Frank Sinatra, a name synonymous with timeless music and Hollywood glamor, had a life that was as filled with complex relationships as it was with legendary performances. Over the course of his life, Frank Sinatra was married four times, with his final marriage to Barbara Marx being the longest and seemingly the most successful. However, while this marriage lasted until Frank’s death, Nancy Sinatra Jr., Frank’s daughter, has openly criticized Barbara, even going as far as to blame her for her father’s death.
The Sinatra Legacy of Love and Struggles
Frank Sinatra‘s life was filled with love, but also with turbulence. His first marriage, to Nancy Barbato, lasted from 1939 to 1951 and produced three children. Their divorce marked the end of a chapter, but Frank soon found himself in other high-profile relationships. Frank’s second marriage to Ava Gardner (1951-1957) was tumultuous, marked by constant fights and infidelity. Mia Farrow would be his third wife in 1966, though their marriage barely lasted two years, officially ending in 1968.
However, it was his marriage to Barbara Marx, which began in 1976, that would last the longest. Barbara, who had been married to comedic actor Zeppo Marx, eventually found love with Frank Sinatra after her divorce from Zeppo. They married in a private ceremony, and while their relationship appeared stable, it didn’t come without complications, especially from Frank’s children from his previous marriages.
Nancy Sinatra Jr.’s Claims Against Barbara
Nancy Sinatra Jr., who was particularly close to her father, has been vocal about her displeasure with Barbara, going so far as to claim that Barbara’s influence negatively impacted Frank Sinatra’s health and contributed to his death at the age of 83 in 1998. In interviews, Nancy Jr. has stated that she felt her father could have lived longer if he hadn’t been in such a negative domestic situation. According to Nancy, Barbara was extremely controlling and even went as far as to try to erase the presence of Frank’s children from his past.
One of the most painful moments for Nancy Jr. came when she learned that her father was near death. She claims that Barbara did not personally inform her about her father’s condition. Instead, she found out through the doctor, which Nancy Jr. felt was a deeply cruel act. After Frank’s death, Nancy Jr. vowed to never speak to Barbara again, a promise she kept throughout the years until Barbara’s own passing in 2017.
The Annulment That Shattered Frank’s Past
Another point of contention for Nancy Jr. was Barbara’s insistence that Frank Sinatra’s first marriage be annulled in order for Frank and Barbara’s union to be recognized in the eyes of the Catholic Church. An annulment, unlike a divorce, declares that the marriage was never valid from the beginning. Nancy Jr. felt that this attempt was not just a religious move, but part of a broader effort by Barbara to erase Frank’s past with Nancy Barbato. To Nancy Jr., it was as though Barbara wanted to rewrite history and make herself the only true wife of the crooner.
The Legacy and the Last Laugh
Despite the apparent success of Frank Sinatra’s marriage to Barbara Marx, Nancy Sinatra Jr. believed that it had a detrimental effect on her father’s well-being. After Barbara’s death, Nancy Jr. seemed to have the last word. She was instrumental in changing the inscription on Frank Sinatra’s grave, removing the words that referred to him as a “beloved husband” to reflect a more personal sentiment: “Sleep Warm, Poppa.” This change was symbolic of Nancy Jr.’s rejection of her father’s final marriage and the role Barbara played in it.
While Frank Sinatra’s marriage to Barbara Marx was perceived by some as a peaceful and loving union, Nancy Sinatra Jr.’s perspective reveals a different, more complicated narrative. For Nancy Jr., the marriage was a source of pain and division that may have contributed to her father’s declining health. In her eyes, Barbara Marx wasn’t just a new wife — she was the person who overshadowed the legacy of Frank Sinatra’s first family.
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