Author Archives: Scott

Margherita of Savoy, Queen of Italy

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Margherita of Savoy, Queen of Italy – source: Wikipedia

Queen Margherita of Italy was the wife of King Umberto I of Italy, who reigned from 1878 until his assassination in 1900. She was born Princess Margherita Maria Teresa Giovanna of Savoy just after midnight on November 20, 1851, at the Palazzo Chiablese, part of the Royal Palace of Turin. in Turin, then in the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia, now in Italy. Margherita was the daughter of Prince Ferdinando of Savoy, Duke of Genoa, and Princess Elisabeth of Saxony. She had one younger brother:

Margherita’s father died when she was just four years old, and soon her mother married again to her chamberlain. Margherita’s uncle, King Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy, enraged by this secret marriage before the official period of mourning was over, sent Margherita’s mother into exile, and for some time she was separated from her children.

Margherita was educated by a series of governesses and tutors, studying several languages, history, and literature, as well as significant studies in the arts and music. She was also raised in a very devout Catholic manner. She took weekly dance lessons, along with her cousin (and future brother-in-law), Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta, the future King of Spain, and it has been suggested by several scholars that there were the beginnings of a romantic relationship. Several years later, the idea of marriage to her other cousin, the future King Umberto I, was suggested, but King Vittorio Emanuele wanted to arrange a marriage to an Austrian archduchess to strengthen ties between the two countries. Sadly, the proposed bride, Mathilde of Austria, died tragically when her dress caught fire. Shortly after, it was again suggested that Umberto should marry Margherita, and this time, the king agreed. Having already refused an offer of marriage from the future King Carol I of Romania, Margherita happily accepted Umberto’s proposal in January 1868.

The marriage of Umberto and Margherita, 1868. source: Wikipedia

The couple married on April 21, 1868, in a civil ceremony held at the Royal Palace of Turin, with a religious ceremony held in the Turin Cathedral the following day. Settling in Naples, they had one son:

Margherita with her son, Vittorio Emanuele, c1877. Source: Wikipedia

On January 9, 1878, Margherita became the first Queen of Italy when her husband ascended to the throne following his father’s death. Immensely popular with the Italian people, Queen Margherita was very active with many cultural organizations, promoting the arts, and working extensively with the Red Cross. She is credited with introducing chamber music in Italy and often helped up-and-coming musicians with their education. These included composer Giacomo Puccini, who was able to study at the Conservatory of Milan thanks to a scholarship granted to him by The Queen.

Always possessing an adventurous spirit, in 1893 she climbed the Punta Gnifetti for a ceremony in which a mountain hut, the Capanna Regina Margherita, was named in her honor. She later became President of the Ladies’ Alpine Club.

Margherita was widowed on July 29, 1900. While visiting the city of Monza, King Umberto I was shot and killed by an anarchist who was avenging the deaths in the Bava-Beccaris massacre. The throne passed to the couple’s son, Vittorio Emanuele III, and Margherita settled into her new role as Queen Mother. She devoted herself to her charity work and the advancement of the arts in Italy. She maintained her official residence at the Palazzo Margherita in Rome and also lived in the Stupinigi Hunting Lodge.

Queen Mother Margherita, 1908. source: Wikipedia

In 1914, Margherita purchased Villa Etelinda in Bordighera, Italy. Originally built as Villa Bischoffsheim in the 1870s, she had stayed there as a guest in 1879 to recover after the first assassination attempt on her husband. In 1896, it was purchased by Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne (father of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) who renamed it Villa Etelinda. The villa was situated in a large park, which is where Margherita had a new house built, named Villa Margherita. For the remainder of her life, she spent several months at Villa Margherita each year, entertaining numerous artists and writers as well as members of her family.

Queen Margherita died at Villa Margherita in Bordighera, Italy on January 4, 1926. She is buried beside her husband in the Pantheon in Rome, Italy.

Tomb of Margherita and Umberto; Credit – By Paul Hermans – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12748068

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Italy Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Umberto I of Italy

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

King Umberto I of Italy; source: Wikipedia

King Umberto I of Italy (Umberto Ranieri Carlo Emanuele Giovanni Maria Ferdinando Eugenio) was born March 14, 1844, in Turin, Kingdom of Sardinia, now in Italy. the eldest son of the future King Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy and Archduchess Adelheid of Austria. He had seven siblings:

Umberto with his mother, Queen Adelheid of Sardinia, c.1850. source: Wikipedia

Umberto was just five years old when his father became King of Sardinia, and he was then styled Prince of Piedmont. He was educated privately, with some of the most prominent statesmen and artists among his tutors. After turning 14, he began his military career with the Sardinian forces and participated in the Italian Wars of Independence. In 1861, Umberto became heir to the throne of the newly unified Kingdom of Italy.

Due to the infighting within the Italian states during the wars, many other royal houses did not look kindly upon the House of Savoy and were unwilling to establish any relations with them. The House of Savoy’s conflicts with the Pope did not help when it came time to find an appropriate royal Catholic bride for Umberto.

In 1867, in an attempt to ease the tense relations between Austria-Hungary and Italy, an engagement was arranged with Archduchess Mathilde of Austria. She was the daughter of Archduke Albrecht, Duke of Teschen, and Princess Hildegard of Bavaria. However, before the marriage could take place, Mathilde died as a result of an accident. While smoking before going to the theater, she had tried to hide the cigarette from her father and caught her dress on fire, suffering severe burns. She died several days later.

Umberto and Margherita, the late 1890s. source: Wikipedia

On April 22, 1868, Umberto married his first cousin, Princess Margherita of Savoy (their fathers were brothers). She was the daughter of Prince Ferdinando of Savoy, Duke of Genoa, and Princess Elisabeth of Saxony. Umberto and Margherita had one son:

When his father died on January 9, 1878, Umberto became King of Italy. Unpopular with the Italian people, Umberto was soon the target of an assassination attempt. While touring the kingdom with his wife in November 1878, an anarchist, Giovanni Passannante, attacked him with a dagger. Umberto was unharmed, but the Prime Minister who was accompanying the royal couple was severely wounded. A second assassination attempt would take place in April 1897, when Pietro Acciarito, an unemployed ironsmith, unsuccessfully attempted to stab Umberto.

