The Surprising Reason JFK’s Presidency Is Linked to King Arthur's "Camelot”

The term “Kennedy Camelot” didn’t come around until after John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963, but once it did, it stuck and is still talked about today. It was actually his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, who first made the connection during a December 1963 interview with Life magazine’s Theodore White.

Camelot, of course, is the legendary castle and court of King Arthur from medieval tales, so it might seem a little confusing how the two fit together. Here’s what “Kennedy Camelot” really means and why people compare Kennedy to Camelot.

“Kennedy Camelot” is the term people use to describe John F. Kennedy’s presidency, which lasted from January 1961 until his assassination in November 1963. Camelot refers to the legendary kingdom known for honor, bravery, and nobility, and according to Jacqueline Kennedy, her husband’s presidency could be compared to it.

Not to mention, JFK was a big fan of historical heroes and the Camelot legend himself.

During her December 1963 interview with Life magazine, just a month after burying her husband, Jacqueline focused on how she wanted his legacy to be remembered.

Kennedy was widely admired for his charisma, inspirational leadership, support of civil rights, and his handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, which ultimately helped prevent nuclear war.

He had plenty of notable moments in office, though, of course, there were weaknesses too.

Still, Jacqueline seemed to think the perfect way to honor him (and remember him) was by comparing his presidency to Camelot, not just because of what the kingdom stood for, even if it was fictional, but also because the musical Camelot was JFK’s favorite.

She explained that as a sickly child, he spent much of his time in bed reading about historical heroes and the Knights of the Round Table.

He even liked to listen to the Camelot musical soundtrack before bed, especially the line: “Don’t let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief, shining moment that was known as Camelot.”

Jacqueline’s purpose in framing Kennedy’s presidency as “Camelot” was to highlight it as a time of hope and optimism, almost like the magical kingdom itself.

She also made it clear that while there would be other presidents, “there’ll never be another Camelot again.”

Jacqueline Kennedy credited history with shaping JFK into the man he was. In that 1963 Life interview, she not only compared her husband to Camelot but also talked about how history influenced him.

She stated, “The more I read of history, the more bitter I got. For a while, I thought history was something bitter old men wrote. But then I realized history made Jack what he was.”

As we mentioned, Kennedy spent a lot of his sick days in bed reading about history, and Jacqueline added, “Jack had this hero idea of history, the idealistic view.”For context, Kennedy was sick a lot throughout his lifetime, though he kept many of his health problems private.

According to PBS, he almost died from scarlet fever as a kid and had serious digestive issues. He also dealt with back problems and other medical issues, so he wasn’t exactly a healthy guy before he was killed.