Archduke Franz Karl of Austria

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

Archduke Franz Karl of Austria; Credit – Wikipedia

Archduke Franz Karl of Austria was the father of two emperors: Franz Joseph I of Austria and Maximilian I of Mexico, the grandfather of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria whose assassination sparked World War I, and the great-grandfather of  Karl I, the last Emperor of Austria.  Born in Vienna on December 17, 1802, Franz Karl was the ninth of the twelve children and the third of the four sons of Emperor Franz I of Austria and the second of his four wives, Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily.

Franz Karl had eleven siblings:

While pregnant with her twelfth child, Franz Karl’s mother Maria Theresa fell ill with the lung infection pleurisy. Her doctor bled her and this caused premature labor. Maria Theresa gave birth to her twelfth child who lived only three days. On April 13, 1807, a week after giving birth, Maria Theresa died at the age of 34. Franz Karl was only 4 ½ years old when his mother died.

Maria Ludovica, Empress of Austria, with three of her stepchildren: Ferdinand, Maria Leopoldina and Franz Karl; Credit – Wikipedia

Emperor Franz I consoled his grief with visits to his uncle and aunt, Archduke Ferdinand Karl of Austria-Este and Maria Beatrice Ricciarda d’Este, and fell in love with their beautiful and literate daughter and his first cousin Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este who was 19-years-old, twenty years younger than Franz. Maria Ludovika and Franz were married on January 6, 1808. Their marriage was childless but Maria Ludovika adopted a very maternal attitude toward her stepchildren, Sadly, Maria Ludovica died of tuberculosis just eight years later. Franz Karl’s father married for the fourth time to Caroline Augusta of Bavaria and that marriage was also childless.

With the deaths of two of his three brothers in childhood, Franz Karl and his elder brother Ferdinand were the heirs to the throne. Franz Karl was somewhat feeble-minded but Ferdinand was developmentally delayed and suffered from epilepsy, hydrocephalus, neurological problems, and a speech impediment. Some thought he was incapable of reigning and his father Emperor Franz I considered removing him from the succession.

Sophie of Bavaria; Credit – Wikipedia

On 4 November 1824, Franz Karl married Princess Sophie of Bavaria, daughter of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria. Despite Franz Karl’s issues, Sophie’s family agreed to the marriage because they thought that the disabilities of Franz Karl’s brother might cause Franz Karl to succeed to the throne. In 1831, Ferdinand married Maria Anna of Savoy, the daughter of King Vittorio Emanuele I of Sardinia. The marriage was childless and probably never consummated, but the couple remained devoted to each other.

Luckily, Franz Karl and Sophie had five children and so they provided the heirs to the throne:

Family of Franz I, Emperor of Austria: From left to right: Caroline Augusta of Bavaria, Empress of Austria; Franz I, Emperor of Austria; Napoleon II of France, Duke of Reichstadt (Franz’s grandson); Princess Sophie of Bavaria, Archduchess of Austria; Marie-Louise of Austria, Duchess of Parma (Franz’s daughter and Napoleon II’s mother); the future Ferdinand I, Emperor of Austria; and Archduke Franz Karl of Austria in 1826 by Leopold Fertbauer; Credit – Wikipedia

Franz Karl’s brother Ferdinand did succeed to the throne in 1835 upon the death of his father. His epilepsy caused him to have as many as twenty seizures per day, and this severely restricted his ability to rule effectively. His father’s will stipulated that Ferdinand’s uncle Archduke Ludwig be consulted on government matters and during Ferdinand’s reign a council called the Secret State Conference controlled the government.

The young Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria; Credit – Wikipedia

Franz Karl had no ambitions of power and had never been interested in politics, the exact opposite of his wife Sophie. Sophie’s biggest ambition was to place her oldest son Franz Joseph on the Austrian throne. During the Revolutions of 1848, she persuaded her husband to give up his rights to the throne in favor of their son Franz Joseph, and on December 2, 1848, Emperor Ferdinand abdicated the throne in favor of his 18-year-old nephew. Franz Joseph was now Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Croatia, and King of Bohemia.

Sophie and Franz Karl in 1872; Credit – Wikipedia

After his son Franz Joseph became Emperor of Austria, Franz Karl rarely participated in court life, appearing only on a few formal occasions. He preferred to live as a private person, enjoying carriage rides, long walks, and hunting. He spent his summers at the Kaiservilla (Imperial Villa) in the spa town of Bad Ischl, Austria, and became very interested in the local theater which was in ruins.  He arranged for it to be restored and used as a theater for himself and his friends, which made him extremely popular in Bad Ischl.

Franz Karl at 75; Credit – Wikipedia

On March 8, 1878, in Vienna, Archduke Franz Karl died at the age of 75. He was buried at the Imperial Crypt beneath the Capuchin Church in Vienna. Franz Karl was the last Habsburg whose viscera were entombed at the Ducal Crypt of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna and whose heart was placed in the Herzgruft of the Augustinian Church in Vienna. From 1960 – 1962, the New Vault was added to the Imperial Crypt to relieve overcrowding. Franz Karl’s remains and those of his wife Sophie were transferred to the West Wall of the New Vault.

The New Vault in the Imperial Crypt; Credit – Susan Flantzer

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.

