Queen Elena of Romania / Helen of Greece-Romania

[KarlandZita]

Princess Helen and her siblings at the Royal table of her father King Constantin Ier and her mother Queen Sophie of Greece :








Photos from l'Illustration Magazine.

[KarlandZita]

Young girl, whereas one started to deal with her future, Helen discovered that she was in love with tempting ordering royal guard, the colonel Mano. But, of course, this idylle could not lead to a marriage because her parents had other projects for her : already, they thought of making her marry the Crown Prince Carol of Romania...

[Eric_Lowe]

No ! Queen Sophie was against the marriage with Carol from the getgo. Helen wrote "Had I listen to her, I would have been spared years of unhappiness !". 

[TampaBay]

No ! Queen Sophie was against the marriage with Carol from the getgo. Helen wrote "Had I listen to her, I would have been spared years of unhappiness !". 

I read somwhere (do not ask me where) that Sohpie wanted ALL her daughters to marry Englishmen.

TampaBay

[grandduchessella]

There were rumors--only that--linking Helen (and most eligible princesses) to David. I'm sure that marriage would've pleased Sophie--her daughter as King of England. He probably couldn't have turned out to be a worse, crueller husband than Carol was.

[Eric_Lowe]

Indeed ! Helen would have loved to have lived in England. However I don't think she was David's type. He would prefer someone much stronger in charecter and more sophiticated. 

[ilyala]

not to mention married 

[Eric_Lowe]

Well...That used to be an escape clause for him until Wally came along...

[grandduchessella]

As to Helen, she definitely wasn't David's type, anymore than she was Carol's. However, the situation in England would've been much different for her than what awaited her in Romania and no matter what the state of the marriage, it was bound to be a happier (and more stable) existence than what she ended up with. David, for all his faults, would not have been as cruel, in my opinion, as Carol was and certainly there wouldn't have been the horrible situation of separating her from her son.  

[Eric_Lowe]

David was pretty mean to Freda Dudly Ward. He cut her off completely when he started going out with Wally.   

I think Helen would have been happy had she married into the British aristocracy like Lady Zia or Nada Milford Haven.

[ilyala]

David was pretty mean to Freda Dudly Ward. He cut her off completely when he started going out with Wally.   

well, that's one does when they break up with someone. of course, some courtesy is required but if you keep seeing that person that means you haven't broken up 

[Eric_Lowe]

Nope...but he never acceted her calls ever...Also Freda Dudly Ward did not feature in his bio at all...as if she never existed.  At least Willy did admit to writing love poetry to Ella, when he was a student at Bonn.

[KarlandZita]

Indeed ! Helen would have loved to have lived in England. However I don't think she was David's type. He would prefer someone much stronger in charecter and more sophiticated. 

Indeed, I think too that David needed to share the life of a merry woman, cordial and funny who make him forget the sadness of his childhood.

[KarlandZita]

Two photos of Helen with her greeck family during first exile :

[KarlandZita]

Recalled first exile by the plebiscite of Sunday December 5, 1920, King Constantin Ier of Greece and his family left Switzerland the 14 and returned to Athens 19, madly acclaimed by the population.

In Lucerne, before the departure : from left to right, upright behind the Queen Sophie and the Princess Katherine : the King Constantin, Prince Paul, Princess Helen and Princess Irene :



Princess Helen and her sister Princess Irene with the door of their coach at the beginning of Lucerne :