Leopard Bangle

Haile Selassie was the emperor of Ethiopia, and claimed to be a direct descendant of the queen of Sheba and King Solomon. Ethiopia has a long and intriguing history, and in the 1960's it was a very important ally during the cold war. Both JFK and Jackie were excited to meet Selassie, though a scheduling conflict left her unable to stay in Washington for the whole day. She delayed her trip enough to meet the Emperor, but she was not able to stay for the state dinner held in his honor. Rose Kennedy would be the hostess for this dinner. The Emperor brought with him a very special present for Jackie. He had a coat made from two Leopards he had personally caught on a hunting trip in Ethiopia. But he was not sure Jackie would like the coat or even wear it, as he knew it might prove too exotic for the wife of a US President! As a precautionary measure he left two surprises in the coat’s pocket. As it turned out, Jackie did love the coat, and wore it as she left for her trip that very day. Nevertheless, in the rush to prepare for her trip, Jackie did not find the surprises in her pockets until she had entered the plane. She was truly shocked to find two leopard pattern bracelets. And while she rarely wore the leopard coat, she wore the two stunning bangles the rest of her life.