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. (2018). Franz Karl von Österreich. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Karl_von_%C3%96sterreich [Accessed 6 Aug. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Archduke Franz Karl of Austria. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archduke_Franz_Karl_of_Austria [Accessed 6 Aug. 2018].
  • Flantzer, S. (2016). Ferdinand I, Emperor of Austria. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/emperor-ferdinand-i-of-austria/ [Accessed 6 Aug. 2018].
  • Flantzer, S. (2016). Franz I, Emperor of Austria. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/franz-i-emperor-of-austria/ [Accessed 5 Aug. 2018].
  • Flantzer, S. (2013). Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily, Empress of Austria. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/june-6-daily-featured-royal-date/ [Accessed 5 Aug. 2018].
  • It.wikipedia.org. (2018). Francesco Carlo d’Asburgo-Lorena. [online] Available at: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesco_Carlo_d%27Asburgo-Lorena [Accessed 6 Aug. 2018].

Maria Leopoldina of Austria, Empress of Brazil, Queen of Portugal

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

Maria Leopoldina of Austria, Empress of Brazil, Queen of Portugal; Credit – Wikipedia

Maria Karoline Josepha Leopoldina Franziska Ferdinanda was born as an Archduchess of Austria on January 22, 1797, at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria. Known as Leopoldina, she was fifth of the twelve children and the fourth of the eight daughters of Emperor Franz I of Austria and the second of his four wives, Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily.

Leopoldina had eleven siblings:

Franz, Maria Theresa, and their older children, Leopoldina is the youngest daughter in the portrait; Credit – Wikipedia 

Leopoldina was educated with her sisters Marie Ludovica, Marie Clementina, and Marie Karoline. As a child Leopoldina was interested in botany, lepidopterology (the study of butterflies), and mineralogy. Leopoldina showed a talent for drawing and some of her pictures are preserved in the picture archive of the Austrian National Library. She was fluent in German, French, Italian, and Latin.

While pregnant with her twelfth child, Leopoldina’s mother Maria Theresa fell ill with the lung infection pleurisy. Her doctor bled her and this caused premature labor. Maria Theresa gave birth to her twelfth child, who lived only one day, and then she died on April 13, 1807, at the age of 34. Leopoldina’s father Franz was inconsolable and had to be forcibly removed from his wife’s body. The death of her mother greatly affected ten-year-old Leopoldina.

Maria Ludovica, Empress of Austria, with three of her stepchildren: Ferdinand, Maria Leopoldina, and Franz Karl; Credit – Wikipedia

Emperor Franz I consoled his grief with visits to his uncle and aunt, Archduke Ferdinand Karl of Austria-Este and Maria Beatrice Ricciarda d’Este, and fell in love with their beautiful and literate daughter and his first cousin Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este who was 19 years old, twenty years younger than Franz. Maria Ludovika and Franz were married on January 6, 1808. Their marriage was childless but Leopoldina dearly loved her stepmother and considered Maria Ludovica to be her “spiritual mother.” Sadly, Maria Ludovica died of tuberculosis just eight years later. Leopoldina’s father married for the fourth time to Caroline Augusta of Bavaria and that marriage was also childless.

Around the time of Maria Ludovica’s death, negotiations began for a marriage between 19-year-old Leopoldina and 18-year-old Pedro, Crown Prince of Portugal and Prince of Brazil. Pedro was the son of King João VI of Portugal and Infanta Carlota Joaquina of Spain, daughter of King Carlos IV of Spain. At that time, Brazil was ruled as a kingdom united with Portugal. In 1807, when Pedro was nine years old, the Portuguese royal family moved to Brazil to escape the Napoleonic invasion and remained in Brazil where Rio de Janeiro became the de facto capital of the Portuguese Empire. Emperor Franz was not a great supporter of this marriage because he knew about the immoral lifestyle and the epilepsy of the proposed groom. At the insistence of Prince Klemens von Metternich, Foreign Minister of the Austrian Empire at that time, later Chancellor, Franz eventually gave his approval to the marriage.

Pedro I, Emperor of Brazil by Simplício Rodrigues de Sá, 1822; Credit – Wikipedia

Leopoldina and Pedro were married by proxy at the Augustinian Church in Vienna on May 13, 1817, with Leopoldina’s uncle, Archduke Karl, Duke of Teschen standing in for the groom. The bride left Vienna on June 3, 1817, and arrived in Livorno, Tuscany (now in Italy) on July 24, 1817, where she was to embark on a three-month voyage to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On November 6, 1817, Leopoldina and Pedro were married in person in the chapel of the Paço de São Cristóvão (Saint Christopher’s Palace) in Rio de Janeiro where the couple lived after their marriage. Leopoldina had to adjust to Brazil’s heat and humidity, tropical rainfall, and the ever-present insects.

Leopoldina and Pedro had seven children:

Leopoldina with some of her children by Domenico Failutti; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1821, after a series of revolutions and army mutinies, King João VI, under pressure from the Portuguese parliament, departed Brazil for Portugal, leaving behind Leopoldina and Pedro as Regent. Pedro was quite uneducated and the intelligent and well-educated Leopoldina quickly gained influence over her husband. Pedro discussed all government affairs with her and usually followed her advice. In January 1822, Pedro initiated an autonomous government for Brazil, a decisive step in the history of Brazil, which was definitely due to the influence of Leopoldina. This was done because it was known that Portugal intended to recall Pedro and relegate Brazil to the status of a colony.

In August 1822, Pedro appointed Leopoldina Regent while he went on a political trip to the Province of São Paulo. While Pedro was away, Leopoldina received news that Portugal was about to take action, and without waiting for Pedro’s return, met with the Council of State on September 2, 1822, and signed the Decree of Independence, declaring Brazil independent from Portugal. Pedro I was declared Emperor of Brazil on October 12, 1822, his 24th birthday, and Leopoldina became Empress of Brazil. Pedro’s coronation was held on December 1, 1822, in what is today known as the Old Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro.

