Politics Harold Macmillan was UK Prime Minister between 10 January 1957 – 19 October 1963 and so worked directly with JFK as he mentions in this entry.
The President spoke to him daily during the Cuban missile crisis and negotiated the purchase of Polaris missiles under the Nassau agreement in December 1962.
William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington, the nephew of his wife Lady Dorothy Cavendish, married Kennedy's sister Kathleen.
26 November
All Saturday and Sunday; the Press, the Radio, and the TV has been devoted to the details of this terrible event. It has been a staggering blow. To the causes which he and I tried to work for, it is a grievous blow. For Jack Kennedy's acceptance - of Test Ban and of policy of detente with Russia were really his own - I mean, were not shared for any except his most intimate advisers. He took great risks for them - as he did with the policy of ending negro inferiority. I was pestered all the week-end to appear on Radio or TV but refused. It seemed to me better to speak in the HofCommons, wh. I did yesterday. I motored from Petworth to London; lunched with Katie Macmillan; spoke for 5 minutes (after the 3 official spokesman - Barber, Gordon Walker, Wade) and motored back to B.G. I was very exhausted but I got through without a break-down. Of course, the whole thing only 1/2 hour, wh. made it easier. The Press today is very complimentary about my speech and I have heard that Ambassador Bruce and his colleagues at the Embassy were very pleased ...
... I was represented at the funeral by Andrew Devonshire. It must have been a wonderful gathering in Washington. The loss to the Anglo-American system is enormous. Poor David Gore will now no longer have the priveleged position wh. he has enjoyed so long and used so well.
[Source: MACMILLAN, Harold. 1973. At the End of the Day 1961-1963 (Volume 6 of Memoirs). MacMillan Co.; 1st Ed.]
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