Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia
Encyclopedia
Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia 17 January 1882 – 13 March 1957, sometimes known as Helen, Helena, Helene, Ellen, Yelena, Hélène, or Eleni, was a Russian grand duchess as the daughter of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia
and Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. She was the wife of Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark
.
, Boris
, and Andrei
, had an English nanny and spoke English as their first language. The young Elena had a temper and was sometimes out of control. When she posed for an artist at age four, she grabbed a paper knife and threatened her nurse, who hid behind the artist. "The little lady then transferred her attentions to me, her black eyes ablaze with fury," recalled the artist. Elena, raised by a mother who was highly conscious of her social status, was also considered snobbish by some. "Poor little thing, I feel sorry for her," wrote her mother's social rival, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, "for she is really quite sweet, but vain and pretty grandiose."
She was initially engaged to Prince Max of Baden, but Max backed out of the engagement. Elena's mother was furious and society gossiped about Elena's difficulty in finding a husband. At one point in 1899, the seventeen year old Elena was reputedly engaged to Archduke
Franz Ferdinand
of Austria
, however this came to nothing as he became in love with Countess Sophie Chotek
. Prince Nicholas of Greece first proposed in 1900, but Elena's mother was reluctant to allow her daughter to marry a younger son with no real fortune or prospects of inheriting a throne. She finally agreed to let Elena marry Nicholas in 1902 after it became clear that no other offers were on the horizon. The Dowager Empress wrote that Elena "has a very brusque and arrogant tone that can shock people" and expected trouble in the marriage. Elena's "grand manner" did irritate some people at the court, but her marriage was a happy one.
Prince and Princess Nicholas had three daughters:
and the subsequent turmoil in Greece
, which became a republic and resulted in the family living in France for a time.
While living in France
Grand Duchess Elena became deeply involved in charity work for Russian exiles, particularly children. Short of money due to their exile from Greece
and the loss of their Russia
n income, Prince Nicholas and his family lived in reduced, but elegant, circumstances. Grand Duchess Elena's fabulous jewel collection, as well as Prince Nicholas' own artwork, were their sources of income.
Due to their reduced financial circumstances, it was a great feat for the family to marry their three daughters to wealthy people. Princess Olga of Greece married Prince Paul of Yugoslavia
; Princess Elizabeth of Greece
married Count Karl Theodor zu Toerring-Jettenbach, son of Princess Sophie of Bavaria and scion of a rich Bavarian mediatized family; and Princess Marina of Greece married the Prince George, Duke of Kent
in November 1934.
Grand Duchess Elena became a widow early in 1938, as Prince Nicholas
suffered a heart attack and died suddenly. She remained in Greece
throughout the Second World War, dying there in 1957. She bequeathed her personal library to the Anavryta School
.
Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia
Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia ) was a son of Emperor Alexander II of Russia...
and Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. She was the wife of Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark
Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark
Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark , of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, was the fourth child and third son of George I, King of the Hellenes, and of Queen Olga. He was known as "Greek Nicky" in the family to distinguish him from his cousin Czar Nicholas II of Russia...
.
Early life
Elena and her three brothers, KirillGrand Duke Cyril Vladimirovich of Russia
Grand Duke Cyril Vladimirovich of Russia was a member of the Russian Imperial Family. After the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the deaths of Tsar Nicholas II and his brother Michael, Cyril assumed the Headship of the Imperial Family of Russia and later the title Emperor and Autocrat of all the...
, Boris
Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich of Russia
Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich of Russia was a son of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia, a grandson of Czar Alexander II of Russia and a first cousin of Czar Nicholas II. He followed a military career and was a Major General in the Russian Army. He took part in the Russo-Japanese War and...
, and Andrei
Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich of Russia
Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich of Russia was a Russian grand duke, the youngest son of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna.-Biography:...
, had an English nanny and spoke English as their first language. The young Elena had a temper and was sometimes out of control. When she posed for an artist at age four, she grabbed a paper knife and threatened her nurse, who hid behind the artist. "The little lady then transferred her attentions to me, her black eyes ablaze with fury," recalled the artist. Elena, raised by a mother who was highly conscious of her social status, was also considered snobbish by some. "Poor little thing, I feel sorry for her," wrote her mother's social rival, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, "for she is really quite sweet, but vain and pretty grandiose."