Maria Leopoldina acting as regent on behalf of her husband during the September 2, 1822 meeting with the Council of Ministers by Georgina de Albuquerque; Credit – Wikipedia

When Pedro’s father King João VI of Portugal died in March 1826, it caused a succession crisis. Pedro was his eldest living son and heir but he had declared Brazil’s independence and was ruling as Emperor Pedro I of Brazil. King João VI had appointed his daughter Isabel Maria to serve as regent until the “legitimate heir returned to the Kingdom” but he never specified who that should be. Pedro was ruling as Emperor of Brazil, and King João VI’s younger son Miguel (the future King Miguel I of Portugal) had been exiled to Austria after leading several revolutions against his father and his liberal regime. While Pedro was the legitimate heir, the Brazilian people did not want the two thrones to be reunited. Pedro reigned as King of Portugal for only two months and then abdicated the Portuguese throne on May 2, 1826, in favor of his seven-year-old daughter Maria.

Maria Leopoldina, Empress of Brazil by Luís Schlappriz; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1822, Pedro had begun an affair with Brazilian noblewoman Domitila de Castro, Marchioness of Santos. He had mistresses during his marriage to Leopoldina but was always careful to conceal his affairs. This time, Pedro flaunted the affair. He was increasingly rude and disrespectful to Leopoldina, left her short of money, prohibited her from leaving the palace, and forced her to endure his mistress Domitila as her lady-in-waiting.) In November 1826, Leopoldina was pregnant with her eighth child (she had given birth to seven children in six years). Pedro arranged a farewell reception before he left for a military trip. He demanded that his wife and his mistress attend the reception along with government, diplomatic, and church officials. Leopoldina refused to attend, causing a bitter argument with Pedro which remained unresolved when he left on his trip.

Shortly thereafter, 29-year-old Leopoldina died at the Palacio de São Cristovão on December 11, 1826, from puerperal fever (childbed fever) after a miscarriage. She was buried in the Ajuda Convent in Cinelândia Square in the center of Rio de Janeiro. When the convent was demolished in 1911, Leopoldina’s remains were transferred to the Convent of St. Anthony in Rio de Janeiro where a mausoleum was built for her and some other members of the Brazilian Imperial Family. Eventually, Leopoldina’s remains were transferred to the Brazilian Imperial Crypt and Chapel under the Monument of the Ipiranga (Monument to the Independence of Brazil) in São Paulo, Brazil.

Tomb of Maria Leopoldina, Empress of Brazil; Credit – By Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64026646

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.

Portugal Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. (2018). Maria Leopoldine von Österreich. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Leopoldine_von_%C3%96sterreich [Accessed 5 Aug. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Maria Leopoldina of Austria. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Leopoldina_of_Austria [Accessed 5 Aug. 2018].
  • Flantzer, S. (2016). Franz I, Emperor of Austria. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/franz-i-emperor-of-austria/ [Accessed 5 Aug. 2018].
  • Flantzer, S. (2013). Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily, Empress of Austria. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/june-6-daily-featured-royal-date/ [Accessed 5 Aug. 2018].
  • Mehl, S. (2016). Queen Maria II of Portugal. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/queen-maria-ii-of-portugal/ [Accessed 5 Aug. 2018].
  • Pt.wikipedia.org. (2018). Maria Leopoldina de Áustria. [online] Available at: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Leopoldina_de_%C3%81ustria [Accessed 5 Aug. 2018].

Princess Irene of Greece

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

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Princess Irene of Greece

Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark is the youngest child of King Paul of the Hellenes and Princess Friederike of Hanover. She was born on May 11, 1942, in Cape Town, South Africa, and has two older siblings:

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Irene was born in Cape Town, where her family lived in exile during World War II. They returned to Greece in 1946, and the following year, Irene’s father became King of the Hellenes. Irene was given a diverse education, studying philosophy and archeology, and became fluent in several languages. She also developed a remarkable talent as a pianist, training with the famed concert pianist Gina Bachauer, and later performing for charitable causes in Europe and the United States. From the time of her father’s death, and brother’s accession to the throne, in March 1964, until the birth of Constantine’s daughter Alexia in July 1965, Irene was the heiress presumptive to the Greek throne. Her elder sister Sophia had relinquished her succession rights upon her marriage to the future King Juan Carlos of Spain in 1962.

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Following the overthrow of the Greek monarchy in 1967, Irene and her mother lived for several years in Rome before moving to India in 1969. Here, Irene studied Vedanta philosophy and religion. By the time of her mother’s death in 1981, Irene had spent much time in Spain, which soon became her permanent residence. She lives in an apartment at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, the home of her sister Sophia.

In the mid-1980s, she became involved in several philanthropic ventures. In 1985, when the European Community planned to slaughter several million cattle to artificially reduce milk production, the Princess organized for thousands of cows to be shipped to India, where they would be protected. The following year, she established Mundo en Armonía (World in Harmony Foundation), a non-profit foundation that promotes compassion for animals and harmony between people. She continues to serve as the organization’s president.

In 1994, she joined her brother in filing a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights over properties and assets confiscated by the Greek Republic. In 2002, Princess Irene received a share of the compensation made to the Greek Royal Family for these properties and assets. She used the money to establish a Greek branch of the World in Harmony to promote causes in Greece.  In 2018, Princess Irene was granted Spanish citizenship, by Royal Decree.

