Queen Elena of Romania / Helen of Greece-Romania

[Finelly]

Imagine giving that up for a painted, selfish, controlling, evil trollop.

[palimpsest]

Carol II was


[even if he has done some good things for education and culture in Romania]

[Alicky1872]

Palimpsest, thank you so much for posting these lovely photos of Helen. My favorite is the first one...she is simply stunning. I imagine her as having a soft, kind voice and a charming giggle...in the pictures I've seen of her smiling, there's a certain gleam in her eye...I bet she had a keen sense of humor. Lord knows she would have needed one to get through the trials and tribulations forced upon her. A truly amazing woman.

[palimpsest]

Her son has a good sense of humor too! You're probably right about this!



I'll try to find more photos.

[Alicky1872]

Oh that would be wonderful...thank you!

King Michael comes across as such a gentle man, with such kindly eyes... I would love to know more about his sense of humor, Palimpsest--if you know of any stories!  

[palimpsest]

Here is one that I witnessed [so don’t expect too much, it was more about the specific context, and it wouldn’t be funny to explain it all]: Somebody said “X holds the key for understanding the Z situation.” and King Michael replied sharply and softly “Maybe just one of them  !”… and everybody around laughed [more than they should though, and I understood why later]. The entrance-hall of Savarsin Castle [where we were heading] was full of numerous honorific Keys of the cities that the king visited after his return to Romania and everybody made the connection.


About his eyes you are right but... they can also very... royal... he can "froze" you with just one look [if you deserve it].

[Alicky1872]

  I think I get it, Palimpsest! Thank you for that story!

So did you get on the bad side of King Michael?   I suppose some people might forget themselves around him, if he really is as kindly as he looks....but he'll just as easily remind them of who he is!  

[palimpsest]

"bad side"

it was just am intense look... like a very serious contemplation... when he is in a “ceremony” or something less pleasing happens. Look at the first picture in the "King Michael of Romania" thread. Romanians have a gift of making themselves ridiculous because of the lack of "good sense" these days [inherited from the communist period], and the king is probably less pleased and worried by the behavior that some of my countrymen [including palimpsest] display.

something like this:

[palimpsest]

Thanks!




Here is Queen Elena in Bucharest [1941?]

Copyright © Humanitas

[palimpsest]

P. Nicholas, P. Irina of Greece, P. Cristofor of Greece and Elena at Peles Castle. 1923


Copyright © Humanitas

[palimpsest]

with Michael

Copyright © Humanitas

[Marc]

I have seen somewhere that there is a beautiful portrait of her by de Laszlo!Is there any chance that you could find it?Maybe in Romania there are good books about royal families...

[Alicky1872]

This is the closest I could come to finding the portrait of Helen.

http://www.peterkurth.com/MICHAEL%20OF%20ROMANIA.htm

[Marc]

I also saw this site!That's why I asked is there any book in Romania with colour portraits of their rulers...the most beautiful portraits are always in some books!

[palimpsest]

This portrait is in Michael's villa in Versoix. I remember seeing some better photos of the interior of the villa with that image. Maybe even a separate photo of it. Unfortunately I'm away from Romania right now but I can ask some of my friends [if I can find them!].