Despite ongoing controversy surrounding RFK Jr.’s alleged relationship with a younger journalist, he and his wife came together on Oct. 16 to honor the late Kennedy matriarch
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Cheryl Hines is showing up for her husband, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., at a difficult time despite rumors that he engaged in a “personal relationship” with a political journalist.
Hines, 59, was seen holding hands with Kennedy, 70, as they arrived at his mother Ethel’s memorial service on Wednesday, Oct. 16, following her recent death at age 96.
The celebration of life, held at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C., drew many notable attendees, including Presidents Joe Biden, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama; former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; Martin Luther King III; and singers Kenny Chesney, Sting and Stevie Wonder. RFK Jr. was not listed as a speaker on the program.
In September, Kennedy’s relationship to Hines took the spotlight when a sexting scandal unfolded allegedly involving the former presidential candidate and political reporter Olivia Nuzzi.
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Weeks after the controversy arose, a source close to Hines told PEOPLE that the Curb Your Enthusiasm actress “has been talking about filing for divorce, but he’s begging her not to file.” Another source added that the pair “barely spoke” in the two weeks following the news.
Despite the earlier split rumors, Hines is seemingly supporting Kennedy, whom she has been married to since 2014.
After the death of his mother, Kennedy took to Instagram with a lengthy and heartfelt tribute, writing, “She deeded to each of her 11 children her love of good stories, her athleticism, her competitive spirit, and the deep curiosity about the world, and the intense interest in people of all backgrounds, which caused her to pepper everyone she met — from cab drivers to presidents — with a relentless cascade of questions about their lives.”
He added at the end, “I credit her for all my virtues. I’m grateful for her generosity in overlooking my faults.”
Hines wrote in the comment section, “This is beautiful. Your mother was very proud of you. 🤍.”
Since posting the tribute to his mother, new details about Kennedy’s alleged relationship with the 31-year-old journalist have emerged in a court dispute between Nuzzi and her ex-fiancé, Ryan Lizza.
In the court filings, Lizza reportedly claimed that after he learned about Nuzzi and Kennedy’s alleged fling, she asserted that Kennedy wanted to “control,” “possess,” and “impregnate” her.
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Lizza, 50, the chief Washington correspondent for Politico, also stated that Nuzzi described the relationship as “toxic,” “unhealthy,” “stupid,” “psychotic,” “crazy,” and “indefensible,” acknowledging the “huge power disparity” between her and Kennedy, according to CNN.
A spokesperson for Kennedy told PEOPLE, “The accusations about Robert Kennedy are categorically false and he will not participate in reporting on triple hearsay allegations made in a dispute between other people.”