In addition to her work with World in Harmony, the Princess has been involved with numerous organizations, including:

  • Patron, African Cultural Organization of South Africa (ACOSA)
  • Patron, Ashram International
  • Patron, Banco Santander Central Hispano Foundation
  • Honorary President – Spanish Chapter, European String Professors Association (ESTA)
  • Vice President, Dr. T.M.P. Mahadevan Foundation
  • Patron – Spanish Chapter, Yehudi Menuhin Foundation
  • Vice Chair, Sarvodaya International Trust
  • Member of the Honorary Council, The Peres Center for Peace Association in Spain

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Princess Katherine of Greece, The Lady Katherine Brandram

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Princess Katherine of Greece, Lady Katherine Brandram; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Katherine of Greece was the youngest child of King Constantine I of the Hellenes and Princess Sophie of Prussia. She was born at the New Royal Palace in Athens, Greece (formerly known as the Crown Prince’s Palace) on May 4, 1913. Through her mother, Katherine was a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria.

Katherine had five older siblings:

Katherine’s christening took place on June 14, 1913, with the following godparents:

Princess Katherine was born into a life of upheaval. At just three years old, she survived a fire at Tatoi Palace, with her mother running two kilometers carrying the young princess. At four years old, her father was forced from the throne – replaced by his younger son, King Alexander – and the family went into exile in Switzerland. Her father returned to the Greek throne in 1920 but was forced to abdicate two years later in favor of his eldest son King George II. The family again went into exile – settling in Palermo, Sicily, where her father would die in January 1923. The family moved to Villa Sparta in Florence, where Katherine continued her education, supervised by an English governess.

Princess Katherine (on her father’s knee) with her family, c1919. (standing – Princess Helen, Prince Paul, Princess Irene; sitting – Prince George, Queen Sophie, King Constantine I). source: Wikipedia

Katherine was then sent to England to attend the North Foreland Lodge in Kent to continue her studies. Following her education, she returned to Florence, living with her mother and sisters, and becoming close to the Italian Royal Family. She also maintained close contact with her Greek relations, and in 1934, served as a bridesmaid at the wedding of her cousin, Princess Marina of Greece, to Prince George of the United Kingdom, Duke of Kent, in London. Katherine returned to Greece in 1935 when her brother George was restored to the throne and worked as a nurse with the Greek Red Cross at the outbreak of World War II. Once again forced to flee, the family left Greece in April 1941, traveling to Crete and then to Alexandria, Egypt, before settling in Cape Town, South Africa in July 1941. There, Katherine returned to nursing at a hospital in Cape Town, particularly caring for soldiers suffering from blindness.

The family left South Africa and returned to Egypt in 1944, and in May 1946, Katherine decided to join her brother George who was living in exile in the United Kingdom. While traveling onboard the RMS Ascania, she met Major Richard Campbell Andrew Brandram, an officer in the British Royal Artillery, who was traveling home on leave from his position at the British Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. The two quickly fell in love and were engaged three weeks after returning to Britain. Despite Brandram being a commoner, the engagement was met with approval and great happiness by the Greek royal family. King George II, however, asked them to keep the engagement private due to the unstable political situation in Greece at the time. In September 1946, the monarchy was again restored, and Katherine accompanied her brother back to Athens.

The engagement was formally announced in February 1947 and the family was looking forward to the wedding as a time of celebration for the Greek people. Sadly, King George II died on April 1, 1947, just three weeks before the wedding. His successor – his younger brother Paul – insisted that the wedding should take place as scheduled, and Katherine and Richard were married on April 21, 1947. Two ceremonies – Church of England and Greek Orthodox – took place in the ballroom of the Royal Palace in Athens.

King George VI of the United Kingdom issued a decree on August 25, 1947, granting Katherine the “style, title, place and pre-eminence as the daughter of a Duke”, and she became styled as Lady Katherine Brandram. Later that year, Katherine and her husband attended the wedding of her first cousin, Philip Mountbatten, and the future Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

Following a honeymoon in Greece, the couple returned to Baghdad, and upon returning to England, they settled in Eaton Square, Belgravia, London. They later moved to Marlow in Buckinghamshire, England.

The Brandrams had one son:

  • Richard Paul George Andrew Brandram (1948 – 2020), married  (1) Jennifer Diane Steele, had two daughters and one son, divorced  (2) Kate Moreton, no children

Lady Brandram and her husband with their son (held by Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent). photo: Par Queen Luisa — Collection particulière, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6430088

Katherine lived a relatively quiet life in England, mostly out of the public eye other than an occasional royal event. She retained close ties to her Greek relatives and often joined them for family functions such as christenings and memorial services. One of her last public appearances was at a Service of Thanksgiving at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, England for the Duke of Edinburgh’s 80th birthday in 2001.

In her later years, Katherine joined her nephew King Constantine II and her niece Princess Irene in a legal battle against the Greek Republic over properties that had been confiscated. The Greek monarchy was abolished in 1974 and the royal family’s properties and assets had been confiscated. Five years later, the confiscation decree was abolished, and the properties were returned. These included Tatoi Palace, Mon Repos on the Island of Corfu, and the Royal Estate at Polydendri, of which Katherine was a co-owner. However, the properties were again confiscated in 1994. At that time, Katherine, Constantine, and Irene filed a complaint before the European Court of Human Rights. In 2001, after a long legal battle, the Court ordered the Greek government to compensate the Greek Royal Family. The decision was confirmed upon appeal in 2002 and Katherine received 300,000 Euros.

Tomb of Princess Katherine, Lady Brandram at Tatoi Palace. photo: By Kostisl – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25383440

Lady Brandram died in London on October 2, 2007. She is buried with her husband in the Royal Cemetery at the Tatoi Palace in Greece. From 2002 until her death, she was the last surviving great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

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Prince Michael of Greece

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

Prince Michael of Greece – photo: Yorgos Papadakis. source: Prince Michael’s Chronicles

Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark was the son of Prince Christopher of Greece and Princess Françoise of Orléans. Born in Rome on January 7, 1939, Michael was an only child. His godparents included two of his first cousins – Princess Helen of Greece, Queen Mother of Romania, and King George II of the Hellenes. Some of his other first cousins include The Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, King Alexander of Greece and King Paul of Greece.

