Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born to John Vernou Bouvier III and Janet Norton Lee in Southampton, New York, into a world of wealth and social prominence. Her early childhood was characterized by horsemanship, a love of reading, and a privileged upbringing within the exclusive social circles of Long Island and Manhattan. This early exposure to wealth and high society would later shape her taste and style, contributing to her image as an elegant and sophisticated figure.

The divorce of Jacqueline's parents, John Vernou Bouvier III and Janet Norton Lee, was a significant event in her young life. Though she maintained a close relationship with her father, his struggles with alcoholism and financial instability impacted the family dynamic. Her mother's subsequent marriage to Hugh D. Auchincloss Jr., brought her into a new, even wealthier and more established social circle, providing her with stability and access to prominent figures and institutions.