In May 1898, workers organized a strike in Milan to protest against rising food costs in Italy. Wheat harvest in Italy had greatly diminished, and the cost of importing grain from America had risen due to the Spanish-American War. Despite attempts by the government to maintain the price by lowering the tariffs, it was too late and not enough. What began as a somewhat peaceful strike soon turned violent. In an attempt to control the crowds, the son of the Milan mayor was shot and killed. Soon, more workers were striking, and riots broke out. The government brought in General Fiorenzo Bava-Beccaris, one of the leaders in the Italian Wars of Independence, to restore order. All came to a head on May 7, when Bava-Beccaris ordered his troops to fire on the demonstrators. Nearly 100 people were killed and several hundred were wounded. A month later, King Umberto awarded the General with the Great Cross of the Order of Savoy, which brought further uproar among the Italian people. It would lead to a tragic end for the King.

The assassination of King Umberto I. source: Wikipedia

On July 29, 1900, while in the city of Monza, King Umberto I was shot four times and killed, by Gaetano Bresci, an anarchist who claimed he was avenging the deaths that occurred in the Bava-Beccaris massacre, and the insult of rewarding General Fiorenzo Bava-Beccarisfor his actions. King Umberto I was buried in the Pantheon in Rome. His son King Vittorio Emanuele III had a chapel monument, the Expiatory Chapel of Monza, built on King Umberto I’s assassination site.

Tomb of King Umberto I at the Pantheon. source: Wikipedia

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Italy Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Adelheid of Austria, Queen of Sardinia

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Adelheid of Austria, Queen of Sardinia – source: Wikipedia

Archduchess Adelheid of Austria, Queen of Sardinia

Archduchess Adelheid of Austria was the first wife of King Vittorio Emanuele II of Sardinia (the future King of Italy). She was born Adelheid Franziska Marie Rainera Elisabeth Clotilde on June 3, 1822, at the Royal Palace of Milan, the daughter of Archduke Rainer Joseph of Austria and Princess Elisabeth of Savoy.  Adelheid’s father was the Viceroy of the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, a constituent land of the Austrian Empire.

Adelheid had seven siblings:

  • Archduchess Maria Karolina (1821 – 1844) – unmarried
  • Archduke Leopold Ludwig (1823 – 1898) – unmarried
  • Archduke Ernst Karl (1824 – 1899) – married morganatically Laura Skublics de Velike et Bessenyö, had issue
  • Archduke Sigismund (1826 – 1891) – unmarried, no issue
  • Archduke Rainer (1827 – 1913) – married Archduchess Maria Karoline of Austria, no issue
  • Archduke Heinrich (1828 – 1891) – married morganatically to Leopoldine Hoffman, had issue
  • Archduke Maximilian (1830 – 1839) – died as a child

Adelheid and Vittorio with their six oldest children, c1854. source: Wikipedia

On April 12, 1842, at the Palazzina di caccia di Stupinigi in Italy, she married Vittorio Emanuele, the son of King Carlo Alberto I of Sardinia and Archduchess Maria Theresia of Austria. The two were first cousins (her mother and his father were siblings), and also first cousins once removed through their mutual descent from Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor. At the time of their marriage, Vittorio Emanuele was heir to the Sardinian throne and held the title Duke of Savoy. The couple had eight children:

Adelheid with her son, Umberto, c1850. Source: Wikipedia

Adelheid became Queen of Sardinia on March 23, 1849, following her father-in-law’s abdication and her husband’s accession to the throne. However, she never lived to become the Queen of Italy. Just days after giving birth to her last child, Adelheid fell ill after attending the funeral of her mother-in-law in Turin. Adelheid herself died four days later, on January 20, 1855, at the Royal Palace of Turin in the Kingdom of Sardinia, now in Italy. She was interred at the Royal Basilica of Superga in Turin.

The Royal Basilica of Superga. Source: Wikipedia, photo by Rolopack

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Italy Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

King Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy; source: Wikipedia

Vittorio Emanuele II, King of Sardinia, King of Italy

King Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy reigned from 1861 until 1878. He was born Prince Vittorio Emanuele Maria Alberto Eugenio Ferdinando Tommaso of Savoy on March 14, 1820, in Turin, the eldest son of Carlo Alberto, 7th Prince of Carignano, the future King of Sardinia, and Maria Theresa of Austria, Archduchess of Austria, Princess of Tuscany. He had two younger siblings:

In 1831, his father succeeded a distant cousin, becoming King of Sardinia. Vittorio Emanuele accompanied his father to Turin, where he underwent a very strict regimen of education and physical activities. Soon, he began his military career, attaining the rank of Colonel and commanding his own regiment. He later was elevated to the rank of General.

Vittorio Emanuele and his family, c1854. source: Wikipedia

On April 12, 1842, at the Palazzina de caccia di Stupinigi, Vittorio was married to Archduchess Adelheid of Austria. She was the daughter of Archduke Rainer Joseph of Austria and Princess Elisabeth of Savoy. Vittorio and Adelheid were first cousins, as his father and her mother were siblings. They were also first cousins once removed through their mutual descent from Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor. Adelheid died on January 20, 1855, just twelve days after giving birth to their youngest child.

The couple had eight children:

In 1847,  27-year-old Vittorio Emanuele met 14-year-old Rose Vercellana when her father became the commander of the royal garrison at the Royal Castle of Racconigi, the hunting estate of the royal family of Sardinia. She soon became his mistress. At that time, Vittorio Emanuele had been married to his wife Adelheid of Austria for seven years and five of their eight children had been born.

