Maurice Tempelsman, Jackie Kennedy’s Last Love, Dies at 95

Maurice Tempelsman, the Belgian-American diamond magnate who was the longtime companion of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, died on August 23, 2025, at the age of 95, following complications from a fall in Manhattan.

A Life Forged from Resilience and Influence

Born on August 26, 1929, in Antwerp, Belgium, Tempelsman and his Orthodox Jewish family fled Nazi persecution in 1940, resettling in New York City. He briefly attended New York University, then joined his family’s diamond business, Leon Tempelsman & Son, eventually becoming a powerful figure in international diamond trade. 

By the 1950s, Tempelsman had brokered U.S. government deals to stockpile African industrial diamonds as strategic resources, positioning himself as a trusted intermediary between African suppliers and U.S. officials.

Beyond business, he was a staunch Democratic Party donor and well-connected in political circles. He counted close associates among John F. Kennedy, Madeline Albright, and Anthony Lake.

From Friend to Companion: A Quiet Love Story

Tempelsman’s relationship with Jacqueline began as a friendship in 1961, rooted in their shared fluency in French and mutual interests, after meeting through his political and business ties. Though their romance didn’t blossom until after the death of her second husband (Aristotle Onassis) in 1975, their bond deepened through decades of trust and companionship. 

By the 1980s, their partnership became more visible — Tempelsman became her financial advisor, doubling her $26 million inheritance from Onassis and managing her estate with steadfast discretion.

When Kennedy Onassis was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer in 1993, he moved into her Fifth Avenue apartment, becoming her devoted caretaker, escorting her to treatments and remaining by her side until her death in 1994.

At her funeral, he stood alongside her children and read a poignant poem—“Ithaka” by C.P. Cavafy, adding his own moving farewell. townandcountrymag.com+1

Legacy and Survivors

Tempelsman is survived by his three children—Leon, Rena, and Marcy—grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. 

A Final Chapter of Quiet Devotion

Unlike Jacqueline’s high-profile marriages to John F. Kennedy and Aristotle Onassis, her relationship with Maurice Tempelsman was deeply private and understated. It was rooted in deep understanding, loyalty, and respect—qualities that perhaps made him the love she shared her final years with.