Michael’s father died when he was just a year old, and with the onset of World War II, he and his mother left Italy and moved to Morocco to live with his maternal grandmother. In 1948, they moved to Paris where Michael began his education. In 1953, Michael’s mother died, and he was then raised by his uncle, Henri, Comte de Paris. Michael graduated from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques in Paris in 1960, with a degree in Political Science. He returned to Greece in 1959 and served four years in the Greek Army.

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On February 7, 1965, in the ballroom at the Royal Palace in Athens, Prince Michael married Greek artist Marina Karella, the daughter of Theodore Karella and Elly Chalikiopoulos. Although he was third in line for the Greek throne at the time, Michael’s marriage was considered unequal and he was forced to relinquish his succession rights to receive the consent of King Constantine II. Marina did not receive the title Princess of Greece and Denmark nor the style of Royal Highness. She was instead styled as Marina, Consort of Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark. Their wedding was attended by many members of the Greek royal family, as well as members of several foreign royal and noble families, and King Constantine II served as Michael’s best man.

Michael and Marina has two daughters, neither of whom have dynastic rights but are styled as Princesses of Greece:

After the overthrow of the Greek monarchy in 1967, Michael and his wife were the only members of the royal family permitted to remain in the country. However, they decided to leave in 1972 and settled in Paris. By then an established author, Michael continued his writing. The family later moved to New York in 1980 where they lived for 13 years before returning to Paris, and eventually to Greece.

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Prince Michael wrote over 30 books, biographies, and historical novels as well as fine arts and photography books, and was a contributing writer to Architectural Digest. He maintained his own website filled with stories and recollections from his life, and many of the people, and events, in it. A listing of his works can be found here.

In 2008, Michael and his wife founded the ELIZA Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, in Greece. The society’s purpose is to protect children suffering from abuse and neglect. For Michael and Marina, the motivation to get involved went back to their time in New York in the early 1990s. Prince Michael met a young girl, named Elisa Izquierdo, at a preschool. The two quickly developed a bond, and the Prince offered to pay her school tuition through high school. In 1995, at just 6 years old, Elisa was murdered by her mother. Her death led to public outrage and demands for better treatment and advocacy for children. Elisa’s Law was passed in New York State the following year, redefining the responsibilities of the state and social services, and increasing the accountability of all involved in child protection. Prince Michael and his wife were devastated by what happened to Elisa and decided to use their resources and recognition to help bring awareness.

Prince Michael of Greece died on July 28, 2024, at the age of 85, in a hospital in Athens, Greece.

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Princess Françoise of Orléans, Princess of Greece and Denmark

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

Princess Françoise of Orléans; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Françoise Isabelle Louise Marie d’Orléans was the second wife of Prince Christopher of Greece and Denmark. She was born in Paris, France on December 25, 1902, the second child of Prince Jean of Orléans, Duke of Guise, an Orléanist pretender to the throne of France, and Princess Isabelle of Orléans. Françoise had three siblings:

Françoise was a great-great-granddaughter of Louis Philippe I, King of the French, four times over. All four of her grandparents were grandchildren of Louis Philippe. She was also the great-granddaughter of   Emperor Pedro I of Brazil and King Ferdinand VII of Spain.

Françoise spent her early years at the family home in Le Nouvion-en-Thiérache in northern France before the family moved to Morocco in 1909. Settling in the small town of Larache, they lived in relatively spartan conditions for several years, before finally moving to a more comfortable villa in 1918. During this time, Morocco was split between France and Spain. The family found themselves on both sides – their home was in the Spanish zone while their farm was in the French zone. Françoise and her siblings were given a strict education by their mother, learning several languages, and she also became a proficient horsewoman. She was so skilled that she was later the only woman permitted to train at the Roman Military Cavalry School at Tor di Quinto in Rome.

On holiday in France when World War I began, the family returned to Morocco but quickly came back to France. Her father joined the Red Cross, and Françoise, her mother, and her siblings helped take care of wounded soldiers at a military hospital set up at the Chateau de Randan – the home of her grandmother, The Countess of Paris. Several months later, Françoise and her mother and siblings returned to Morocco, this time settling in the French zone. Following the war, they returned to Larache and resumed their regular visits to France.

In 1921, Françoise was proposed as a potential bride for King Alexander I of Yugoslavia. Despite the agreement of the French government, nothing came of the idea, and Alexander went on to marry Princess Maria of Romania. A few years later, however, she would meet the man who would become her husband.

Prince Christopher of Greece. source: Wikipedia

In 1925, at the wedding of Princess Mafalda of Italy and Prince Philipp of Hesse-Kassel, Françoise first met her future husband, Prince Christopher of Greece. He was the youngest son of King George I of the Hellenes and Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna of Russia. Several years later, at the encouragement of her aunt, the Duchess of Aosta, the two meet again and soon a romance begins. Although Christopher was 13 years older and widowed, Françoise was attracted to his sense of humor and artistic abilities. A few weeks later, the couple decided to become engaged but first, they had to address the issue of religion. Christopher was Greek Orthodox, and Françoise was Catholic, which meant they would need a dispensation from the Pope, who was greatly opposed to the idea. Finally, after lengthy negotiations, they received permission and were able to marry.

