JFK, who was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, in 1963, had a close friendship since childhood with his distant relative the Fifth Baron Harlech, who was a British diplomat and Conservative politician formerly known as David Ormsby-Gore.
Lord Harlech had served as British Ambassador to the United States during the Cuban missile crisis and the two men were lifelong friends.
An auction of Lord Harlech’s belongings from the family estate Glyn Cywarch, known as Glyn, in Talsarnau, takes place in a prestigious London auction house in March, including important furniture, paintings, and a historic library.
Contained within the historic library is a poignant letter, undiscovered until now, sent from JFK’s widow Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ Kennedy to Lord Harlech shortly after her husband’s death.
In the letter, she says: “I wish I could give you the most precious thing that belonged to him, as precious as your friendship was to him, but nothing tangible could ever express that, so please accept this with all my love. Jackie.”
Following Kennedy’s death, Lord Harlech is understood to have asked Jackie to marry him, and although she eventually turned him down in favour of the wealthy shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis, who she married in 1968, the two shared an abiding affection.
The letter accompanies a book of Shelley’s poems from JFK’s library presented to Lord Harlech by Jackie in May 1964.
The auction will also include the sale of important furniture, Old Master paintings, antique jewellery, silver, works of art, and even a vintage motor car and motorcycle, with the funds raised to be used to restore Glyn Cywarch, now owned by Jasset Ormsby-Gore, the Seventh Baron Harlech.
Glyn Cywarch is a Grade II listed estate with beginnings as early as the 15th century, when it belonged to the Wynn family.
Among the other leading items in the sale are a set of seven George III giltwood framed open armchairs worth between £50,000 and £80,000, a diamond riviere necklace set with 56 old cushion-cut diamonds and a 19th century diamond set pendant, worth between £18,000 and £22,000.
The auction will take place at Bonhams in London on 29 March, and the entire collection is expected to fetch more than £1m.