When the news broke on February 15, 2019, that Lee Radziwill had passed away, it felt like the final curtain call for a certain kind of New York—and global—glamour. She wasn’t just Jackie Kennedy’s younger sister. Honestly, for those in the fashion and design worlds, she was the "it girl" before the term was ever cheapened by social media.
She was 85. She died in her home. It sounds quiet, right?
But for a woman who spent eight decades living in the glaring, sometimes harsh light of the public eye, people naturally wanted to know the specifics. Was there a secret illness? A tragic ending? The truth about the Lee Radziwill cause of death is actually much more peaceful than the tabloid-fueled rivalry stories that followed her for years might suggest.
The Official Word on How She Died
Basically, Lee Radziwill died of natural causes. Her daughter, Anna Christina "Tina" Radziwill, confirmed this to The New York Times shortly after her mother passed. There wasn't some shocking medical mystery or a sudden, dramatic accident.
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She died in her apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. If you knew Lee, you knew that apartment was her sanctuary—a masterclass in "le goût" (the taste) that she refined over decades. It’s somewhat poetic that she took her last breath surrounded by the silk screens and curated trinkets of a life lived across Paris, London, and New York.
A Life of Staying Active
Up until the very end, Radziwill was surprisingly present. She wasn't one of those socialites who disappeared into a veil of mystery in her old age. You’d see her at fashion shows for Giambattista Valli or sipping tea with friends like Marc Jacobs.
- Age at death: 85 (just weeks shy of her 86th birthday).
- Location: Her Manhattan home.
- Status: Surrounded by family and the privacy she guarded fiercely in her later years.
Health Struggles Nobody Saw
While "natural causes" is the clinical label, getting to 85 isn't without its hurdles. In the years leading up to her death, friends noted she was slowing down. It’s just the reality of aging. Some reports, including those from New York Social Diary, mentioned that she had struggled with her mobility in the final months.
She also lived with the long-term effects of a very "social" lifestyle. She smoked for most of her life. She enjoyed her drinks. She lived with a sort of defiance toward health trends, choosing instead to live "well" by her own standards.
The Myth of the "Tragic" Sister
There’s this weird obsession with framing the Lee Radziwill cause of death as part of a larger "Kennedy Curse" or a tragic narrative of being the "second-best" sister. People want to find drama where there isn't any.
Sure, she outlived her sister Jackie by 25 years. She outlived her son, Anthony, who died of cancer just weeks after JFK Jr. perished in that infamous plane crash in 1999. She carried a lot of grief. But by the time 2019 rolled around, Lee had reached a place of relative peace.
Why the Mystery Persists
Why do people keep searching for a different answer?
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Maybe it’s because she was so vibrant. Or maybe it's because her finances were such a topic of gossip. After she died, rumors swirled that she was "broke" or that she had been selling off her jewelry just to keep the lights on. It turns out, that was mostly nonsense. Her estate was valued significantly higher than the "impoverished princess" rumors suggested.
What Her Death Meant for History
When we talk about the Lee Radziwill cause of death, we’re really talking about the end of an era. She was the last of the "Bouvier girls." She was the woman who gave Truman Capote his best gossip and gave the world Grey Gardens (well, she started the project, at least).
She didn't want a circus at the end. She wanted what she had spent her life cultivating: elegance and privacy.
What You Should Know Now
If you’re looking for a deeper understanding of Lee’s life beyond her passing, here are a few ways to actually connect with her legacy:
- Read her memoir, Happy Times: It’s less of a "tell-all" and more of a visual diary. It shows her perspective on her life with Jackie without the bitterness the press loved to invent.
- Study her interior design: She wasn't just a "socialite"; she was a working decorator. Her use of patterns and Indian prints influenced an entire generation of designers.
- Watch That Summer: This documentary features the original footage she shot at Grey Gardens before the Maysles brothers took over the project. It shows a much more vulnerable, hands-on side of her.
Ultimately, Lee Radziwill passed away because time simply caught up with her. She lived 85 years of high-octane history, outlasting almost every contemporary from her "Camelot" days. There was no scandal in her passing—only the quiet exit of a woman who had seen it all and decided she’d finally seen enough.
Practical Insight: If you're researching the Bouvier or Kennedy families, remember that "natural causes" for someone in their mid-80s is the standard medical conclusion unless an autopsy is requested by the family for specific reasons. In Lee's case, her family sought privacy above all else. For a true look at her life, focus on her 1970s design era, which many experts consider her most influential period.