Vittorio Emanuele’s many other relationships were brief but his relationship with Rosa lasted the rest of his life. Their early meetings were very secret because Vittorio Emanuele’s father Carlo Alberto, King of Sardinia was against the affair and because it was illegal to have sex with minors. Eventually, Rosa was given a home on the grounds of the Palazzina di caccia of Stupinigi (the hunting residence of Stupinigi), closer to Turin, the seat of government.

Rosa and Vittorio Emanuele had a daughter and a son, born when Rosa was fifteen and eighteen:

  • Vittoria Guerrieri (1848 – 1905), married (1) Giacomo Filippo Spinola, had three children (2) Luigi Domenico Spinola, brother of her first husband, had one daughter (3) Paolo de Simone, no children
  • Emanuele Alberto Guerrieri, Count of Mirafiori and Fontanafredda (1851 – 1894), married Bianca Enrichetta de Lardere, had two sons

Rosa and Vittorio Emanuele with their two children in the 1860s Credit – Wikipedia

Following a massive defeat by the Austrian forces, Vittorio Emanuele’s father abdicated on March 23, 1849, and he became King of Sardinia as Vittorio Emanuele II. He became a driving force behind the “Risorgimento”, the Italian unification movement.

Over the next twelve years, Vittorio Emanuele led the drive toward a unified kingdom. Under the leadership of Giuseppe Garibaldi, a noted general and politician, the Sardinian forces soon gained Sicily and Naples. He then led his forces against the Papal army, driving the Pope into Vatican City. This resulted in the Pope excommunicating Vittorio Emanuele from the Roman Catholic church. Garibaldi soon conquered the Kingdom of Two Sicilies but was stopped from attacking Rome as it was under protection from the French. With all the newly acquired lands, on March 17, 1861, Vittorio Emanuele was proclaimed the first King of the new, united Kingdom of Italy.

After the death of Vittorio Emanuele’s wife Adelheid in 1855, his relationship with Rosa Vercellana continued, despite his numerous other lovers, and became more public. Although the relationship caused much scandal and hostility at court, Vittorio Emanuele did not yield to any pressure. In 1858, Vittorio created Rosa Countess of Mirafiori and Fontanafredda, recognized their two children, and gave them the surname Guerrieri. A year later, Vittorio Emanuele purchased the Castle of Sommariva Perno (link in Italian) for Rosa. Although Rosa was despised by the nobles, she was loved by the common people for her peasant origins.

When Vittorio Emanuele fell seriously ill in 1869 and feared he was dying, he married Rosa in a religious ceremony on October 18, 1869. However, Vittorio Emanuele did not die. The marriage was morganatic, a marriage between people of unequal social rank in which the position or privileges of the higher-ranked spouse are not passed on to the other spouse or any children. Rosa’s children had no succession rights and she did not become Queen of Italy, instead, she retained her titles Countess of Mirafiori and Fontanafredda, which the Vittorio Emanuele had given her in 1858. So that Rosa would have marriage civil rights, a civil marriage was held on October 7, 1877, just three months before Vittorio Emanuele’s death.

The Quirinal Palace. source: Wikipedia

In 1870, allied with Prussia, the King capitalized on Prussia’s victory over France in the Franco-Prussian War and captured Rome after the French forces withdrew. On September 20, 1870, Vittorio Emanuele entered Rome, established the city as the new capital of Italy, and took up residence at the Quirinal Palace in Rome, Italy.

The remainder of his reign was more peaceful. The King focused on building up the new Kingdom, both financially and culturally, further cementing his legacy as ‘Father of the Fatherland’ (Padre Della Patria), a title given to him by the Italian people. King Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy died at the Quirinal Palace on January 8, 1878. He is buried in the Pantheon in Rome.

Tomb of Vittorio Emmanuele II; Credit – By Fczarnowski – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10594487

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Italy Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Princess Helen of Greece, Queen Mother of Romania

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Princess Helen of Greece, Queen Mother of Romania source: Wikipedia

Princess Helen of Greece and Denmark, Queen Mother of Romania, was the second wife of King Carol II of Romania, the eldest son of King Ferdinand of Romania and Princess Marie of Edinburgh. She was born on May 2, 1896, in Athens, Greece the third of six children of King Constantine I of the Hellenes and Princess Sophie of Prussia. Her siblings were:

Helen (left) with her brothers and sister Irene (seated), 1904. source: Wikipedia

Helen was educated at home by tutors and governesses and was particularly close to her brother, Alexander. Their family life was often disrupted by the political tension in Greece, and the family spent several years in exile. Following her grandfather’s assassination in 1913, Helen’s father became King of the Hellenes. However, he would be forced from the throne in 1917. The family settled in Switzerland, while Helen’s brother Alexander was chosen to replace his father.

Helen and Carol, 1921. source: Wikipedia

In 1920, while the Greek royal family was in exile, Queen Marie of Romania and her daughters visited them. This resulted in the engagement of Helen’s brother, the future King George II of the Hellenes, and Princess Elisabeta of Romania. The group was soon joined by the future King Carol II of Romania who was returning from a trip around the world, intended to separate him from his first (and former) wife, Zizi Lambrino. After traveling together to Romania for the engagement announcement, Helen and Carol returned together to Switzerland and became closer on the journey. After returning, Carol asked Helen’s father for her hand in marriage, and their engagement was announced in November 1920. They married on March 10, 1921, at the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Annunciation in Athens, Greece, and following a honeymoon, returned to Romania.

The couple had one son:

The couple had apartments at Cotroceni Palace but lived at the Château de Foisor on the grounds of Peleș Castle, and later moved to a house in Bucharest. The marriage was not a happy one. Helen was very proper and aristocratic, while Carol preferred spending his time partying with his friends, and in the company of other women. Within a few years, Carol began an affair with Magda Lupescu, and in 1925 he renounced his rights to the throne and left the country. Helen was given the title Princess of Romania.

In July 1927, King Ferdinand died, and Helen’s son Mihai ascended the throne at just five years old. Despite being the mother of the King, Helen had no official position, nor was she a member of the Regency Council. At the end of that year, Carol asked Helen for a divorce, which she initially refused. However, she later gave in to the advice of the government, and the couple was formally divorced on June 21, 1928.

