Prince Christopher & his wives, Nancy Leeds & Francoise of Orleans

[LisaDavidson]

I think that 1878 birth date works very well considering that it would have her getting married for the first time at 16. With the later birth years, it has us going places we don't want to go. For example, if we use Prince Christo's year, this would have made her a 10 year old bride the first time. Yuck!

[Eurohistory]

And was a habitual liar about her age...I have seen her birthdate listed from 1872-18884 -– take your pic.

The son of her last husband did not know she had been married to Mr. Worthington...but we agree that she was more than 4 years older than Prince Christopher of Greece.  After looking at the wedding photos in great detail, there is just no way that Nancy Leeds was only 36 at the time she married 32 year old Christopher.

Arturo Beéche

[Janet_W.]

Undoubtedly this has been addressed, but in checking all topics under the Greek Royal Family I haven't yet found it.

From what I've read, Prince Christopher ("Christo") of Greece and Denmark courted and was briefly engaged to Princess Alexandra, the daughter of Princess Louise, Duchess of Fife, in 1910. But when Louise and her husband learned of the engagement, they promptly terminated it.

My question: Why did Alexandra's parents not approve of the engagement? Prince Christopher, to my knowledge, was not an objectiable young man. And as we know, engagements between royal cousins had happened before, and would happen again.

[royaltybuff]

I read somewhere that Princess Victoria arranged the match between her cousin (Prince Christopher) and her niece, Alexandra. I don't believe Alexandra's parents were informed about the match and when they found out they refused to let Alexandra marry Christopher. I think that like Princess Charlotte of Prussia, Princess Victoria of Wales liked to meddle in other people's business and she caused grief on more than one occasion.

[Janet_W.]

Yes, I had read that one of the spinster aunts--and right away I suspected Victoria--had encouraged the match. But if Christo and Alexandra were happy in each other's company, why would the match be discouraged? Current parents would say, "You're too young" (as in not 18 or 21) or "You need to wait until after you've graduated and have a job." But these considerations were not issues amongst royalty. So I have to wonder why Alexandra's parents immediately broke things up . . . did they have someone else in mind for Alexandra, or did they not like Christo, or did they simply not want to relinquish her? Or maybe they just didn't want their daughter to be led into a match that had been encouraged by someone else. . . which I see as more of a control issue than regard for the feelings and future of one's daughter.

[royaltybuff]

I think it was the fact that the relationship was encouraged by Princess Victoria and the engagement had taken place without Alexandra's parents knowledge or consent. Alexandra eventually married another of her mother's cousins, Arthur Connaught - so I don't really know if they had problem with Christo.

[Marlene]

Janet, I wrote about it in my article on Princess Arthur - also Christopher discusses it in his memoirs. 

Christopher was Louise's first cousin, and one with a reputation (and little money).  The two Fife girls were raised largely away from court, were rather immature, and shy.  The Duke of Fife saw Prince Christopher as a golddigger - but in fairness to Christopher, he ws got caught into a trap set by Princess Victoria, who insisted that Alix would marry him.  She said nothing to her sister, Louise, about this -- and encouraged  Christopher to ask Alix to marry him, even though Alix did not have a clue about life.

Undoubtedly this has been addressed, but in checking all topics under the Greek Royal Family I haven't yet found it.

From what I've read, Prince Christopher ("Christo") of Greece and Denmark courted and was briefly engaged to Princess Alexandra, the daughter of Princess Louise, Duchess of Fife, in 1910. But when Louise and her husband learned of the engagement, they promptly terminated it.

My question: Why did Alexandra's parents not approve of the engagement? Prince Christopher, to my knowledge, was not an objectiable young man. And as we know, engagements between royal cousins had happened before, and would happen again.

[Prince_Christopher]

The Fifes may also have been against a foreign match for their daughter, especially one that would have sent her to a less than stable country such as Greece.

[KarlandZita]

Wedding of Christophe and Françoise d'Orléans :

[Eric_Lowe]

They looked well matched.

[allanraymond]

Why do they look well matched?

Allan Raymond

They looked well matched.

[allanraymond]

I've just come across an extract from the book Cleveland: The Making of a City (William Ganson Rose).

It mentions Nonnie May Stewart married George W. Worthington when she was eighteen years it didn't say when they married.

I'm also intrigued regarding her first names.  Cleveland: The Making of a City quotes  Nonnie May, other sources quote None May, others Nancy May and yet others Anastatia.

I would be interested to know her correct first names.

Allan Raymond

My information shows Nancy was first married to George Worthington.

Allan Raymond

Really? Her Times obit didn't mention her first marriage. Was she very young and was it rather 'hushed up'?

[Eric_Lowe]

it is interesting information. Was Nancy the second wife ?

[allanraymond]

No idea.

However Nancy Leeds must have been some woman. her second husband William Bateman Leeds paid his first wife $1,000,000 to obtain a divorce so that he could marry Nancy. This sum was believed to be the largest sum ever paid in the Unitest States for obtaining a divorce.

Allan Raymond

it is interesting information. Was Nancy the second wife ?

[allanraymond]

The official England Wales death index records her death as Anastasie (Princess Christopher Of Greece).

Allan Raymond

Nancy Leeds was not styled Princess Christopher.  She was created a Princess in her own right, as HRH Princess Anastasia -- well, when your millions help restore the monarchy, the least the king could do was create Nancy a princess.