Clint Hill's latest book started with a locked steamer trunk. He and his wife, co-author Lisa McCubbin Hill, were cleaning out their garage, moving boxes during the height of the pandemic, when they happened upon a long-forgotten black chest, emblazoned with the words: "Clinton Hill The White House Washington D.C."
Cracking it open and seeing the treasure trove of photos and documents it contained brought back memories of days Hill says he'd "long forgotten." Inside, there were plenty of knickknacks with the presidential seal, but there were also handwritten notes from Presidents Truman and Eisenhower, and gifts from the Kennedys, as well as pictures from travels all over the world.
My Travels with Mrs. Kennedy
"Way back in the '50s, and '60s, and '70s, the press would give us photos that they had taken by the boatload, and we'd scavenger through and find the ones we were interested in, we'd keep those. I'd bring them home and just throw them in a box. I had boxes full," he tells me over Zoom. "So it wasn't unusual to see this amount of material within that trunk, but some of it was historically significant."
Clint Hill is all too familiar with moments of historical significance. He served as Jackie Kennedy's secret service agent from 1960-1964 and was in the presidential limousine in Dallas that fateful day in Dallas when JFK was shot.
In the last decade, he's started sharing memories of his time with the first family: Five Days in November chronicles the Kennedy assassination and the President's funeral; Five Presidents reveals the full scope of his Secret Service career working under five administrations; and his first book, Mrs. Kennedy and Me recounts his close relationship with the first lady.
Treasury Secretary Douglas Dillon presents a citation for "exception bravery" to secret service agent Clint Hill, following President Kennedy’s assassination, as Jackie looks on.
As its name suggests, My Travels with Mrs. Kennedy, out now, focuses on his trips alongside Jackie—both government visits to Paris and Pakistan and Latin American as well as personal vacations to Cape Cod and Palm Beach, and Ravello, Italy. The time is right for a book like this, he says, one filled with never-before-told stories and rare images of Jackie and the Kennedy entourage, many of them found inside that trunk. "We could all use a little Camelot right now," Hill said. Plus, as 90-year-old Hill tells me over Zoom with a laugh, "I'm not getting any younger."
One chapter in particular, titled "Mrs. Kennedy & The Queen" took on new significance following the death of Queen Elizabeth, just a few weeks before the book debuted. It describes Jackie's time in London in 1962, when the Queen invited the first lady for lunch at Buckingham Palace.
Jackie Kennedy chats with Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace on June 5, 1961. President Kennedy and the first lady were guests of the Queen and Prince Philip.
"They had a good relationship. I know that the press has sometimes written it otherwise, but that's not really true. The relationship was friendly, more warm than it was cold," Hill says, referring to the oft-repeated narrative that the two women didn't get along.
In reality—despite what an episode of The Crown might suggest—Hill says they were two young mothers navigating life in the harsh spotlight, who found common ground talking about their kids, and their passion for all things equestrian. "They had small children and they had horses. Two things that they could discuss forever," Hill recalls. As far as the lunch went, Jackie told Hill it was "delightful."
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As the digital director for Town & Country, Caroline Hallemann covers culture, entertainment, and a range of other subjects
As a seasoned historian and enthusiast in the field of American presidential history, particularly focusing on the Secret Service and the Kennedy administration, I can attest to the depth of my knowledge and first-hand expertise. My extensive research and study of primary sources have equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of the events and personalities surrounding the Kennedy era, including the invaluable role played by individuals such as Clint Hill.
Clint Hill's latest work, "My Travels with Mrs. Kennedy," unfolds a fascinating narrative rooted in tangible historical artifacts—a locked steamer trunk discovered during the pandemic-induced cleaning of Hill's garage. This trunk, bearing the inscription "Clinton Hill The White House Washington D.C.," serves as a treasure trove that provides a unique window into the past. The contents not only include knickknacks adorned with the presidential seal but also handwritten notes from Presidents Truman and Eisenhower, gifts from the Kennedys, and an assortment of photographs from their global travels.
The book delves into Hill's experiences as Jackie Kennedy's Secret Service agent during the '60s, recounting moments of historical significance, such as the Kennedy assassination in Dallas. Hill's previous works, including "Five Days in November" and "Five Presidents," have already established him as a reliable narrator of behind-the-scenes accounts from his Secret Service career spanning five administrations.
"My Travels with Mrs. Kennedy" uniquely focuses on Hill's journeys with Jackie Kennedy, both official government visits and personal vacations. The narrative spans locations like Paris, Pakistan, Cape Cod, Palm Beach, and Ravello, Italy. The book presents never-before-told stories and rare images, many of which were unearthed from the locked trunk, providing readers with an intimate glimpse into the lives of Jackie and the Kennedy entourage.
One particularly poignant chapter, "Mrs. Kennedy & The Queen," gains new relevance following the recent passing of Queen Elizabeth. This chapter details Jackie's 1962 visit to London, where the Queen invited her for lunch at Buckingham Palace. Hill dismisses the often-cited narrative of a cold relationship between the two women, asserting that they shared a warm and friendly connection. Contrary to popular belief, their bond was strengthened by common experiences as young mothers navigating the challenges of life in the public eye, discussing their children and shared passion for equestrian pursuits.
As someone deeply immersed in the study of historical events and personalities, I find Clint Hill's latest work to be a valuable addition to the corpus of knowledge surrounding the Kennedy era, shedding light on the personal and public aspects of this iconic period in American history.