In June 1930, Carol returned to Romania following a coup organized by Prime Minister Iuliu Maniu. The parliament voided his previous renunciation of the throne, and he was proclaimed King. Helen remained at their home in Bucharest with her son, while there was a significant discussion, both publicly and within the government, about annulling the couple’s divorce. Helen was told that since the 1926 renunciation was voided, she had technically become Queen of Romania when her father-in-law died in 1927. However, when presented with a decree from the government to confirm Helen as Her Majesty The Queen of Romania, Carol refused, insisting that she should be styled Her Majesty Helen.

Helen and her son, Mihai, in London, 1932. source: Wikipedia

While Helen considered the annulment of their marriage, Carol was adamantly against it. Faced with harsh treatment from Carol – guards placed around her home, visitors harassed – Helen left Romania and traveled to her mother’s home in Italy. After she returned in 1932, King Carol began a media campaign to damage her reputation. The government finally interceded, announcing that she would be permitted to live in Romania for six months each year and take her son abroad for one month. They also confirmed her civil list payment. Despite all of this, she was expected to remain abroad. She purchased a home in Italy and in 1934 moved into Villa Sparta – her mother’s former home – along with her brother Paul and two sisters. She remained there for ten years, only seeing her son for a month or two each year.

Villa Sparta. photo by By I, Sailko, source: Wikipedia

In 1940, Carol was forced to abdicate and Mihai returned to the throne. Helen was called back to Romania and given the formal title Her Majesty the Queen Mother of Romania. Helen served as a close advisor to her son and encouraged him to stand up to Prime Minister Ion Antonescu who had established himself as dictator.

During World War II, she devoted herself to caring for the wounded, and in 1942 she played a major role in stopping Antonescu’s plans to deport the Jews. For this, she was later awarded the status Righteous Among the Nations (in 1993, nearly eleven years after her death). By 1947, Romania was under Communist control, and Helen and King Mihai were treated very harshly. When they traveled to London for the wedding of Helen’s cousin Philip Mountbatten to Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom, many in the Romanian government hoped that they would not return. Despite being urged to remain in London, the two returned to Romania on December 21, 1947. Within days, King Mihai was forced to relinquish the throne, with threats of mass executions if he did not agree to abdicate. The country was proclaimed a republic and Mihai and Helen left Romania on January 3, 1948.

They settled in Switzerland, where they found themselves in poor financial circumstances. They had most of their assets and properties seized by the Romanian government and had been stripped of their citizenship. Helen’s biggest concern was the upcoming marriage of her son to Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma. Due to Anne’s Catholicism, most of her family refused to attend as the Pope would not sanction the marriage. Instead, Helen’s brother, King George II of the Hellenes, arranged for the couple to marry in Athens in June 1948.

Helen then returned to Villa Sparta in Italy, often hosting her son and his growing family, as well as her sister Irene and her son. She often traveled to England and Greece to visit family and participated in the Cruise of the Kings in 1954, hosted by her brother, King Paul of the Hellenes, and sister-in-law, Princess Frederica of Hanover. Helen also indulged her love of Renaissance painting and architecture, spending much time visiting museums and exhibits. Her love of gardening also led to a romance with the twice-widowed King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden, who reportedly proposed marriage but Helen declined. Always struggling financially, Helen was forced to sell off many of her remaining assets and eventually had to give up Villa Sparta.

First Grave of Queen Mother Helen of Romania. Photo by krischnig, source: Wikipedia

In 1979, now facing the effects of age and financial difficulties, Helen left Italy and settled in a small apartment in Lausanne, Switzerland. She later moved in with her son and his family. On November 28, 1982, Princess Helen of Greece, Queen Mother of Romania, died in Lausanne. She was initially buried at the Bois-de-Vaux Cemetery in Lausanne. Helen was reburied at the new Archdiocesan and Royal Cathedral at Curtea de Argeș on October 19, 2019.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Romania Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Carol II of Romania

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2016

King Carol II of Romania; Credit – Wikipedia

King Carol II of Romania was born at Peleş Castle in Sinaia, Romania, on October 15, 1893, the eldest son of the future King Ferdinand I of Romania and Princess Marie of Edinburgh. He had five younger siblings:

Carol (right) with his mother and sister, Elisabeta, 1895. source: Wikipedia

King Carol II was the first King of Romania to be born in Romania, and the first member of the Romanian royal family to be brought up in the Orthodox faith. His predecessors were both born in Germany and had been permitted to remain members of the Roman Catholic church.

Carol with his great-uncle, King Carol I. source: Wikipedia

From a very early age, Carol was raised primarily by his great-uncle and great-aunt, King Carol I of Romania and Queen Elisabeth. The King felt that Carol’s parents were unable to raise their son properly. Ferdinand and Marie were young, and Marie had already had several affairs which contrasted with the strict moral attitudes of King Carol I. The result was a virtual tug-of-war between Carol’s parents and the King and Queen, which left him, according to one historian, “both spoiled and deprived of love.”

Despite King Carol I’s efforts to raise Carol in his own militaristic image, the young prince soon found that he preferred to spend his time chasing women and partying with his friends. By the time he was 19, he had already fathered two illegitimate children. In 1913, King Carol I had him commissioned in the Prussian Guards, hoping to curb his hedonistic lifestyle. He later took his seat in the Romanian Senate upon reaching his maturity.

Carol and Zizi Lambrino, c1919. source: Wikipedia

On August 31, 1918, Carol married Joanna “Zizi” Lambrino, the daughter of a Romanian general, at the Cathedral Church of Odesa, Ukraine, Russia. The marriage was not sanctioned by King Carol I and was unwelcome by the Romanian people. Seven months later, the marriage was annulled but the couple continued to live together. The following year, in January 1920, they had a son Mircea Gregor Carol Lambrino, later known as Prince Mircea Grigore Carol of Romania.

