Last edited by Radu Dinu Cordeanu; 3rd January 2012 at 08:44 AM.
This woman who was never upset if the soldiers calling Her "mom" asking for water or to replace their bandages borne as the daughter of Prince Alfred the Duke of Edinburgh and the Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia on 29 October 1875.Her adventurous life begun when She fell in love with Prince George of Wales(before to become King George V)
Last edited by Radu Dinu Cordeanu; 9th January 2012 at 10:44 AM.
Last edited by Radu Dinu Cordeanu; 11th January 2012 at 01:38 PM.
At the end of 19th and the beginning of 20th the woman's world from here was divided between traditions which were kept in villages and so called modern which was in towns.The most visible aspect of that division was fashion-traditional(national) costumes at villages and West fashion at towns.When Marie came here She perceived the entire beauty of national costumes and begun to wear them.Suddenly the high life discovered what had been forgotten.
(Below you could see such costumes from my photo-collection)
Nowadays,here,to be married at 17th is rather an exception.I don't know if in those time to marry so young was the rule,but thinking what was in my family,in those times,it seems that was not the rule.Despite of that Marie proved that Her mature was fast.In 1914,after Carol I died,She reached the throne as Queen Consort.In that moment in Central and West Europe the WW I begun and Marie who was the mother of six children(seven with that whose fate remained unknown)self transformed into a man-woman working to enter into the war against Germany(although there was a secret agreement with Germany).Mary understood very fast that one of the roles of the crown is to give unity to a nation.
So that I suppose the promotion of traditional costumes was not without a hidden aim.
Last edited by Radu Dinu Cordeanu; 14th January 2012 at 05:25 AM.
Beside of that many pieces which could define Her personality disappeared.A wardrobe and a clock cannot define a queen's personality.
Now there are very few old people who are alive and could tell their memories to the visitors.Of course no one asks an old survivor for every visitor but books with their memories would have been well received.
Thanks for sharing these Radu. I've finally had the time to go through your thread and there are some stunning captures here. Looking forward to your future posts and documentary.
After the war,at the peace discussions,She said "...the Romania needs a new face and I will be that face..."At the Paris,Marie begun "to open all doors" working for Her Kingdom more than many native Romanians did.
With Her Nando(Ferdinand I) this royal family tried to integrate Their country into that new Wilsonian Europe.
Last edited by Radu Dinu Cordeanu; 18th January 2012 at 07:10 PM.
In 1938 Marie died.As She wished,Her heart,in a silver pot,was placed in a small chapel near the palace as a proof of Her love for this place.Her body was buried near Ferdinand I at Curtea de Arges Monastery,on the left side of the pronaos (on the right side being Carmen Silva).In 1940,when Bulgaria ruled again over Balchik,Her heart was placed at Bran Castle in Romania,and the place remained without its soul.
Last edited by Radu Dinu Cordeanu; 22nd January 2012 at 05:42 PM.
Radu,
I really don't get this last one, hope I'm not offending. But, if your "lines" cross Sofia, I'll be happy to have a beer. Give me a PM for this, if you want.
Leo