How Jackie Kennedy’s Cousins Became America’s Most Famous Recluses

Little Edie often told potential suitors that she would “only marry for a million dollars.” It was a provocative statement in any era, but especially for a woman whose fortune had long since evaporated. Delivered with a mixture of humor and challenge, it dared listeners to view her as more than a romantic prospect.

The remark was part flirtation, part self-protection, and part performance. For some, it reinforced her reputation as eccentric and complex. For others, it was proof of her wit and independence. Either way, it left no doubt that Edie lived by her own unapologetic set of rules.