Marriage
She was initially engaged to Prince Max of Baden, but Max backed out of the engagement. Elena's mother was furious and society gossiped about Elena's difficulty in finding a husband. At one point in 1899, the seventeen year old Elena was reputedly engaged to Archduke
Archduke
The title of Archduke denotes a noble rank above Duke and below King, used only by princes of the Houses of Habsburg and Habsburg-Lorraine....
Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
Franz Ferdinand was an Archduke of Austria-Este, Austro-Hungarian and Royal Prince of Hungary and of Bohemia, and from 1889 until his death, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne. His assassination in Sarajevo precipitated Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia...
of Austria
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, however this came to nothing as he became in love with Countess Sophie Chotek
Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg
Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg ; 1 March 1868 – 28 June 1914) was a Czech aristocrat, the morganatic wife of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. Their assassination sparked World War I.- Early life :...
. Prince Nicholas of Greece first proposed in 1900, but Elena's mother was reluctant to allow her daughter to marry a younger son with no real fortune or prospects of inheriting a throne. She finally agreed to let Elena marry Nicholas in 1902 after it became clear that no other offers were on the horizon. The Dowager Empress wrote that Elena "has a very brusque and arrogant tone that can shock people" and expected trouble in the marriage. Elena's "grand manner" did irritate some people at the court, but her marriage was a happy one.
Prince and Princess Nicholas had three daughters:
- Princess Olga of Greece and DenmarkPrincess Olga of Greece and DenmarkPrincess Olga of Greece and Denmark was the granddaughter of King George I of Greece and wife of the last Prince Regent of Yugoslavia.-Early life:...
(1903–1997), later Princess Paul of Yugoslavia - Princess Elizabeth of Greece and Denmark (1904–1955), later Countess of Toerring-Jettenbach
- Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark (1906–1968), later Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent.
Life in exile
The family was later affected by the turmoil of the Russian Revolution of 1917Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
and the subsequent turmoil in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, which became a republic and resulted in the family living in France for a time.
While living in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Grand Duchess Elena became deeply involved in charity work for Russian exiles, particularly children. Short of money due to their exile from Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and the loss of their Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n income, Prince Nicholas and his family lived in reduced, but elegant, circumstances. Grand Duchess Elena's fabulous jewel collection, as well as Prince Nicholas' own artwork, were their sources of income.
Due to their reduced financial circumstances, it was a great feat for the family to marry their three daughters to wealthy people. Princess Olga of Greece married Prince Paul of Yugoslavia
Prince Paul of Yugoslavia
Prince Paul of Yugoslavia, also known as Paul Karađorđević , was Regent of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia during the minority of King Peter II. Peter was the eldest son of his first cousin Alexander I...
; Princess Elizabeth of Greece
Princess Elizabeth, Countess of Toerring-Jettenbach
Princess Elisabeth of Greece and Denmark was the middle daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece and Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia.-Biography:-Early life:...
married Count Karl Theodor zu Toerring-Jettenbach, son of Princess Sophie of Bavaria and scion of a rich Bavarian mediatized family; and Princess Marina of Greece married the Prince George, Duke of Kent
Prince George, Duke of Kent
Prince George, Duke of Kent was a member of the British Royal Family, the fourth son of George V and Mary of Teck, and younger brother of Edward VIII and George VI...
in November 1934.
Grand Duchess Elena became a widow early in 1938, as Prince Nicholas
Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark
Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark , of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, was the fourth child and third son of George I, King of the Hellenes, and of Queen Olga. He was known as "Greek Nicky" in the family to distinguish him from his cousin Czar Nicholas II of Russia...
suffered a heart attack and died suddenly. She remained in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
throughout the Second World War, dying there in 1957. She bequeathed her personal library to the Anavryta School
Anavryta Experimental Lyceum
The Anavryta Experimental Lyceum , colloquially referred to simply as Anavryta, is an experimental, co-educational, public lyceum , located in the northern suburb of Maroussi in Athens, Greece. The same complex houses the Anavryta Experimental Gymnasium as well...
.
Titles from birth
- Her Imperial Highness Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia
- Her Imperial & Royal Highness Princess Nicholas of Greece and Denmark