Lee Radziwill Net Worth

What was Lee Radziwill's Net Worth?

Lee Radziwill was an American socialite, executive and actress who had a net worth of $50 million at the time of her death in 2019. Lee Radziwill was born in Southampton, New York in March 1933. She was known for being the sister of former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and the sister-in-law of President John F. Kennedy. After marrying Prince Stanisław Radziwiłł in 1959, she became a member of the Polish aristocratic House of Radziwiłł. Among her life endeavors, she had a short-lived career as an actress and commissioned the production of the landmark 1975 documentary film "Grey Gardens." In 1996 Radziwill was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame. Radziwill served as a public relationships executive for Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani. She was married three times including to Prince Stanislaw Albrecht Radziwill and Herbert Ross. She had two children including Anthony Stanislas Albert Radziwill. Decades later, Anthony's wife Carole Radziwill became famous as a member of the cast of "The Real Housewives of New York." Lee Radziwill's first marriage was to Michael Canfield. The couple moved to England where she met Stanislas Radziwill. Soon after meeting, they both decided to get divorced and marry each other. Lee Radziwill died on February 15, 2019 at the age of 85.

Early Life and Education

Lee Radziwill was born as Caroline Lee Bouvier on March 3, 1933 in New York City to stockbroker John Vernou Bouvier III and socialite Janet Lee Bouvier. Her older sister was Jacqueline, who would go on to become the First Lady of the United States during John F. Kennedy's presidency in the early 60s. For her education, Lee went to the Chapin School in New York City, the Potomac School in Washington, DC, and Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Connecticut. She went on to attend Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, New York.

Acting Career

Radziwill attempted to establish a career as an actress in the 60s. Although her attempt received substantial media attention, it was ultimately unsuccessful. Radziwill terminated her acting career after giving poorly reviewed performances in a 1967 stage production of "The Philadelphia Story" and in a television adaptation of the 1944 noir film "Laura."

Interior Decorating

Radziwill found better success as an interior decorator, although that career was also relatively short-lived. She was greatly influenced by her association with Italian architect and production designer Lorenzo Mongiardino, who had decorated both her London townhouse and manor. Radziwill's clients were drawn from the upper echelons of society. Later on in her life, her apartments in Paris and Manhattan were featured in Elle Décor magazine.

Grey Gardens

In 1972, Radziwill hired acclaimed documentary filmmakers Albert and David Maysles to create a film about the Bouvier family. Rather than focus on the most famous names, such as Jackie, the brothers instead turned their camera on a pair of eccentric recluses from the extended family: Radziwill's aunt Edith Beale, also known as Big Edie, and daughter Edith, also known as Little Edie. The Maysles were fascinated by the women, who resided in a large decrepit home in East Hampton, New York. They went on to film over 70 hours of footage of the Edie ladies, resulting in the 1975 documentary "Grey Gardens," named after the pair's home. Considered a landmark of the documentary form, the film later inspired a stage musical and an HBO television film starring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange.

Personal Life and Death

Radziwill married her first husband, publishing executive and former US diplomatic aide Michael Canfield, in 1953. The couple eventually divorced in 1958. A year later, Radziwill married Polish nobleman Prince Stanisław Radziwiłł, thus making her a member of the aristocratic dynasty House of Radziwiłł. The pair had two children named Anthony and Christina before divorcing in 1974. Radziwill wed her third and final husband, director and choreographer Herbert Ross, in 1988. They got divorced in 2001 shortly before Ross's passing.

In February of 2019, Radziwill passed away in her apartment in Manhattan. She was 85 years of age.