Queen Maria of Romania, Part 3

[Vecchiolarry]

Hi,

Yes Laura, I can see her as Theodora in those photos!!!

Larry

[Kalafrana]

Theodora? Had she read Procopius?

Ann

[Eric_Lowe]

Actually Winston's Churchill's mother Jennie once dressed as Theodora in fancy dress ball. Missy knew Lady Randolph Churchill well...

[Kalafrana]

They were two of a kind!

Incidentally, for non-Byzantinists, Procopius wrote a 'Secret History' of the reign of Theodora's husband, Justinian, in which he relates in salacious detail Theodora's past career as a prostitute! Presumably what Marie was interested in was the episode when the Byzantine circus factions, usually at war with one another, united against Justinian. The Emperor was about to flee, but Theodora shamed him into staying with the words, 'The purple is a noble winding sheet.'

Ann

[Eric_Lowe]

Yes. They were both beautiful and political and have lot of admirers.

[Kalafrana]

And somewhat questionable morals.

Ann

[Laura_]

Actually Winston's Churchill's mother Jennie once dressed as Theodora in fancy dress ball. Missy knew Lady Randolph Churchill well...

Is it true that Winston Churchill was in love with Marie? : )  I read about it in a few books on her life.

[Eric_Lowe]

Yes. Missy knew that but I don't think she returned the love. They became friends instead.

[Laura_]

I believe I read  he was quoted saying he wanted to marry her!

BTW, The Dearest Missy  book is amazing, in my opinion. It provides such interesting insights! I’ve only reached page 55 but what a fascinating read it is! I absolutely adore it! 

[CountessKate]

BTW, The Dearest Missy  book is amazing, in my opinion. It provides such interesting insights! I’ve only reached page 55 but what a fascinating read it is! I absolutely adore it!

I loved it!  In particular, it is great fun seeing people like Queen Victoria portrayed in quite a different manner from what you normally get in the various memoirs and letters - Queen Victoria is usually seen as interfering, tiresome, domineering, and a bore, and only occasionally generous or gracious.  Of course the less attractive portrait of Queen Victoria was quite as biased as the sweetness and light image, but it's fascinating to see how the independent-minded Grand Duchess Marie perceived her mother-in-law and how that view percolated down to her children.

[Laura_]

I enjoyed very much the description Marie Alexandrovna gives of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth ''Cousin Ella'', though her letters. Marie was definitely in awe of GD Ella's charm!

[Eric_Lowe]

The book is an inside scoop on those who wanted to know the Hesse family and their relatives from another perspective. I cross reference to the Victoria/Vicky letters and also the newly published Alicky/Ernie letters from Darmstadt. The only one missing would be Ernie's letters to his other relatives as well as Ducky's to Missy.

[CountessKate]

I do hope we get part 2 of the letters in the not too distant future.  And while I know indexing is a dying art, this one was pretty unspeakable for a reasonably serious historical work, so I hope wiser counsels prevail in vol 2 and horrors like indexing by family name ('Granny' etc.) is dropped, and some attention is paid to indexing people who appear many times but do not have a clear entry such as Miss Winter.

[Eric_Lowe]

Hopefully that would be improved.

[Laura_]

I agree and hopefully there will be a Romanian version of this book too!!
Mr. Valentin Mandache already did the English to Romanian translation of LATER CHAPTERS OF MY LIFE. The Lost Memoir of Queen Marie of Romania, another wonderful book edited by Dr. Diana Mandache.

However, DEAREST MISSY  is Dr. Diana Mandache's best book up to the present time as far as I'm concerned.