Irene of Greece, Duchess of Aosta
Encyclopedia
Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark (13 February 1904 – 15 April 1974) was the fifth child and second daughter of Constantine I of Greece
and his wife, the former Princess
Sophie of Prussia.
and Olga Konstantinovna of Russia
. Her maternal grandparents were Friedrich III, German Emperor, and his Empress consort Victoria. Victoria was a daughter of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Queen regnant
Victoria of the United Kingdom
.
Irene was born in Athens, preceded in birth by three brothers, George (1890), Alexander (1893)
and Paul (1901), and one sister, Helen (1896). Another sister, Katherine
was born in 1913.
In 1927, Irene's brother, George, announced her engagement to Prince Christian of Schaumburg-Lippe, a nephew of Christian X of Denmark
. Nothing ever came of it these plans however. He later married his cousin Princess Feodora of Denmark
.
, Italy
) They had one child:
Prince Aimone became 4th Duke of Aosta
on 3 March 1942, following the death of his elder brother Prince Amadeo, 3rd Duke of Aosta. On 18 May 1941, taking the name Tomislav II, he was proclaimed King of the Independent State of Croatia
. He never set foot on the territory of the state, and subsequently abandoned the crown on 12 October 1943, after the Italian withdrawal from the war
. She and her family were interned in a Nazi concentration camp in 1944. Prince Aimone died on 29 January 1948 in Buenos Aires. Upon his death, his son Amedeo
succeeded him as the 5th Duke of Aosta
.
From 1941 to 1942, she served with the International Red Cross in the Soviet Union.
Princess Irene was not in favour of her husbands taking the Crown of Zvonimir
, but supported his plans to get away from the duty of becoming the King of Croatia. After the Allied armistice' with the Kingdom of Italy
, the princess was captured by the Germans and taken to a labour camp in Austria and later in Poland. Amedeo, her son and heir, was at that time a small infant and often ill. The princess was liberated by the French.
Princess Irene died on 15 April 1974 in Fiesole
, Italy after fighting a long illness.
Constantine I of Greece
Constantine I was King of Greece from 1913 to 1917 and from 1920 to 1922. He was commander-in-chief of the Hellenic Army during the unsuccessful Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and led the Greek forces during the successful Balkan Wars of 1912–1913, in which Greece won Thessaloniki and doubled in...
and his wife, the former Princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
Sophie of Prussia.
Family and early life
Her paternal grandparents were George I of GreeceGeorge I of Greece
George I was King of Greece from 1863 to 1913. Originally a Danish prince, George was only 17 years old when he was elected king by the Greek National Assembly, which had deposed the former king Otto. His nomination was both suggested and supported by the Great Powers...
and Olga Konstantinovna of Russia
Olga Konstantinovna of Russia
Grand Duchess Olga Constantinovna of Russia , later Queen Olga of the Hellenes , was the queen consort of King George I of Greece and briefly in 1920, Queen Regent of Greece...
. Her maternal grandparents were Friedrich III, German Emperor, and his Empress consort Victoria. Victoria was a daughter of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Queen regnant
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
.
Irene was born in Athens, preceded in birth by three brothers, George (1890), Alexander (1893)
Alexander of Greece
Alexander reigned as King of Greece from 1917 to 1920 until his unusual death as the result of sepsis contracted by being bitten by two monkeys.-Early life:...
and Paul (1901), and one sister, Helen (1896). Another sister, Katherine
Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark
Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark was the third daughter and sixth child of King Constantine I of Greece and Queen Sophie .-Early life:Her paternal grandparents were King George I of Greece, child of King Christian IX of...
was born in 1913.
In 1927, Irene's brother, George, announced her engagement to Prince Christian of Schaumburg-Lippe, a nephew of Christian X of Denmark
Christian X of Denmark
Christian X was King of Denmark from 1912 to 1947 and the only King of Iceland between 1918 and 1944....
