be dangerous for our country."
Keep scrolling to learn more about Robert’s siblings, wives and kids:
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Robert F. Kennedy Sr. and Ethel Kennedy
Robert, the third child of Ethel and the late senator, was born in January 1954. He comes from a large family of 11 siblings. In June 1968, while running for president, Robert's father, Sr. Kennedy, was assassinated.
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Joseph Patrick Kennedy
The second eldest sibling, born in September 1952, served as a Massachusetts House of Representatives member from 1987 to 1999. Following his departure from the house in 1999, Joseph dedicated himself to his non-profit energy company called Citizens Energy.
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Kerry Kennedy
Robert’s sister, Kerry, has also immersed herself in the political arena, notably taking on the role of president at the esteemed nonprofit organization, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. Her marital ties were with none other than Andrew Cuomo, the ex-governor of New York, spanning from 1990 to 2005. Their union resulted in the joyful creation of three daughters named Cara, Mariah, and Michaela.
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Rory Kennedy
Robert’s youngest sister, Rory, ventured into the field of documentary filmmaking, producing thought-provoking movies that delve into pressing social matters such as addiction, the plight of prisoners-of-war, and the impact of nuclear radiation. In 1999, Rory tied the knot with writer Mark Bailey, and together they are the proud parents of daughters Georgia and Bridget, as well as son Zachary.
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Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
Kathleen, the eldest child, held the position of Maryland's sixth lieutenant governor from 1995 to 2003. After her tenure, Townsend joined the United States Department of Labor as a retirement advisor in 2021. She tied the knot with David Lee Townsend in 1973 and together they were blessed with four daughters: Rose, Maeve, Meaghan, and Kerry. Tragically, in April 2020, Maeve and her son Gideon lost their lives in a canoeing accident.
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Courtney Kennedy
Courtney, the sister of Robert, was employed at the Children's Television Network before assuming the role of a representative for the United Nations AIDS Foundation. She was in a matrimonial relationship with Jeffrey Ruhe from 1980 to 1990. After her divorce, she found love with Paul Michael Hill, and the pair exchanged marriage vows in June 1993. Happily, they welcomed their daughter, Saoirse, into the world in 1997. Tragically, Saoirse passed away in 2019 due to an overdose.
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Max Kennedy
Robert’s brother, Max, also attended the University of Virginia Law School and later pursued a career as an attorney. He then served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation from 2011 to 2018. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Max has authored three books, one of which is a biography of his father published in 1998. Max tied the knot with Victoria Anne Strauss in July 1991, and together they have a son named Matthew as well as two daughters, Caroline and Noah.
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David Kennedy
Robert's brother, David, passed away in 1984 at the age of 28 as a result of an overdose of cocaine, Demerol, and a sedative. Before his demise, he had battled heroin and alcohol addiction.
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Michael Kennedy
Following his graduation from Harvard in 1980, Robert's brother Michael pursued further studies at the University of Virginia School of Law. On completing his education, he assumed the role of manager at Joseph's non-profit organization, Citizens Energy Corporation, and played a pivotal role in cofounding Stop Handgun Violence in 1994. In his personal life, Michael was previously married to Victoria Denise Gifford from 1981 to 1997 and together they had a son named Michael Jr. and two daughters, Kyle and Rory. Tragically, Michael passed away in December 1997 due to a skiing accident shortly after his separation from Gifford.
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Douglas Kennedy
Douglas, Robert's younger brother, completed his studies at Brown University before embarking on a successful career in journalism. In 1996, he became a valued member of Fox News Channel's team. Two years later, he tied the knot with Molly Stark, and together they have been blessed with three daughters named Riley, Mary, and Rowen, as well as two sons named George and Anthony.
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Christopher Kennedy
Christopher, another sibling of Robert, completed his studies at Boston College and subsequently obtained a master's degree in business administration from Northwestern University. He carried on the family tradition by assuming the role of Chair of the Board of Trustees for the University of Illinois from 2009 to 2015. Moreover, he actively participated in the Democratic Party primary for Governor of Illinois during the 2018 election.
Christopher married Sheila Berner in 1987 and the couple welcomed daughters Katherine, Sarah, Clare and son Christopher Jr.
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Emily Ruth Black
Robert and Black tied the knot in 1982, having crossed paths at the University of Virginia School of Law. Although they parted ways in 1992, their union resulted in the birth of two children: Robert Francis “Bobby” Kennedy III and Kathleen “Kick” Alexandra Kennedy, born in 1984 and 1988, respectively.
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Bobby Kennedy III
Emily and Robert’s eldest son is Bobby, who is presently recognized as a distinguished writer and director, having crafted notable films like Eurotrapped in 2013 and Fear and Loathing in Aspen in 2021. In June 2018, he tied the knot with Amaryllis Fox, with whom he has two offspring.
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Kick Kennedy
Kick strayed away from politics and instead became an actress. She has appeared on shows such as Curb Your Enthusiasm, Newsroom and Gossip Girl.
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Mary Kathleen Richardson
Following his divorce from Emily in 1994, Robert tied the knot with Richardson in the same year. The couple had the joy of welcoming four children into their lives: Conor, Kyra, William, and Aidan, who were born in 1994, 1995, 1997, and 2001 respectively. Tragically, two years after their divorce in 2010, Richardson was discovered deceased at her residence in Bedford, New York.
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Conor Kennedy
Robert and Mary's eldest son, Conor, gained widespread recognition after his brief relationship with pop sensation Taylor Swift during the summer of 2012. However, Conor eventually found love with his current girlfriend, Giulia Be, and the pair have been happily together since 2021.
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Kyra Kennedy
Kyra, the second child of Mary and Robert, studied at the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology and now frequents fashion shows and events. However, in April 2016, Robert made the decision to deactivate Kyra's Instagram account due to accusations of cyberbullying against Allie Jones, a writer for New York Magazine.
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William Kennedy
William, Mary and Robert’s third child, attended Brown University and currently works as an analyst at Bailey Capitol.
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Aidan Kennedy
Mary and Robert’s youngest son, Aidan, currently attends Harvard University and has been spotted supporting his father’s 2024 presidential campaign.
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Cheryl Hines
Robert married Hines in August 2014. She has starred on several TV shows including Larry David’s wife on Curb Your Enthusiasm.
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Conor Kennedy
