Alexander I of Yugoslavia & Princess Marie (Mignon) of Romania, Part 2
Kalafrana:
Alexander seems to have behaved quite properly after his marriage. He stayed in contact with his ex-girlfriend and daughter, and presumably provided for them, but that was all.
It is rather nice that Tomislav (who seems to have been a very decent man) and Jelena were on such good terms.
Ann
Marc:
Yes,they have...he stated that Jelena was a true "Karadjordjevic"...when he visited Athens,before even reaching her,he was asked by the people who lived near if he was her brother,as they look very much alike-that's how he explained similarities between them...she also stayed for months with him in England and later in Serbia(Oplenac) where she visited graves of her father and her other ancestors!
Eric_Lowe:
Thanks Marc for the information.
What happened to Charlotte after the birth of Jelena ? Was she given a pension to support her daughter ? Also what happen to them (Charlotte & Jelena) after Alexander was killed. You stated that she lived in Athens, did they spent the rest of their lives there. As a friend of Prince Paul, were they close to Olga and the Greek Royal family as well ? Sorry for asking so many questions since I don't think their lives are documented in books yet...
Marc:
There are just few informations about them which I found in some books about Prince Tomislav:
Charlotte was from respected family originally from Bretagne(Brittany).Both her father and grandfather were doctors,so she was destined to continue her family tradition...Some time before World War I as a Sorbonne student she met in Paris Prince Paul and later,through him,King Alexander.It is said that it was "love at first sight".However,because of worldwide situation at that time and his duties to his homeland King Alexander(at that time only a Prince) returned to the country and it was only after WW I that they met again as Charlotte has come to Serbia to work as a doctor and to take care of wounded soldiers...Once they met again,their love is now being consummated and the baby girl was born on the last day of 1920.The small circle of Court officials allowed this kind of "relationship" as Alexander had a prostate operation while returning through Albania and they wanted to know if he was still able to have a child after it...So,Jelena was deliberately "made",if one can say so...
In 1921,she was christened in Orthodox Church and was given two names: Jelena,after his sister and Zorka,after his mother.She and her mother Charlotte were later living in Athens and were provided by the King himself until 1934.That year,after Marseilles and when he finishes his political travel agenda,the King planned to visit them when.After his murder it was Prince Paul who was responsible for both and who also provided for them.Only he and few other people close to the Court knew about this secret child.Queen Maria also knew about this from the start,but never spoke about it and has never mentioned this to her sons...It was Prince Paul,who later said this secret to King Peter II when he grown up and he then said it to his brothers during World War II.It took about 20 years for Prince Tomislav to make his mind and meet his half-sister...In the 60ies,during his visit to Serbian monastery Hilandar(which is in Greece),he was reminded by one of his close friends that he has a half-sister Jelena who lives in Greece also.He opted to call her and said that they have spoken to each other like they knew themselves their whole lives...since then she was his regular visitor in England and Serbia and he was hers...they were that close that few times he even "popped up" to her in Athens unannounced...she died in 1998.
Direct contacts of Jelena and her mother Charlotte to any other member of the royal family except the King,Prince Paul and Prince Tomislav were not mentioned...neither were mentioned any kind of contacts of both with the members of Greek royal family.Don't know,but I very much doubt that there was any...
That's all I know so far!
Kalafrana:
All very interesting. Charlotte was clearly no floozie and Alexander was sincere in his affection for her. However, in the circumstances (Alexander heir to turbulent throne and needing to make a 'proper' marriage) it was presumably impossible for them to marry (I do find it a bit cold-blooded that the court wanted Alexander to take a mistress to make sure he could father a child!). Interesting that Jelena had an Orthodox baptism and Jelena was named after Alexander's sister and mother, presumably at his instigation. It sounds as though he was happy to treat Jelena as his daughter, but needed to keep it very private.
I imagine it was a hell of a shock for Charlotte and Jelena when Alexander was killed. Unless Prince Paul was very quick off the mark in contacting them, they must have heard about it on the radio or in the newspapers.
Ann
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