. Nothing ever came of it these plans however. He later married his cousin Princess Feodora of Denmark
Princess Feodora of Denmark
Princess Feodora Louise Caroline-Mathilde Viktoria Alexandra Frederikke Johanne of Denmark was the eldest child and daughter of Prince Harald of Denmark and his wife Princess Helena Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg...
.
Marriage
On 1 July 1939, Princess Irene married Prince Aimone, Duke of Aosta, Duke of Spoleto (b. 9 March 1900 in FlorenceFlorence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) They had one child:
- Prince Amadeo Umberto Constantino Giorgio Paolo Elena Maria Fiorenzo Zvonimir of Savoy, born 27 September 1943
Prince Aimone became 4th Duke of Aosta
Duke of Aosta
In the mid-13th century the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II made the County of Aosta a duchy; its arms were carried in the Savoyard coat-of-arms until the unification of Italy in 1870. The region remained part of Savoy lands, with the exception of a French occupation, 1539—1563...
on 3 March 1942, following the death of his elder brother Prince Amadeo, 3rd Duke of Aosta. On 18 May 1941, taking the name Tomislav II, he was proclaimed King of the Independent State of Croatia
Independent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...
. He never set foot on the territory of the state, and subsequently abandoned the crown on 12 October 1943, after the Italian withdrawal from the war
Armistice with Italy
The Armistice with Italy was an armistice signed on September 3 and publicly declared on September 8, 1943, during World War II, between Italy and the Allied armed forces, who were then occupying the southern end of the country, entailing the capitulation of Italy...
. She and her family were interned in a Nazi concentration camp in 1944. Prince Aimone died on 29 January 1948 in Buenos Aires. Upon his death, his son Amedeo
Amedeo, 5th Duke of Aosta
Prince Amedeo of Savoy-Aosta, Duke of Aosta, is a claimant to the headship of the House of Savoy, the family which ruled Italy from 1861 to 1946, as well as the heir to the short-lived Kingdom of Croatia during World War II...
succeeded him as the 5th Duke of Aosta
Duke of Aosta
In the mid-13th century the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II made the County of Aosta a duchy; its arms were carried in the Savoyard coat-of-arms until the unification of Italy in 1870. The region remained part of Savoy lands, with the exception of a French occupation, 1539—1563...
.
From 1941 to 1942, she served with the International Red Cross in the Soviet Union.
Princess Irene was not in favour of her husbands taking the Crown of Zvonimir
Crown of Zvonimir
The Crown of Zvonimir was bestowed on King Dmitar Zvonimir of Croatia in 1076 by the papal legate. Zvonimir ruled Croatia until 1089 after which the crown was used in the coronation of his successor Stjepan II and presumably by the numerous Hungarian monarchs after the unification of Croatia and...
, but supported his plans to get away from the duty of becoming the King of Croatia. After the Allied armistice' with the Kingdom of Italy
Armistice with Italy
The Armistice with Italy was an armistice signed on September 3 and publicly declared on September 8, 1943, during World War II, between Italy and the Allied armed forces, who were then occupying the southern end of the country, entailing the capitulation of Italy...
, the princess was captured by the Germans and taken to a labour camp in Austria and later in Poland. Amedeo, her son and heir, was at that time a small infant and often ill. The princess was liberated by the French.
Princess Irene died on 15 April 1974 in Fiesole
Fiesole
Fiesole is a town and comune of the province of Florence in the Italian region of Tuscany, on a famously scenic height above Florence, 8 km NE of that city...
, Italy after fighting a long illness.
Titles and styles
- 13 February 1904 – 1 July 1939: Her Royal Highness Princess Irine of Greece and Denmark
- 1 July 1939 – 18 May 1941: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Spoleto
- 18 May 1941 – 31 July 1943: Her Majesty The Queen of Croatia
- 3 March 1942 – 29 January 1948: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Aosta
- 29 January 1948 – 15 April 1974: Her Royal Highness The Dowager Duchess of Aosta