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Kent Castle Linked to White House Restoration
17 May
Summary
- Leeds Castle in Kent may have inspired White House restoration.
- Young JFK visited the castle in July 1938.
- Designer Stéphane Boudin worked on both locations.
A castle in Kent, England, is being considered as a potential inspiration for the White House's historical restoration undertaken during John F. Kennedy's presidency. Leeds Castle, located near Maidstone, was visited by a young John F. Kennedy in July 1938.
During this visit, the castle's interiors had recently been redesigned by French decorator Stéphane Boudin. Boudin, who collaborated closely with the castle's owner Lady Olive Baillie, was subsequently chosen by Jacqueline Kennedy to lead the White House restoration efforts following her husband's election in 1960.
Curator Catherine Pell suggests it is plausible that Kennedy's childhood visit to Leeds Castle may have influenced the choice of Boudin for the presidential residence. Pell highlighted the similarities between Boudin's 18th-century French designs at Leeds Castle and the style Jacqueline Kennedy sought for the White House, noting that Boudin continued his work at Leeds Castle even while contributing to the White House project in the 1960s.
