The Miller Family 2: July 2008-

[Mandy]

Welcome to part 2 of Marie Chantal's Family thread.

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[iakynthi]

Goodmorning,everybody!
Thanks a lot for the previous information!!
We never have the chance here in Greece to learn anything about the Millers,so that was enlightening.And very interesting indeed...
Seriously,don't you get enough information about someone's character when you learn that he's trying to forget or "cover" his real origin?

[Odette]

Oh there is plenty to learn from these forums.
As soon as MC and Pavlos got engaged there was an article in Vanity Fair where a lot of things that were so far whispered about, were written about the GRF. I was angry (it had to do with the shipowners financing the GRF's lifestyle etc.) but the thing that really made me mad was the statement that papa Miller could buy Greece. Does anyone still have that issue?

[iakynthi]

Hello,Odette!
I remembered something now that you said "shipowners" :the house in Porto Heli belongs to a shipowner,Papaioannou I think,an old family friend.Some journalists have said that he just gives it to them during summer without any money.And that is going on for years!But when Konstantinos got a huge amount of money by the greek government,they (the journalists)started talking about his desire to buy one.I don't know what really happened,that's why I asked you once.
About the Millers:if anyone believes or makes jokes about buying a country,I strongly believe that he has mental problems...

[Nad25]

^^^^ so your besically calling marie-chantal fathers mental?? on what basis?? few gossip from people who believe their own stories about him wanting to buy Greece? Goodness gracious me!!!!

[Alastair_r]

I'm I the only one who was shocked that the Miller sisters suddenly appeared on the social scene ? Maybe I just wasn't into high society then as I am now. I wonder why only two married titles as even though the Getty's are rich the Millers are rich enugh for all the daughters to marry poor Princes

[sgl]

Apparently Mr. and Mrs. Miller preferred to shun the limelight. When the sisters grew up, they seemed to feel the need to seek publicity. They started going to events where they knew they would get noticed. MC worked in Andy Warhol's factory in the 1980s, and I wonder if this is where she gained a taste of fame? This was written in a W article in the mid-1990s (which I don't have a link to, sorry).

[Odette]

The Andy Warhol story came up again during an interview either with Home and Garden or the Vanity Fair where MC said that Andy asked to paint her portrait and she agreed, then the bills for the charges went to her father and then she realised she was being charged!!!!!!!!??????
I agree with Alastair. When the engagement was first announced PdV stated that Pavlos was engaged to one from the richest US families. I thought of the Rockeffelers or the Duponts and so on then I read they were the Millers. No one (outside the W mag readers) heard of the Millers before the engagement.....
I am sure the reported 1 billion dollar fortune is substantial but there are so many Americans who have such larger fortunes they make the Millers sound like poor relations.

[sgl]

She didn't realize that she was being charged? Oops...talk about a faux pas on both of their parts (but more so on Warhol). I wonder what daddy said when he received the bill?

[Odette]

Originally Posted by sgl

She didn't realize that she was being charged? Oops...talk about a faux pas on both of their parts (but more so on Warhol). I wonder what daddy said when he received the bill?

I am sure Daddy is used to paying the bills.......and the ladies never learnt how to ask......"how much"? She has that portrait hanging in one of the living rooms at her London house.

[pamk]

Daddy paid for the Pavlos' and MC's wedding to be telecast in Greece!
The popularity of the Miller sisters can be traced to gossip columns and the fashion magazines. When a magazine like Vogue or W thinks that someone is incredibly interesting or fashion forward, it will promote them like crazy.
Vogue took a real shine to the Miller sisters and promoted them - other publications took note and there you have it.

[Odette]

Normally trully rich people marry other trully rich people. This of course happens mostly with old money so the fortunes are preserved.
With newly rich people (like the Millers) a title of a prince may elevate them from socials to society and give them the station in life that money alone cannot give.
All in all I do not think that they did that bad with their alliances.

[Alastair_r]

Many old European aristocratic houses seem to have a couple of new money Americans in them

[Odette]

After the war, many ambitious American mothers took their daughters across the pond to find them aristocratic titled husbands. Most were penniless aristocrats so the exchange was fruitful for both sides.
With the economy what it is these days, I believe this will come to a screaching halt...soon. The dollar is sinking!!!!!

[pupo]

Mamma Miller is from a poor Indian (indigenous) people--about as far from aristocratic as one can get. Mr. Miller is not much higher (as far as aristocracy, not personally).

[iakynthi]

She stated something like that???How serious she is....
Of course,we can all claim that our ancestors were royal...For example,"My great grandfather,who was from Asia Minor,descented from the last Byzantine Emperor,Constantine XI Palaiologos".How is that?LOL

[Bella]

Mr. Miller grew up in Quincy, MA and is from a typical middle-class family. I know people who know the family; he still has relatives in the area. He is a self-made man and has no blood ties to European aristocracy/royalty outside of his daughters' families.

[sgl]

Bella, do you know if the Miller sisters have stayed in touch with their father's side of the family? I have always had the impression that they weren't in touch with the mother's side, but I've never known anything about their relationship to their paternal relatives.

[Bella]

I don't know. I've been trying to get info. on that. I want to say they don't. The only thing I've ever heard is that alot (and I don't know what that implies) of the family wasn't invited to MC's big wedding in London.

[sgl]

I have heard two versions of this story. The first version is that some Hong Kong friends gave the nickname to Mrs. Miller, and the second is that Mrs. Miller herself made the statement. Either way, it is a ridiculous thing to say.