A civil ceremony was held on February 10, 1929, followed by a religious ceremony the following day in the Palatine Chapel at the Royal Palace of Palermo. Their witnesses were King Manuel II of Portugal, The Duke of Aosta, King George II of the Hellenes, and The Prince of Piedmont (later King Umberto II of Italy). The couple settled at Villa Anastasia in Rome, and several years later, had their only child:

Following their marriage, the couple soon found themselves in dire financial circumstances. The administrator of her husband’s finances absconded with the money, and Françoise was forced to borrow money from her father. She also posed for several advertising photos, which was considered very scandalous at the time. Their financial situation improved somewhat after the Greek monarchy was restored in 1935. Françoise and her husband returned to Greece occasionally for important ceremonies and events, including the burial of King Constantine I, Queen Sophie, and Queen Olga at Tatoi Palace (all of whom had died while in exile). They also returned in 1838 for the marriage of the future King Paul of the Hellenes and Princess Friederike of Hanover. The following year, they welcomed their only child, Prince Michael.

Just a year after the birth of their son, tragedy struck. Prince Christopher traveled to Athens to meet with his nephew, King George II, about the events happening in Europe and the onset of World War II. While there, he developed an abscess in his lungs, which quickly took his life. Françoise rushed to get to Greece but could not get there before Christopher’s death on January 21, 1940.

Now very much in financial straits, Françoise traveled to Paris where she sold some of the jewels she’d received from her mother-in-law on her wedding day. She also decided to leave Italy and the fascist regime. After being advised against settling in Athens because of the war, she and her son ended up at her parents’ home in Larache, Morocco, along with her sister and her children. She later moved to Tangiers after her father’s death, but soon returned to Larache. By the fall of 1944, Françoise’s mother could no longer afford to support all of the family at Larache, so Françoise took her son and moved to Malaga, Spain, where they lived at the Miramar Hotel. In 1948, they left Spain and returned to Paris, where they lived with her sister, Isabelle, and her second husband, Prince Pierre Murat.

Grave of Prince Christopher and Princess Françoise. photo: By Catlemur – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65380068

Over the next few years, Françoise became very introverted and greatly limited her social interactions. Riddled with depression, her health quickly declined. She died in Paris, France on February 25, 1953, two months after her 50th birthday. Her funeral was held at the Saint-Louis Chapel in Dreux and was attended by many European royals. Several weeks later, her remains were buried alongside her husband in the Royal Cemetery at Tatoi Palace in Greece.

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Nancy Stewart Worthington Leeds, Princess Christopher of Greece

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Nancy Stewart Worthington Leeds, Princess Christopher of Greece; Credit – Wikipedia

Nancy Stewart Worthington Leeds was the first wife of Prince Christopher of Greece and Denmark. She was born Nonie May Stewart on January 20, 1878, in Zanesville, Ohio, the daughter of William Charles Stewart and Mary Holden. She was educated privately at home, and then attended Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, Connecticut. Nonie was married three times.

Her first marriage, to George Ely Worthington, took place in Cleveland, Ohio on October 1, 1894. Nonie was just 16 at the time but listed her age as 18 on her marriage certificate. Her husband was the grandson of a wealthy industrialist and the couple lived very comfortably in Cleveland. They had no children, and the couple separated in 1899.

William Bateman Leeds. source: Wikipedia

The following year, on August 3, 1900 – three days after her divorce from George Worthington was final – May (as she was now known) married William Bateman Leeds. Leeds, known as the “Tin King” had amassed a vast fortune in the tin industry. A former florist, William later joined with several partners to open the American Tin Plate Company. They sold that company to the United States Steel Corporation in 1898 for about 40 million dollars and then invested much of their profits in the railroad industry. Upon their marriage, William gave May jewelry valued well over a million dollars and a mansion on Fifth Avenue in New York City valued at over 2 million dollars. Two years later, the couple welcomed their only child:

After just eight years of marriage, May’s husband died in Paris, France in June 1908, leaving a fortune of nearly 40 million dollars. Now a very wealthy woman, Nancy May Leeds (as she was now known) became a prominent member of European high society.

Prince Christopher and Princess Anastasia with Dowager Queen Olga, on their wedding day. source: Wikipedia

It was while visiting Biarritz, France in 1914 that Nancy met Prince Christopher, the youngest child of King George I of the Hellenes and Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna of Russia. According to Christopher’s memoirs, the two quickly fell in love and decided to marry. Their engagement was first announced in 1914, but it would be six years before they married. There was much reservation within the Greek royal family over the bride being an American and already married twice. In addition, the monarchy was facing considerable upheaval with the onset of World War I. Finally, the couple was married in an Orthodox ceremony on February 1, 1920, in Vevey, Switzerland. Several days after the marriage, Nancy converted to Orthodoxy and took the name Anastasia.

A year after their marriage, Anastasia’s son married Christopher’s niece Princess Xenia Georgievna of Russia. Xenia is perhaps best known for being a major supporter of Anna Anderson – the woman who claimed to be the Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia. Xenia took Anna Anderson into her home and believed she was actually Anastasia.

Christopher and Anastasia, c1923. source: Wikipedia

Not long after her marriage to Christopher, Anastasia was diagnosed with cancer. She died on August 29, 1923, at Spencer House in London, England. Per her wishes, her remains were interred alongside her parents in the Stewart family mausoleum in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York City.