Carol and Helen, 1921. source: Wikipedia

The following year, on March 10, 1921, Carol married his second cousin, Princess Helen of Greece, the daughter of King Constantine I of the Hellenes and Princess Sophie of Prussia. They had one son:

The marriage, arranged to form an alliance between Romania and Greece, was never a happy one, and Carol and Helen were horribly mismatched. Helen was very aristocratic and refined, while Carol continued his partying ways and indulged in numerous affairs. In 1925, he began a relationship with Elena “Magda” Lupescu. She was the daughter of Jewish parents but had been raised Roman Catholic, as her mother had converted in her youth. Her father had converted to Orthodoxy. Magda had married a Romanian army officer in 1919 but was later divorced. It is speculated that she was still married when she first met Carol in 1923, but this is uncertain. Other sources state her divorce took place in 1920.

Carol made no efforts to hide his affair, and it quickly caused great controversy in Romania. Knowing that the Romanian constitution barred him from marrying her, on December 28, 1925, Carol renounced his rights to the Romanian throne. Once ratified by the parliament, this left his young son Mihai as heir-apparent.

On July 20, 1927, King Ferdinand died, and Mihai became King of Romania at just six years old. Several months later, Carol asked Helen for a divorce. After initially refusing, she was later advised to agree and their marriage was formally dissolved on June 21, 1928.

In early June 1930, Carol quietly returned to Romania to negotiate with the Prime Minister for his return to the throne. On June 7th, following a coup, Carol’s early renunciation was voided, and he was restored as King of Romania, replacing his young son. Despite taking an oath to uphold the 1923 Constitution, King Carol had no intention of doing so. From the beginning, he attempted to increase his powers, intending to establish a dictatorship. In a reign riddled with political in-fighting, Carol often pitted the political parties against each other, for his own gains.

After discovering a plan to bring the anti-Semitic party into power, King Carol suspended the constitution on February 10, 1938, proclaiming martial law and suspending civil liberties. He dismissed the Prime Minister and appointed the head of the Romanian Orthodox Church as his replacement. With the fear of impending war, King Carol tried to play both sides of the fence. He appealed to Britain for help, offering to place Romania under their economic influence, while also visiting Hitler in Germany, attempting to improve relations between the two countries. At the onset of war, Carol declared neutrality, violating both the 1921 treaty with Poland and the 1926 treaty with France. It wasn’t until May 1940, seeing that France was losing the battle, that Carol aligned with the Axis powers.

The following month, he was forced to cede several regions to the Soviet Union, knowing that the Romanian forces were no match for the Red Army. Further land was lost in August 1940 due to the Second Vienna Award. With no support from the Romanian people, and the Romanian forces refusing to follow his orders, King Carol II was forced to abdicate on September 6, 1940, in favor of his son, Mihai.

Carol went into exile, settling in Mexico with Magda Lupescu. They bought a home in Mexico City, where he attempted to organize a movement to overthrow General Antonescu. Several attempts to regain the throne failed, as he had no political support.

Carol and Magda Lupesco. source: Wikipedia

Carol and Magda moved to Brazil in 1944, where they married on June 3, 1947. They soon moved to Estoril, Portugal, where he would live in exile for the remainder of his life. The former King Carol II died suddenly of a heart attack on April 4, 1953, in Estoril, Portugal. His remains were placed in the Royal Pantheon of the House of Braganza at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon, Portugal. His wife Magda was also buried there when she died 24 years later. In 2003, their remains were brought back to Romania and buried in a chapel outside the Curtea de Argeş Monastery in Argeş, Romania. His son, the former King Mihai who had not seen his father since 1940, did not attend.

Romania Resources at Unofficial Royalty

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Elisabeth of Wied, Queen of Romania

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2016

source: Wikipedia

Princess Elisabeth of Wied, Queen of Romania

Queen Elisabeth of Romania was the wife of Romania’s first king, Carol I. She was born Princess Pauline Elisabeth Ottilie Luise of Wied on December 29, 1843, at Schloss Monrepos in Neuwied, Principality of Wied, now in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Her parents were Hermann, Prince of Wied and Princess Marie of Nassau, and she had two younger brothers:

Through her mother, Elisabeth’s first cousins included Grand Duke Guillaume IV of Luxembourg, Queen Emma of the Netherlands, Princess Helena, Duchess of Albany, and King Gustaf V of Sweden.

As a child, Elisabeth was educated at home by tutors, including German linguist Georg Sauerwein and famed pianist Clara Schumann. Elisabeth was an avid student, and for some time wanted to become a teacher. Her love of music and the arts – particularly writing – would shape the woman she would become as an adult. It was even during her early years studying with Sauerwein that her pseudonym ‘Carmen Sylva’ was born.

Carol and Elisabeth, circa 1870s; Credit – Wikipedia

In the late 1850s, Elisabeth was considered as a prospective bride of the future King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, but he was not interested. In 1861, she first met her future husband, Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. Several years later, he was later elected Ruling Prince of the United Principalities of Romania, taking the name Prince Carol I. After meeting again in 1869 when Carol was touring Europe in search of a bride, the couple was married in Neuwied on November 15, 1869. They had one daughter – Maria – born in September 1870. Maria died of scarlet fever in 1874, and Elisabeth never fully recovered from the loss of her only child.

Elisabeth with her husband and daughter, 1873. source: Wikipedia

Soon the country was embroiled in the Russo-Turkish War, and Elisabeth worked tirelessly to care for the wounded, arranging for hospitals, ambulance services, and medicine. She later went on to establish the Queen Elisabeth Society which provided free medical care for the needy, and the Queen Elisabeth Blind Asylum in 1909, for the visually impaired. In addition, she became an ambassador of sorts, promoting Romanian culture and arts throughout the country and Europe. At a time when traditional Romanian costume was often considered ‘peasants garments’, Elisabeth and her ladies-in-waiting often dressed in the outfits for public appearances. She arranged for exhibits of Romanian crafts at the Universal Exhibitions in Paris in 1867,1889 and 1900, as well as holding an exhibit – Women in the Arts and Crafts – in Berlin in 1912. When Romania was not quite part of the normal ‘tourist circuit’, Elisabeth promoted the country and would even receive travelers on the Orient Express when they would stop in Sinaia.

