Helene d'Orleans, Duchess of Aosta

Yes, it seems both her father as well as the pope opposed the marriage. I am sure it was easy for them to agree. I am sure Prince Eddy's parents did want him to marry a strong, responsible Princess as Helene undoubtedly was. However, for the political reasons mentioned, as well as the fact that English Princes are not supposed to marry Catholics, it is unlikely to have been seriously considered. Even a former Catholic Princess might have been unpopular in England, given it was still the late 19th Century.  Anyway, I am sure there are photos of them, if not published ones.

Agneschen--what is the name of the book you refer to? That is a great picture!

I have never personally read anything which said Bertie was not in favour of the union.

Theo Aronson's book says regarding Helene and Eddy that "the Prince of Wales was only too thankful to see his wayward son showing an interest in marriage at all...".

He apparently also suggested that Helene be allowed to remain a Roman Catholic provided she gave an understanding that the children would be brought up in the Anglican Church.

However, you're right ( )when you say that the petition did go as far as the Pope, as Helene went to Rome to consult him, to no avail.  

It seems that Bertie soured on the match much quicker than the rest of the family once it was made apparent the religious & political difficulties would be insurmountable. He was more pragmatic in this than his romantic wife who believed that love would triumph despite the obstacles. It has shades of the Vicky/Moretta/Sandro affair--the mother & prospective bride encouraging the match despite opposition while the potential groom seemed to grasp the outcome quicker and begin to detach. The affair stretched out for roughly a year and for many it was apparent it would not come off after so much time had elapsed with no positive movement.

Does anyone know why the Pope disapproved? In the past, Pope's had been very amenable about things like this.

Most Roman Catholic princesses did not renounce their religion--at least in modern times. It was even a requirement for many Catholic monarchs to marry a Catholic princess or a non-Catholic who converted--like Ena of Battenberg did. Perhaps in the distant past there had been more examples as Popes were more political and could occasionally be 'convinced' (usually in the form of political favor) to countenance a match but even then it was unusual. That's why Catholic princesses tended to marry within a relatively small number of royal houses or kept their religion (ala Marie Orleans when she married Waldemar) and made a agreement to raise the children Catholic (or like Marie again, raised at least the daughter in the faith).

That is true. The Pope was unlikely to encourage a Catholic Princess to change her religion if it wasn't for any political purpose. And in this case the political purpose was non existent, so he woudn't have encouraged her. In past centuries, popes had been more allowing of this sort of thing, for only political reasons. But this was never true in the Helene of Orleans case, anyway.Once time passed without anything happening, as another poster rightfully said, then the idea of this match was gone. Religious differences where why royalty married in relatively small circles-protestant and catholic.

Agneschen--what is the name of the book you refer to? That is a great picture!

Mon Album de Famille by Prince Michel of Greece - a WONDERFUL photobook on the Orléans family but rather rare & usually very expensive. One of my favourite books about royalty.

Are there any photos of Hélène with her 2nd husband, col. Campini ?

This schould be the portrait of Helene...

It is--it's one of the many portraits which can be found in Royalties of the Word. I discussed the book in the Pictures of WII and His Family thread in the Hohenzollerns for anyone who wants more info.

Thanks for the title Agneschen. If only one's budget was as big as one's wish list.  

If only one's budget was as big as one's wish list.  

Very true (sigh) ... My "to buy later" list keeps growing in the most atrocious way !

From an old magazine c.1894:

"Italy seems destined to have the most beautiful royal woman of the period for her queen. The successor to Her Majesty Margherita may very probably be Helen of Orleans...It is whispered that the Princess Helen will never be completely satisfied with her fate, as she cannot forget her first love, the late Duke of Clarence, whom she was prevented from marrying...If the Duke of Aosta succeeds King Umberto, or his cousin the prince of Naples, whom many believe to be doomed to an early grave, the legitimists will have good reason for setting up a wail at the degeneracy of the blood royal, for Aosta is only half royal; his mother, who left him large estates in Italy and Belgium, was a commoner, a Cisterna of the house of Merode....The Duke of Aosta is quite a handsome young felllow...He is an entertaining talker, an excellent sportsman, and an army officer of genuine merit; in short, he possesses almost all of the qualities that should make a young girl happy. If he does not speedily succeed in effacing the memory of the Duke of Clarence from Helen of Orleans' heart, it will not be his fault.'

Thanks for this. It's always interesting to read contemporary views of royalty then.

Thanks again Agneschen. Is that one from the same book as the other? (I'm hoping not since that book is impossible to get!)  

Helene was really tall, wasn't she? There's a photo of her from King Manuel of Portugal's wedding walking with the Prince of Wales (David) and she just towers over him. Does anyone know how tall she was?

Thanks again Agneschen. Is that one from the same book as the other? (I'm hoping not since that book is impossible to get!)  

Helene was really tall, wasn't she? There's a photo of her from King Manuel of Portugal's wedding walking with the Prince of Wales (David) and she just towers over him. Does anyone know how tall she was?

No, this pic comes from Casa real by Eduardo Nobre, a book on the Portuguese royal family.

I do not know how tall Hélène was but both her & her sisters seem to have been tall stately women. I have a pic somewhere of Hélène in old age with Crown Princess Marie Josée of Italy (who was herself tall) and the difference is striking.