Stewart family mausoleum; Photo – www.findagrave.com

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Princess Maria of Greece, Grand Duchess Maria Georgievna of Russia

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

Princess Maria of Greece, Grand Duchess Maria Georgievna of Russia; Credit: Wikipedia

Princess Maria of Greece was the second daughter and fifth child of King George I of the Hellenes and Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna of Russia. She was born at the Royal Palace in Athens on March 3, 1876, and had seven siblings:

Maria, known within the family as Minnie, was raised primarily at the Royal Palace in Athens, where she was educated privately. In addition to history and geography, she learned several languages, becoming fluent in German, English, and French at a young age in addition to Danish, Russian, and Greek. The family often holidayed in Denmark, and she was very close to her first cousin Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia. Later, she and Xenia would also become sisters-in-law by marrying two brothers.

Princess Maria of Greece and Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia, c1900. source: Royal Collection Trust RCIN 2927293

Fiercely patriotic, Maria declared that she would not marry if it would mean leaving Greece. But soon a marriage was arranged, one which she was against from the beginning. After much coercing from her parents and her conceding to her demand that she would retain her place in the line of succession to the Greek throne and her position within the Royal Family, Maria married Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia, in Corfu on April 30, 1900. He was the son of Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich of Russia and Princess Cecilie of Baden. The couple lived in apartments at the Mikhailovsky Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia, and later built a palace in the Crimea.

Maria, now Grand Duchess Maria Georgievna, and her husband had two daughters:

The marriage was never particularly happy. Maria was not in love with her husband, despite his apparent devotion to her. She soon found excuses to leave Russia, and her husband, and spent more time in Greece and elsewhere in Europe, often using her daughters’ health as the reason for her travels. When World War I began, Maria was living in Harrogate, England with her two daughters and chose to remain there and not return to Russia. While in England, she was the patron of several military hospitals which she funded herself. Her husband, like many in the Russian Imperial Family, was murdered by the Bolsheviks with three other Grand Dukes of Russia in January 1919, leaving Maria a widow.

Maria with her daughters, c1918. source: Wikipedia

In 1920, Maria was able to return to Greece when her eldest brother King Constantine I was brought back to power. She traveled aboard a Greek destroyer commanded by Admiral Pericles Ioannidis, and a romance developed. The couple married two years later, on December 16, 1922,  in Wiesbaden, Germany. They had no children.

The couple settled in Athens but In 1924, the Second Hellenic Republic was declared and the monarchy was abolished. They lived many years in exile, first in the United Kingdom until 1925, and then in Italy until 1935. In 1935, Perikles and Maria were able to return to Greece when the monarchy was restored with Maria’s nephew King George II on the throne. Perikles and Maria’s marriage did have its issues. Perikles had mistresses and often gave his mistresses jewelry stolen from his wife. Maria lost money playing backgammon and Perikles was forced to carefully monitor their expenses.

Tomb of Princess Maria and Pericles Ioannidis. photo: by Kostisl – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25382837

Maria died of a heart attack in Athens on December 14, 1940, amid the Greco-Italian War. She is buried at the Royal Cemetery at Tatoi Palace near Athens, Greece. Admiral Perikles Ioannidis survived his wife by twenty-five years, dying in Athens, Greece on February 7, 1965, at the age of 83. He was buried with his wife in the Royal Cemetery at Tatoi Palace.

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Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia, Princess Nicholas of Greece

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

Elena Vladimirovna of Russia, Princess Nicholas of Greece; Credit – Wikipedia

Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia was the wife of Prince Nicholas of Greece. She was born January 17, 1882, the only daughter of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia and Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Through her father, she was the granddaughter of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia, niece of Alexander III, Emperor of All Russia, and first cousin of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia. Elena had four older brothers:

Elena was raised at several palaces in Russia, as the family moved around frequently throughout the year. In St. Petersburg, they lived in the grand Vladimir Palace and spent their summers at Tsarskoye Selo. There were also frequent visits to her mother’s family in Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Raised in a world of inordinate wealth, and the only girl in a family of boys, Elena was very spoiled and doted upon by her brothers. She developed a fiery temper and, much like her mother, she was very aware of her social status and rank, and was quick to remind anyone who treated her too informally. In the late 1890s, she became engaged to Prince Max of Baden, but he soon called off the engagement.

Nicholas and Elena at their wedding, August 1902. source: Wikipedia

On August 29, 1902, at Tsarskoye Selo, Elena married her second cousin Prince Nicholas of Greece, the son of King George I of the Hellenes and Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna of Russia. The two had first met at a party in Livadia, Russia in 1894, and then again at the coronation of their first cousin Nicholas II, Emperor of All of Russia in 1896. Several years later, in the summer of 1900, a romance began and Nicholas soon proposed. Elena’s mother was against the marriage, feeling that Nicholas was too poor and had no prospect for the Greek throne. Eventually, she relented, and the couple became engaged in June 1902. The marriage was a happy from most accounts, and they had three daughters:

The former Nicholas Palace, now the Italian Embassy, in Athens. photo: by C messier — Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47199266

Following their honeymoon at Ropsha Palace, the couple arrived in Greece and took up residence in a wing of the Royal Palace. They later moved to their new home, the Nicholas Palace in Athens, a wedding gift from Nicholas II of Russia.

Elena was visiting her mother in Russia when World War I broke out, and she quickly returned home to Athens. The Russian Revolution and the overthrow of the Russian Imperial Family saw her fortune diminish overnight. Already having been deprived of her assets in Russia, she lost them completely when the Provisional Government confiscated all the estates and assets of the Romanovs.

In Greece, things were not good either. King Constantine I, Elena’s brother-in-law, was removed from the throne and went into exile. Elena and her family joined him in Switzerland. There, they spent winters in St. Moritz and the rest of the year in Zurich and Lucerne. With her fortune gone, the family suffered the first financial difficulties for the first time in Elena’s life. 1920 saw Constantine return to the Greek throne, and the family made their way back to Greece. However, their return would be short-lived. In 1922, King Constantine abdicated and the family all returned to Switzerland. The next few years were spent moving around Europe. The family lived in San Remo, Florence, and London before settling in Paris, where they were helped financially by her brother-in-law, Prince George of Greece, and his very wealthy wife Princess Marie Bonaparte. They also leased their Nicholas Palace in Athens to the Hotel Grande Bretagne, which provided the family with a comfortable income.

