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Sunday, February 28, 2021

Crown Prince George Marries Elisabeta of Romania

 




The marriage of the Diadoch, heir to the Greek throne,  Crown Prince George, and Princess Elisabeta of Romania took place in Bucharest on February 27, 1921.  

The bride and groom were second cousins as their mothers, Queen Marie of Romania and Queen Sophie of the Hellenes were first cousins, granddaughters of Queen Victoria.

It is interesting to note that the wedding did not receive a lot of attention in the British and American press.

This was The Times's coverage.


The Times March 1, 1921




The wedding ceremony, which took place in Bucharest's Orthodox Cathedral, was reported by the Dundee Evening Telegraph.

Princess Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie, "with the custom of the country, wore gold thread over her bridal veil."  The gold thread was one of the gifts she had received from Roumanian women, who had "preserved from their own weddings."  

For six years, the Princess had turned down George's repeated proposals of marriage.    She finally accepted when he was an exile as it was apparent that she had no chance of becoming Queen of the Hellenes.

The Greek monarchy was restored six weeks after Elizabeth finally said yes.   King Constantine, Queen Sophie, and Crown Prince George returned to Athens last December 19.

Queen Marie is the daughter of the late Duke of Edinburgh, and she has introduced "many English customs into her adopted country" and her three daughters have been raised as "British girls."   Princess Elizabeth briefly attended a British boarding school.

The 26-year-old Princess remains drawn to Romania's "traditions and romantic customs.



There were no bridesmaids, although Elizabeth's youngest sister, Princess Ileana, 12, "who has her full share of the family's beauty," carried the bride's train.   Ileana wore a white and silver dress and on her hair was a wreath made from silver daisies.

A part of the Palace had been turned into a hospital during the world war, and many of the rooms have only recently been restored and "were opened again for a festive occasion.:

As both Royal Families are in mourning, the wedding was "very simple for a royal wedding."   Since the end of the war, King Ferdinand and Queen Marie, acknowledging the poverty in their country, "have avoided all display," at Court functions.  

An evening reception at the palace followed the wedding where the Crown Prince George, 30, and the new Crown Princess received the congratulations from their guests.  None of Queen Marie's three sisters,  Grand Duchess Victoria of Russia,  the Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, and Infanta Beatrice of Bourbon-Orleans were unable to attend the wedding although Beatrice's husband, Infante Alfonso did attend the wedding.  

all three images: Marlene A. Eilers Koenig collection


Princess Elizabeth is said to be a "highly accomplished young woman."  She enjoys painting and singing with a "fine contralto voice."  She is also known to be a patron of Romanian art.  

She has never wanted to be a Queen, and her "idea of happiness" is living in a nice area of Bucharest, where she would give parties and entertain friends and live "the simple life of a Roumanian lady."

Crown Prince George and Crown Princess Elizabeth will have only a brief honeymoon because they need to be in Athens in ten days when Elisabeth's brother, Crown Prince Carol, will marry George's sister, Helen.  All of the members of the Romanian royal family, except King Ferdinand, will travel by ship to Greece.   Elizabeth's younger brother, Prince Nicholas, a student at Eton, has been given leave to attend both weddings.



https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2015/02/crown-prince-george-of-greece-to-marry.html



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