A relentless patron of the arts, she often hosted writers, composers, and musicians, and helped promote their works. In later years, she had a concert hall built near Peleș Castle specifically for George Enescu, the famed Romanian musician. But her true passion was writing. Under the pseudonym Carmen Sylva, she wrote hundreds of poems, plays, novels, short stories and essays, and thanks to her fluency in several languages, published numerous translations of other works.

Shortly after becoming Queen of Romania in 1881, Elisabeth was embroiled in controversy. Having no children, King Carol had adopted his nephew, the future King Ferdinand, as his heir. Ferdinand soon became involved with one of Elisabeth’s ladies-in-waiting, Elena Văcărescu. The Queen encouraged the relationship, despite the fact that a marriage would be forbidden under the Romanian constitution which stated that the heir was not permitted to marry a Romanian citizen. The scandal resulted in Elena, Ferdinand, and Queen Elisabeth all being sent out of the country. The Queen returned for some time to Neuwied, while Ferdinand was sent on a tour of Europe to find an appropriate wife.

Dowager Queen Elisabeth, 1915. source: Wikipedia

In her later years, Elisabeth continued to support and promote the arts and continued with her writing. She died on March 2, 1916, and is buried beside her husband at the Cathedral of the Curtea de Argeş Monastery.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Romania Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Princess Frederica of Hanover, Queen of the Hellenes

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Embed from Getty Images 

Queen Frederica was the wife of King Paul of the Hellenes, and the mother of the last Greek king, Constantine II. She was born Princess Frederica Louisa Thyra Victoria Margareta Sophie Olga Cécilie Isabelle Christa of Hanover, on April 18, 1917, in Blankenburg am Harz, in the Duchy of Brunswick, now in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, the daughter of Prince Ernst August of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick, and Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia. Her father was the senior male-line descendant of King George III of the United Kingdom via his son Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover and Duke of Cumberland. Her mother was the only daughter of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria.

Frederica had four brothers:

Although known as Princess Frederica of Hanover, this was merely by courtesy. The Kingdom of Hanover ceased to exist after being annexed by Prussia in 1866. She was, however, a Duchess of Brunswick, as her father had been the reigning Duke of Brunswick since 1913. This title would also become merely a courtesy after her father was forced to abdicate in 1918. And to confuse things further, at the time of her birth she was also a British princess. In 1914, King George V of the United Kingdom issued Letters Patent granting the title of Prince/Princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, with the style of Highness, to any children born to The Duke and Duchess of Brunswick. (You can read the Letters Patent here.)

Wedding of Paul and Frederica, 1938. source: Greek Royal Family

Wedding of Paul and Frederica, 1938. source: Greek Royal Family

While studying in Florence, Italy in 1935, Frederica began a romance with the future King Paul of the Hellenes. First cousins once removed, they had first met in 1927, and again in 1934 at the wedding of Princess Marina of Greece and Prince George, Duke of Kent. Paul soon asked her father for permission to marry, but the Duke of Brunswick refused, based on Frederica’s age. However, in 1936, while both were attending the Olympic Games in Berlin in 1936, Paul proposed again and this time the answer was yes. Their engagement was formally announced on September 28, 1937, and the couple married at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens on January 8, 1938. They soon settled at a villa in the Psychiko district of Athens, and went on to have three children:

 

In 1941, the Greek royal family was evacuated to Crete and then forced to flee the German invasion. She and her children eventually settled in South Africa and then Egypt. They returned to Greece in September 1946, following a referendum to restore King George II to the throne. Just seven months later, on April 1, 1947, King George died and Paul became King of the Hellenes. As the country was in the midst of civil war, Queen Frederica set up a group of camps around Greece, to provide shelter, food, and education for orphans and needy children.

Following the war, Frederica and her husband traveled extensively, building support for the monarchy and promoting Greece. Despite this, there was always a faction against the monarchy, and Queen Frederica in particular. Her membership, as a child, in the Bund Deutscher Mädel (League of German Girls) – a branch of the Hitler Youth – made her a target of the anti-monarchists. In addition, she was known for publicly straying into politics, even campaigning against the election of Prime Minister Papagos in 1952. Many historians feel that Frederica’s forays into politics contributed to the instability of the monarchy. In 1974 when her son was campaigning for a restoration of the monarchy, one of the things he promised was to keep his mother out of Greece and its politics.

On March 6, 1964, King Paul died of cancer and was succeeded by his son, King Constantine II. Later that year, Constantine married Princess Anne Marie of Denmark, giving Greece a new Queen. Frederica stepped aside, allowing her new daughter-in-law to take center stage. However, she was accused in the media of being the ‘power behind the throne’. In response, the Dowager Queen relinquished her appanage from the State and retired from public life. While she remained active in family and social events, she stayed out of the official, and political, spotlight.

 

In 1967, the Greek Royal Family was once again forced to leave the country following a failed counter-coup led by King Constantine II. They settled in Rome, and Queen Frederica and her daughter Irene spent some time living in India. In later years, she would divide her time between her son’s home in the United Kingdom and the home of her elder daughter Sofia in Spain.

On February 6, 1981, after undergoing cataract surgery in Madrid, Queen Frederica died from a massive heart attack. After receiving permission from the Greek government, she was buried beside her late husband in the Royal Cemetery at Tatoi Palace. Her son and his family were permitted to attend but had to leave immediately after the burial.

