When Jackie Kennedy learned that her husband, Aristotle Onassis, was having an affair with Maria Callas, she did what she knew best – looked the other way.
The claim was made by Kiki Feroudi Moutsatsos, Onassis’ longtime personal secretary. Her memoir, « The Onassis Women, » takes a deep dive into the love triangle.
Callas, a superstar soprano who died in 1977, is the subject of a new biopic starring Angelina Jolie.
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Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas. (Netflix)
« Onassis never stopped seeing Maria, » Moutsatsos, 75, told Fox News Digital. « One week after he got married, he was visiting her many times. I would say three, four times a week. Jackie was very smart, and she realized quickly what was happening. »
The former first lady turned to her spouse’s sister, Artemis Onassis, about the shipping magnate’s not-so-secret relationship with the singer.
« I was pretending I didn’t hear anything, » Moutsatsos recalled. « But Artemis said to her, ‘Don’t pay attention because here in Greece, that’s what usually happens.’ Onassis was in love with Jackie, but he was also used to meeting and being with Maria. »
When Jackie Kennedy learned of her husband Aristotle Onassis’ affair with Maria Callas, she allegedly followed his sister’s advice and ignored it. (Getty Images)
« Jackie followed Artemis’ advice, » she shared. « Onassis and Maria were twin (flames). They couldn’t separate from each other. »
According to Biography.com, Callas and Onassis met at a party in 1957. It quickly turned into a lengthy romance. The relationship was tumultuous, and Onassis eventually began eyeing the widowed Kennedy.
Onassis married Kennedy in 1968. According to the outlet, Callas learned of her lover’s plans three weeks before the ceremony.
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Jackie Kennedy and Aristotle Onassis leave the chapel on his private island following their wedding in 1968. (Getty Images)
Kennedy believed that Onassis’ money and power could provide her family protection. Her first husband, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1963, followed by her brother-in-law, Robert Kennedy, in 1968.
Moutsatsos said she initially wondered why Kennedy chose to turn a blind eye to Onassis’ infidelity. But then she realized that this was nothing new for the mother of two.
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« Jackie was used to this with her previous husband, the president, » said Moutsatsos. « But she also needed to have a strong man next to her. Onassis was the perfect man. He could give her security not only for her but for her children. And Onassis adored her children, John Jr. and Caroline. »
« I was pretending I didn’t hear anything. But Artemis said to her, ‘Don’t pay attention, because here in Greece, that’s what usually happens.’ Onassis was in love with Jackie, but he was also used to meeting and being with Maria. »
Jackie Kennedy believed Aristotle Onassis could provide her family security and protection. (Central Press/Getty Images)
« I remember that on [his private island] Skorpios, he would bring them all kinds of animals and toys to make them feel happy, » she shared. « And of course, Jackie could also have everything she wanted. He was used to giving her many surprises.
« I remember he would ask me to call a famous jeweler here to bring in the best things, the most expensive things. We would look at these jewels for hours, trying to find only the best ones for her. »
« Don’t you think a woman likes that? I would say so, » she chuckled.
Kiki Feroudi Moutsatsos’ memoir, « The Onassis Women: An Eyewitness Account, » was published in 1998. She is currently in talks with producers to turn it into a film. (Putnam Pub Group)
While the women never met, Callas harbored ill feelings for Onassis’ bride. Moutsatsos claimed Callas and Onassis would often fight over Kennedy.
« Maria was jealous, » said Moutsatsos. « She wanted to be with Onassis and have him next to her always, but it was not possible. They were too similar… But Maria was also a very strong character. She was very proud. Jackie was more like a little girl. She was more warm, more feminine. »
Jackie Kennedy’s first husband, President John F. Kennedy, had a reported fling with Hollywood actress Marilyn Monroe. (Frank Povolny/Twentieth Century Fox/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
« Maria never liked this relationship with Jackie, » Moutsatsos shared. « Whenever she was sitting on the boat, (the Christina, Onassis’ yacht), she would read the newspapers and see the photos of Onassis with Maria. After that, there would be a war on the boat. »
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Maria Callas and Aristotle Onassis would often fight about his wife Jackie Kennedy. (ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Images)
Moutsatsos noted it was easy to see why Onassis wanted to marry Kennedy.
« I remember the first day I met her, » she said. « She was coming down the stairs of the house. She was like a queen, a princess. But her behavior was like a little girl. She was very polite with a soft voice. I remember she was very happy because we started speaking in French because Onassis’ sister also spoke French. Jackie spoke French. So we started speaking. »
« Jackie was shy all the time, » she shared. « Whenever she would call to speak with her husband, she would always ask me if Mr. Onassis was available. It was never ‘I want to speak with my husband.’ »
Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas and Haluk Bilginer as Aristotle Onassis in « Maria. » (Netflix)
Kennedy’s marriage to Onassis had other issues involving another woman – her daughter-in-law, Christina Onassis.
« Christina and [her brother] Alexander didn’t like her at all, » said Moutsatsos. « Jackie was trying to approach them, but they were avoiding meeting her, speaking with her.
« On the day that Jackie and Onassis got married, it was raining all day, » said Moutsatsos. « Here in Greece, we believe that if somebody is getting married, and it is raining, that is good luck. But it was not good luck. »
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Aristotle Onassis (1906-1975) with Maria Callas (1923-1977). Onassis’ longtime personal secretary Kiki Feroudi Moutsatsos described the pair as twin flames who never stopped loving each other. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Onassis never left his former flame. Moutsatsos said the pair were together until he died in 1975.
« Maria was desperate when Onassis died, » she explained. « I remember she was calling me almost every day because she wanted to know how to handle the whole situation. She didn’t want to see Jackie, she didn’t want to see [Onassis’] children. They didn’t like any woman to be next to their father. It wasn’t personal. They just always believed that one day their father would be with their mother again. Maria knew that.
Aristotle Onassis refused to give up his longtime love, his secretary claimed. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
« I helped her get to Skorpios without anybody knowing about it, » Moutsatsos claimed. « She didn’t want to live anymore. She thought that her life was useless because, yes, he married Jackie, but she could still be with him. Now he was gone. They were born for each other. »
Kiki Feroudi Moutsatsos believes that Maria Callas died of a broken heart. (ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Images)
When Onassis passed away, Callas had already withdrawn from public life. Callas was 53 when she suffered a fatal heart attack. Moutsatsos is adamant that the star died from a broken heart.
« There were reports that Maria was taking drugs – that is not true, » she said. « What is true is that she was heartbroken. »
Moutsatsos stayed in touch with Kennedy, who lived in New York City with her two children following Onassis’ death. She died there in 1994 at age 64.
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Jackie Kennedy died in 1994. She was 64. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Today, Moutsatsos is looking to republish her memoir. She’s also in talks with producers to potentially turn the book into a film. Her goal, she said, is to set the record straight.
« This was my family, » she said. « And I just want people to know the truth. »
