King George II & Queen Elizabeth (nee Romania)

[kmerov]

Does anyone have some information on their marriage and divorce?
They both strike me as some what tragic figures...

[Marlene]

Helen was known as Sitta, not Elisabetha.  Elisabetha and George were married on Feb 27th.  Helen, who was three months pregnant, and Carol, were married in March.

George II's lady friend was named Joyce Brown.

[crazy_wing]

Gdella, r u talking about elisabetha or helen?  u seem like u r talking about helen who is also known as sitta.  

I think elisabetha and george met first and then carol + sitta.  their weddings created some problems b/c the orthodox had a rule that the marriages between 2 pairs of siblings have to be within a very short period of time (was it 2 weeks or 2 days?)

[Marlene]

Did I call her Elisabetha? I thought I just referred to her as Sitta.  

Sitta was Helen.  You referred to Elisabetha as Sitta.  It was a childhood nickname from her siblings who could not pronounce Sister.

I had read that GII's lady was called 'Miss Brown' but didn't know that actually was her last name! It sounded common enough to just be a pseudonym.

[Marlene]

Does anyone have some information on their marriage and divorce?
They both strike me as some what tragic figures...

I am not sure tragic is the right word.  Elisabetha was a most unpleasant woman, spoiled, self-indulgent, and in desperate need of therapy.  She cared little for others or for her appearance.  She had numerous lovers,  and one of her long term lovers was her banker Alexander Scavani (I think Alexander was the first name), and she was unscrupulous in lining her nest.  Nor could she be trusted.  She allowed her home in  Bucharest to be used by Greek communists plotting the overthrow of the Greek Monarchy.  Neither her nephew or her sister-in-law, Sitta, trusted her.  She was a royal quisling.  In the past year or so, Royalty Digest ran a three part series on Elisabetha.  She thought that she would be allowed to keep her money and her homes and remain in Romania after the communists took over, but she learned quickly that she was not entitled to her $$$ despite her penchant for providing favors.  She lived largely in Cannes - and her last lover, Marc Favrat, was a toyboy.  She asked the then head of the House of Hohenzollern to create Marc a prince, but the Prince of Hohenzollern said Nein.   I would need to look it up, but she said that the only thing she didn't do was murder someone ... I think that is a paraphrase.

[Alicky1872]

Helen, who was three months pregnant, and Carol, were married in March.

I read that Michael was born prematurely. Was that a cover up for the fact that she was pregnant when they married?

[Marlene]

I read that Michael was born prematurely. Was that a cover up for the fact that she was pregnant when they married?

Yes, she was most certainly pregnant ...and Michael was hardly premature

[Alicky1872]

Hmmmm....I did think he looked like a chunky, healthy baby in pictures!  

[kmerov]

Great info, thank you very much.
I didnt know that Elisabetha was such a bad woman! Maybe king George was the only one of them who was a tragic figure...
His life doesnt seem happy, and he sounds like a nice and down to earth man!
I have read that Elisabetha tried to adopt her butler or something like that, but it didnt work out.

[kmerov]

Oh, of course, does anyone have a picture of the couple? I have only seen one, where they are sitting far apart, not looking very happy!

[Marlene]

"I have read that Elisabetha tried to adopt her butler or something like that, but it didnt work out.[/quote]


Don't think Favrat was the butler, but he was certainly often in a serving position.

[kmerov]

Hehe, well said!
Maybe he is the man i read about, if she tried to adopt him, and i just got the butler thing wrong...

[grandduchessella]

Here's the happy couple:


 

[Marlene]

Hehe, well said!
Maybe he is the man i read about, if she tried to adopt him, and i just got the butler thing wrong...

Elisabetha wanted to the head of the house (Hohenzollern)  to give Favrat a title.

[Marlene]

.

George II's lady friend was named Joyce Brown.[/quote]


Am home today - took an extra vacation day (it's snowing hard - worse weather here than in Iceland.)
Am filing some clips, and came across the Washington Post article that I mentioned before

"Romance Rocks another throne"   11-3-1946.  
At the time,  Joyce Brittain-Jones was waiting for Foreign Office approval to go to Greece, and she had the support of the king's sister, Katherine "who had told the foreign office in no uncertain terms that she wishes Mrs. Brittain-Jones to come to Athens as soon as possible and live at the palace as her lady in waiting."

She was educated in France, and in 1924 married Capt. John Brittain-JOnes, an army officer, and was the ADC to the viceroy of India = and she met George II when he visited India in 1935.  She divorced her husband and moved to Greece.   She lived in a summer palace on Mt, Parnis until the king went into exile, and she joined him at Claridges - she also accompanied him on a visit to the USA in 1943.
"during his wartime exile in London, the KIng and Mrs. Brittain Jones were freely received in high British society. She is an intimate friend of George's cousin, the Duchess of Kent."