Grave of King Paul and Queen Frederica; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Greece Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Paul I of the Hellenes

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2016

source: Wikipedia

King Paul of the Hellenes

King Paul of the Hellenes reigned from April 1, 1947, until his death on March 6, 1964. He was born at Tatoi Palace on December 14, 1901, the youngest son of King Constantine I of the Hellenes and Princess Sophie of Prussia. He was a great-grandson of both King Christian IX of Denmark and Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. He had five siblings:

Paul (front) with his parents and siblings, c.1908. (rear: Princess Irene, King Constantine I, future King George II; front: Queen Sophia, Princess Helen, future King Alexander). source: Wikipedia

As the third son, Paul was never expected to become king and therefore did not receive the extensive education given to his eldest brother George. He was educated primarily at home by several foreign tutors and Greek university professors. He also attended Saint Peter’s Preparatory School for Young Gentlemen, in Eastbourne, England, and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Plans to attend the Royal Naval Academy at Dartmouth were canceled due to the outbreak of World War I.

In 1917, King Constantine I was forced to relinquish the throne, and Paul’s older brother, Alexander, was chosen by the Greek government to succeed him. Paul accompanied his parents and siblings to Switzerland where they lived in exile. No longer able to join the British Royal Navy, it was arranged for Paul to join the Imperial German Navy. He studied at the German Imperial Naval Academy in Kiel, overseen by his maternal uncle, Prince Heinrich of Prussia. However, in 1918, he returned to Switzerland following the fall of the German Empire.

Paul (far right) with members of his family, 1921. (l-r: Princess Irene, Queen Sophia, King Constantine I, Princess Helen, Crown Princess of Romania, Crown Prince Carol of Romania, Paul). source: Wikipedia

Following the death of his brother, King Alexander in 1920, the Greek Government initially wanted Paul to succeed him on the Greek throne. Paul, however, declined, citing the fact that his father and eldest brother were still living and both preceded him in the line of succession. Soon, a new government came to power, and King Constantine I was restored to the throne. The family returned to Greece, and Paul joined the Hellenic Naval Academy, beginning his naval career with the Greek forces. After two years of studies, he was promoted to Lieutenant and served on the Greek cruiser, Elli.

Paul became Crown Prince on September 11, 1922, when his father was forced to abdicate, and his elder brother became King George II.  Still in the Greek Navy, Paul split his time between his naval duties and supporting his brother and the monarchy.

More turmoil was soon to come. Following the election of Eleftherios Venizelos as Prime Minister in the fall of 1923, King George II and the Greek royal family were asked to leave Greece while the new government decided on the future of the monarchy. Under the guise of an official visit to his wife’s family in Romania, King George and his wife, accompanied by Crown Prince Paul, left Greece. Just months later, the monarchy was abolished and the Second Hellenic Republic was declared. Quickly tired of the Romanian royal court, Paul moved to Italy, living with his mother and younger sisters. He later moved to London where he worked for a year as an apprentice aircraft mechanic for Armstrong Siddeley (using the name Paul Beck).

While living in the United Kingdom Paul fell in love with a commoner and wanted to marry her. However, he was dissuaded by his mother, who stressed the fact that he was likely to ascend the Greek throne and that a marriage to a commoner would further damage the future of the monarchy. This was his second failed relationship. He had previously proposed to his first cousin, Princess Nina Georgievna of Russia, the daughter of Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia and Princess Marie of Greece, but she had turned him down.

In 1930, Paul accompanied a Danish friend on his private yacht for a cruise in the Aegean Sea. Despite being banned from entering Greece, he agreed to keep his identity secret to avoid any problems. After traveling along the French and Italian coasts, they arrived in Corfu at the beginning of August. He spent the next six weeks traveling around Greece, including visiting his former homes – Mon Repos on Corfu, the Royal Palace of Athens, and Tatoi Palace. Although recognized by several former servants, Paul managed to remain anonymous and avoid any problems due to his presence in the country.

In 1935, the Greek monarchy was restored and Paul returned to Greece with his brother. He soon resumed his career with the Greek navy, as a Lieutenant Commander attached to the General Staff. He also returned to working with the Greek Scout Movement, of which he had served as chairman since the 1920s.

Wedding of Paul and Frederica, 1938.

Wedding of Paul and Frederica, 1938.

On January 8, 1938, at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens, Paul married his first cousin once removed, Princess Frederica of Hanover, Duchess of Brunswick. She was the daughter of Prince Ernst August of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick, and Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia, the only daughter of Wilhelm II, German Emperor. The two had first met in 1927 when Frederica was just ten years old, and then again in 1934 at the wedding of Paul’s cousin Princess Marina and Prince George, Duke of Kent. The following year, Paul was living in Italy when Frederica was studying in Florence, and the two began a romance. In 1936, while in Berlin to attend the Olympic games, Paul and Frederica became engaged, but the engagement was not formally announced until September 28, 1937. After their marriage, they settled at a villa in the Athens suburb of Psychiko, and would go on to have three children (in the photo below):

In 1941, German forces invaded Greece, and the royal family was once again forced to flee. Settling first in Crete, Paul soon traveled to London with his brother where they set up a government-in-exile. Meanwhile, his wife and children settled in South Africa before later moving to Egypt. Finally, Paul and his family returned to Greece in September 1946, and just months later, he ascended the Greek throne following the sudden death of his brother, King George II. The family moved to the Royal Palace in Athens and began restoring Tatoi Palace, which soon became their primary residence. Shortly after becoming King, Paul found his country in the midst of a civil war that would last until 1949. The country suffered more than it had during WWII, with over 10% of the population homeless, and more than 7,000 villages damaged or destroyed. King Paul worked tirelessly to promote reconciliation after the war, and in doing so brought about increased popularity and support for the monarchy.

In August 1954, King Paul and his wife hosted over 100 foreign royals on a cruise of the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Ionian Seas, aboard the ship Agamemnon. Officially, it was designed to promote tourism in Greece, as well as reuniting many of the royal families who had been separated by war. Read more about the Agamemnon Cruise here!

After a State Visit to the United Kingdom in July 1963, King Paul fell ill. He was later diagnosed with stomach cancer but put off having surgery until after the general election which saw the election of George Papandreou as Prime Minister. On February 20, 1964, the day after he swore in the new government, King Paul underwent surgery at Tatoi Palace, in a room that had been converted into an operating room. Sadly, he would never recover.

