Saturday, June 29, 1963

Edensor

In the early evening, JFK traveled by helicopter to the Cavendish estate and the village of Edensor located on the grounds. He was met by the 11th Duke and his wife, the former Deborah “Debo” Freeman-Mitford. They walked with Kennedy over the small bridge that led to the private family burial grounds. As they approached the markers they halted and Jack walked on alone and knelt at the grave site of his sister Kick. After several minutes of silent prayer, he laid a wreath of flowers on the gravesite. The inscription before him was as follows:

In loving memory of Kathleen, 1920-1948, widow of Major the Marquess of Hartington, killed in action, & daughter of the Hon. Joseph Kennedy, sometime Ambassador of the United States to Great Britain. Joy she gave —- joy she has found.

After rising from his prayer, JFK climbed into the Duke’s Bentley for the drive back to Chatsworth. Entering the house via a staircase that was filled with tourists, the party was joined by house guest Yehudi Menuhin. The party retired to the drawing room and enjoyed tea and for the men cigars and chatted about the ongoing Profumo scandal that was rocking British politics.

After the gathering, JFK was accompanied by air to the home of Harold Macmillan by long-time friend who was currently serving air minister Hugh Fraser. On the helicopter flight, Kennedy ribbed his companion with an imitation of Fraser’s being made a member of Parliament.

After arriving at Birch Grove, Kennedy and Macmillan went to a local pub for a pre-dinner drink, which Jack later admitting that his martini had tasted like anti-freeze.

Dinner was apparently a raucous affair, with one attendee describing it thusly,

Everyone loved it. Or at least most of them did. It was like a pantomime that night….Masses of people sort of screaming, running in and out of each other’s bedrooms, applying make-up, while these crew cut security men squatted around in corners staring at one.

[union jack, 239 -243]