1914 portrait by de László. source: Wikipedia

While in exile, Elena helped to support the many Russians who had fled to France after the Bolshevik Revolution. She helped establish an Orthodox Cemetery in Sainte-Geneviève-Des-Bois and supported a home for elderly refugees. In 1924, Elena established and helped fund an orphanage near Saint-Germain-en-Laye, providing housing and education for orphans. She sold some of her priceless jewels to help fund many of her ventures.

In addition to her charitable efforts, Elena focused much of her attention on the upbringing and education of her daughters. This included trying to arrange prominent marriages for each of them. The eldest daughter Olga was sent to London, hoping to catch the eye of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), with no success. In 1923, Olga married Prince Paul of Yugoslavia. The second daughter Elena was presented as a possible bride for the future King Umberto II of Italy and Prince Nicholas of Romania before marrying Count Carl Theodor of Toerring-Jettenbach. The Prince of Wales was also considered for the youngest daughter Marina, again without success. Instead, Marina married his younger brother George, The Duke of Kent, in 1934.

The family returned to Greece again in 1935, after the monarchy was restored, and King George II returned to the throne. In 1938, Elena lost two of the people most close to her. In February 1938, her husband died in Athens, and later that year, her brother Cyril died in Paris. As she had never accepted her other brothers’ morganatic marriages, Cyril was the only one of her siblings left with whom she maintained a relationship.

When Germany invaded Greece in 1941, Elena chose to remain in Athens and not join the rest of the Greek royal family in exile. Elena and her sister-in-law Princess Alice, born Princess Alice of Battenberg, both stayed and worked together, organizing soup kitchens and helping those in need throughout Athens. Despite their previous frosty relationship, the two develop a friendship and provide much-needed moral support to each other in the years ahead. When Athens was liberated, Elena faced accusations of conspiring with the Germans, who had treated her very kindly during their occupation. When fighting broke out in December 1944, Elena was forced from her home and took up residence with Princess Alice at the home of their brother-in-law, Prince George. In 1946 the monarchy was restored, and King George II returned to the throne. Having been nearly totally cut off from her family during the war, Elena was able to meet up with her daughter Olga in 1947. Two years later, she reunited with daughters Elisabeth and Marina, neither of whom she had seen in eight years.

Tombs of Elena and Nicholas. photo: by HellenicSpirit — Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53526810

Elena lived the rest of her life in Greece, enjoying a close relationship with King Paul and Queen Friederike, and a particularly close bond with the future King Constantine II. She died at her home in Athens on March 13, 1957. Following her funeral, her remains were interred alongside her husband at the Royal Cemetery at Tatoi Palace.

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Baronet and Baronetess

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

Sir Denis Thatcher, 1st Baronet, of Scotney in the County of Kent. source: WIkipedia

While not considered a rank within the peerage, a baronetcy is another hereditary title granted by the British sovereign. The title first appeared in the 1300s, but it was not until 1611 that the title became commonly used. In 1611, King James I issued Letters Patent granting Baronetcies to 200 men. In return, they were required to pay for the upkeep of 30 soldiers for three years. Eight years later, he created the Baronetage of Ireland. In 1625, King Charles I created the Baronetage of Nova Scotia, to raise funds and support for the colonization of the now Canadian province. After failing to reach his desired 150 Scottish grantees, he allowed English and Irish men to be created Baronets in Nova Scotia as well. Upon the Act of Union 1707, new baronets were created in the Baronetage of Great Britain (and since 1801, the Baronetage of the United Kingdom).

Baronets (and Baronetesses in their own right) hold precedence following all members of the peerage, but above all knighthoods other than the Order of the Garter and the Order of the Thistle. The title traditionally descends to male heirs, but sometimes special remainder allows them to pass to daughters and their male heirs; sons-in-law; and sometimes to whoever holds ownership of the property or estate.

Baronetesses in their own right
There have been only four women who were Baronetesses in their own right. Of them, three were inherited titles, while only one was created a Baronetess in her own right.

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As of September 1, 2017, there were approximately 1204 extant baronetcies, although an exact count is uncertain as there could be many which are technically extant but have not been claimed or proven by current holders. Approximately 242 of these baronetcies are held by members of the Peerage.

The creation of Baronetcies basically ended on December 31, 1964. Since then, only one Baronetcy has been created. In February 1991, Denis Thatcher, husband of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was granted a hereditary Baronetage. (This is also the last hereditary peerage granted to anyone other than members of the British Royal Family.)

Titles and Styles
Baronetcies are created with a territorial designation (ex. John Smith, Baronet Smith of London), and usually include the surname. These territorial designations are not usually used in casual reference, unless to differentiate several baronets with the same surname (example: Baronet Smith of London, Baronet Smith of Manchester, etc). Holders are entitled to Sir or Dame before their name, and the post-honorific of ‘Bt’ or ‘Btss’ following their name.

  • A Baronet is styled Sir (first name) (surname), Bt, and is addressed as Sir (first name).
  • A Baronetess, in her own right, is styled Dame (first name) (surname), Btss, and is addressed as Dame (first name).
  • A wife of a Baronet is not styled or addressed as a Baronetess. Instead, they are styled and addressed as Lady (surname).
  • Children of a Baronet are not accorded any courtesy titles or styles.

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