King Paul of the Hellenes died on March 6, 1964, at Tatoi Palace. His funeral was attended by many foreign royals, including King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden, Prince Rainier III of Monaco, The Duke of Edinburgh, former King Umberto II of Italy, former Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria, and the Count of Barcelona, as well as the First Lady of the United States, Lady Bird Johnson, and former US President Harry Truman. King Paul was buried at the Royal Cemetery at Tatoi Palace and was succeeded by his son, King Constantine II, who would become the last King of the Hellenes.

Grave of King Paul and Queen Frederica; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Greece Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Aspasia Manos, Princess of Greece

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Aspasia-01

Aspasia Manos, Princess of Greece; Credit – Wikipedia

Aspasia Manos was the wife of King Alexander of the Hellenes. Born on September 4, 1896, in Athens, Greece to Colonel Petros Manos and Maria Argyropoulos, she grew up around the Greek royal family as her father was an aide to King Constantine I.

After her parents divorced, Aspasia left Greece to study in France and Switzerland. Upon returning, she became reacquainted with Prince Alexander, King Constantine I’s second son, who would later reign briefly as King. The two quickly began a romance, despite the unlikelihood of being able to marry due to their different ranks.

In June 1917, King Constantine I was forced to step down from the throne, and his son Alexander was appointed to replace him. With his family exiled in Switzerland, and subject to a Prime Minister who treated him as just a puppet king, Alexander had only Aspasia by his side. The relationship remained largely unknown to the public but was a source of contention within the Greek royal family and the Greek government. The Prime Minister was strongly against the idea of marriage, as he feared that marriage to a Greek citizen would bring about increased support for the monarchy. He, instead, hoped to arrange a marriage for Alexander to Princess Mary of the United Kingdom, to strengthen the relationship between the two countries. King Constantine I supported his son’s relationship, but before leaving Greece had made Alexander promise to wait until his return before marrying.

Despite the challenges from his family and the Prime Minister, Aspasia and Alexander married secretly on November 17, 1919. Aspasia and her mother moved into the Royal Palace in Athens but were soon forced to go abroad when news of the marriage became known. Several months later, Alexander was able to leave Greece and join his wife in Paris and soon the couple returned to Greece together. However, she was never given the title of Queen, instead, she was known simply as Madame Manos.

Alexander and Aspasia had one daughter:

Months later, on October 25, 1920, King Alexander died after contracting septicemia from a monkey bite several weeks earlier. Aspasia was four months pregnant at the time, and gave birth to their daughter, Alexandra, on March 21, 1921. After Alexander’s death, his father King Constantine I was restored to the throne. King Constantine I and his government treated Alexander’s reign as merely a regency, meaning that Alexander and Aspasia had not received the necessary permissions to marry and their marriage was void. However, at Queen Sophia’s urging, a law was passed allowing the King to approve the marriage retroactively. On September 12, 1922, King Constantine issued a decree recognizing the marriage of Alexander and Aspasia and legitimizing their daughter Alexandra. Aspasia was now Princess Alexander of Greece and Denmark. Despite this, her relationship with her husband’s family was not always easy. Her father-in-law remained distant, and her sister-in-law, Elisabeta of Romania, wife of Crown Prince George of Greece, despised her. However, others reached out to her, including Queen Sophia, Dowager Queen Olga, and Princess Andrew of Greece (the former Alice of Battenberg, and mother of the Duke of Edinburgh).

In the fall of 1922, King Constantine I was forced to abdicate in favor of Crown Prince George (King George II), and another coup in December 1923 again forced the Greek royal family into exile. When the Second Hellenic Republic was declared in March 1924, Aspasia and Alexandra were the only members of the Royal Family to remain in Greece. However, they left several months later, settling in Florence, Italy with Queen Sophia. Later, they moved to England, where they stayed with Sir James Horlick and his family in Ascot. With Horlick’s help, Aspasia purchased a property in Venice, Italy, known as the Garden of Eden (link in French) from a relative of Sir Anthony Eden, later Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The property, situated on a canal, consisted of a modest villa and a large garden.

Aspasia (seated) with her daughter Alexandra

Aspasia (seated) with her daughter Alexandra

Aspasia and her daughter remained in Venice after the monarchy was restored in 1935, making only occasional visits to Greece. However, after the outbreak of war between Italy and Greece in 1940, they quickly left Venice and returned to Athens, where Aspasia worked tirelessly with the Red Cross. The next year, they were forced to flee when the Germans invaded, traveling to Egypt and then South Africa. Aspasia was permitted to settle in the United Kingdom where she continued her work with the Red Cross. In the United Kingdom, Aspasia’s daughter Alexandta began a romance with King Peter II of Yugoslavia, and the couple was married on March 20, 1944.  Aspasia’s only grandchild  Crown Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia was born at Claridge’s Hotel in London, England the next year.

Aspasia soon returned to Venice and began rebuilding her home which had been partially destroyed during the war. During the remainder of her life, Aspasia often struggled financially, and she was once forced to leave her villa during the winter as she could not afford the heating bill. When necessary, she also sold furniture and other assets to pay her bills. Despite her financial situation, she often had her daughter and grandson living with her. Following the war, and the overthrow of the Yugoslavian monarchy, Alexandra and Peter’s marriage began to deteriorate. Limited income, his numerous affairs, his drinking, and Alexandra’s ill health and depression soon led the couple to separate, and Aspasia was instrumental in the raising of her grandson.

Aspasia’s tomb at Tatoi. source: Wikipedia

Aspasia’s tomb at Tatoi. source: Wikipedia

Aspasia lived to see her grandson’s marriage to Princess Maria da Glória of Orléans-Bragança, although she was too ill to attend. A month later, on August 7, 1972, Aspasia Manos, Princess Alexander of Greece and Denmark, died in Venice, just a month before her 76th birthday. She was buried in the Orthodox cemetery on the island of San Michele in Venice. In 1993, her remains were reinterred in the Royal Cemetery at Tatoi, Greece.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.