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

[grandduchessella]

The basics:

Françoise Isabelle Louise Marie
Born: Paris 25 Dec 1902
Died:  Paris 25 Feb 1953
Married: 11 Feb 1929 Christopher of Greece (d.1940)

Paternal grandparents: Robert, Duc de Chartres and Princess Francoise of Orleans (there was a lot of intermarriage)

Maternal grandparents: Louis Philippe Comte de Paris and Infanta Maria Isabella of Spain

Parents: Jean, Duc de Guise (he became head of the Orléanist line upon the death of his cousin Philippe Duc d'Orléans in 1926) married in 1899 his first cousin Princess Isabelle d'Orléans

siblings (Francoise was the 2nd child):
Isabelle (1900- 1983); m. (1) 1923 Bruno, Comte d'Harcourt (2) Prince Pierre Murat

Anne Hélène Marie (1906-1986); m. Prince Amedeo of Savoy, Duke of Aosta

Henri Robert Ferdinand Marie Louis Philippe, Comte de Paris (1908-1999); m. Princess Isabella of Orléans and Braganza

Children:
Prince Michael of Greece (b.1939)

[grandduchessella]

Perhaps it's too close to home for Prince Michael--he was only a year old when his father died and 13 or 14 when his mother died.

They're pretty mild, but the memoirs of Prince Christopher give some good impressions of his wife.

[Eric_Lowe]

Yet it would be good to hear it from a third person's perpective...

[frederika]

why did francoise die so young?

[Eurohistory]

I always thought Princes Françoise died of cancer.  I have been checking Madame's, the late Countess of Paris' memoirs for more information on this, but cannot find it.

After Françoise's death Prince Michael was taken by the late Count and Countess and he lived with them for quite some time.  Initially Michael and Madame did not have a good relationship, but after time things settled and all managed to get along.

In July 2003 I attended the late Countess of Paris' funeral at Dreux and had an opportunity to ask Prince Michael his impressions on his aunt at the reception following the funeral.  They were quite favorable I must say.

Arturo Beéche

[Eric_Lowe]

Thanks for the extra info on thee Countess of Paris. By the way, why didn't the Greek family took Prince Michael in ?

[Eurohistory]

As he was an orphan of father...Prince Michael wa sunder his mother's care.  Greece was in a high state of disarray between 1940-1949.  Françoise remained next to her own family in the safety of Morocco and later France - hence Michael grew up more francophile than hellene.  Later on his contacts with Greece increased.

Arturo Beéche

[Eric_Lowe]

I wonder who was his favourite Greek cousin or Uncle ?

[Eurohistory]

Michael is close to Queen Sofía.  In his memoirs he does not talk much about his Greek relations and in fact they end as he is preparing to move to Athens!

I am hoping to meet Prince Michael during my next visit to paris the first week in December.

Arturo Beéche

[Eurohistory]

I wonder who was his favourite Greek cousin or Uncle ?

Since by the time of his birth the only Greek uncles left were George and Andrea...and Andrea died in 1944...and Michael lived in France, where George lived...can you guess?

Arturo Beéche

[Eric_Lowe]

Yes I can...Gorggie ( as Josephine Charlotte of Luxemberg has pronounced it)

[Eurohistory]

Yes I can...Gorggie ( as Josephine Charlotte of Luxemberg has pronounced it)

Actually it is "Uncle Goggie," if you prefer the use of the private family nickname when referring to royals, which I personally try to avoid out of respect.

Arturo Beéche

[Eric_Lowe]

Well...If she can say it on Television, it is not out of respect. The late Grand Duchesss clearly wanted to share her private information with the audience, and she appeared to have enjoyed herself in the process as well.

[Eurohistory]

My personal choice is to refer to them by their real name, not family nicknames as they are not my family.  A matter of choice.

Does one refer to the Queen Mum as "Mummy," just because the Queen called her thus?  I think not.

Arturo Beéche

[Eric_Lowe]

My dear Arturo "mummy' is not a nickname. Lilibet is. Although most calls the Queen "Brenda". It is only deemed disrespectful if we say it to their faces.

Diana did refer to her sister-in-law as "Fergie" like thee rest of us during one of her many photo calls.