King Carol II (1893-1953), Queen Mother Helen (1896-1982), Wives and Descendants


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Splodger

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Hello - can anyone help?

King Carol II of Romania had two sons. The second son being the well known King Michael by Princess Helen of Greece, however the first son from his first and then annulled marrage to Zizi Lambrino was Mircea.

I do not know a great deal about Mircea as he appears to have been classed as the illigitmate son, however he married three times, firstley to the mother of the now well known Prince Paul and finaly in 1984 to an Antonia Colville from Hampshire, England. This is where my interest in her picks up as she was born in 1939 in the same town as where I live and would just like to know a little more about her. Can anyone help - does anyone know anything about Mircea and his thrid wife?
 
Carol II

Carol II, 1893–1953, king of Romania, son of King Ferdiand and Queen Marie. While crown prince, he contracted a morganatic marriage with Zizi Labrino but divorced her to marry (1921) Princess Helen of Greece. He soon formed a liaison with Magda Lupescu, with whom he lived in Paris after being forced (1925) to renounce his right of succession. On the death (1927) of King Ferdinand, Carol's son Michael became king, but Carol, having divorced Queen Helen in 1928, returned to Romania in 1930, supplanted his son, and had himself proclaimed king de jure since 1927. A turbulent period began (see Romania). In 1938, Carol formed a royal dictatorship. A contest between the king and the fascist IronGuard ensued, with assassinations and massacres on both sides. Forced to call on Ion Antonescu to form a government (1940), Carol was deposed and fled abroad with Lupescu, whom he finally married in Brazil in 1947. Michael once more became king. Carol died in Portugal, but his remains were returned to Romania in 2003.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2004, Columbia University Press.

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Here is a Picture of Elena Lupescu who was the Mistress and second Wife of Carol II.
 

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Romanian prince: Expose my uncle as Nazi Monday, 20 June 2005
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It's an historic irony: European royals needing the help of Jews.

But such is the case for Paul of Romania, crown prince of Romania, foe of the country's last monarch, King Michael.

Prince Paul and his wife Lia are in Israel for a whirlwind visit to meet with officials of the government and Jewish organizations to ask them to help expose Michael - Paul's uncle - as a criminal accomplice of the Nazis.

The royals brought with them a stack of documents, many of them kept hidden for years and only recently uncovered, to prove their case that King Michael was a profiteer during the war years and after. They said their arguments have received little press in their home country because of fear of reprisals from the government.

So the prince and princess are here, they said, on the advice of the likes of French Nazi hunter Serge Klarsfeld, Lord Greville Janner of England and US Sen. Diane Feinstein.

Appealing to Israel and world Jewry is Paul's last hope of preventing the Romanian parliament from awarding Michael a 30 million euro compensation package for his World War II-era property that would include 2,600 acres of developed land.

Satellite

Prince Paul and his wife, Princess Lia, present a copy of the government's records from 1941 that shows King Michael's authorization of numerous anti-Jewish laws.

"During the four years there was a Nazi state, the Jews [of Romania] were deported, their properties were confiscated, they were not allowed to be pharmacists or doctors, they had to wear the yellow star and 350,000 died," Paul said in an interview with The Jerusalem Post on Sunday. "And who is responsible? Michael created the Nazi state. And now he is getting rewarded!"

Paul said he would prefer that the money be spent on a "worthwhile" fund set aside either for compensating Jews for property confiscated during Romania's Nazi-influenced government of the 1940s, or for the establishment of a museum to what was once Europe's third-largest Jewish community. To do so would be to repay a "debt of honor," he said.

To help pay that debt, the prince has helped prepare a class-action suit in Romania on behalf of Jews whose property was seized under King Michael.

The prince claimed that Michael had offered him a portion of the 30m. euro compensation to keep quiet about the past, but he refused.

"I am on the warpath," Paul said. "I am out to prove that, yes, I am part of this family, but I am not part of the cover-up."

A cover-up, if there was one, would be part of royal intrigue in Romania that extends beyond an internal family conflict. Michael (Mihai in Romanian) was king twice - first as a child in the late 1920s, and again between 1940 and 1947, after his father (and Paul's grandfather), King Carol II, abdicated.

Satellite

King Michael (second from left) salutes German troops in Romania, in one of several long-hidden photographs that Prince Paul claims proves Michael's complicity with the Nazis.

It was during Michael's second reign that the country came under the power of military dictator Gen. Ion Antonescu. Antonescu was a virulent anti-Semite who was supported by the similarly anti-Semitic and ultranationalist fascist group the Iron Guard.

King Carol II's abdication of the throne and flight from the country were the result of the strength of Antonescu and his quarrels with the Iron Guard.

Antonescu forged an alliance with Adolf Hitler. According to the records brought by Prince Paul, King Michael forged an alliance with Antonescu, and as a result signed into law several anti-Jewish ordinances; he may even have encouraged or tacitly approved of deportations and killings of Romanian Jews, the prince said. During this period, Paul noted, King Michael profited greatly, both politically and financially.

However, Michael also helped overthrow Antonescu in late 1944 and signed an armistice with the Allies, joining Romania's lot with that of the Russians. His reign would last until a Communist-dominated government bloc forced his abdication at the end of 1947.

Until now Paul, who was born in 1948, has fought Michael over recognition of the right to inherit the throne. The documents he has amassed, though, have provided him with an even stronger animus.

"I didn't realize how involved he was but Michael was a war profiteer and a criminal," the prince said. "Just because he joined the Allies at the last minute doesn't mean he should get away with it. Antonescu was shot for his crimes Doesn't Michael deserve the same?"


By Sam Ser, THE JERUSALEM POST Jun. 20, 2005
 
Paul Hohenzollern

rchainho said:
Romanian prince: Expose my uncle as Nazi .
Paul of Romania, crown prince of Romania, foe of the country's last monarch, King Michael. Prince Paul and his wife Lia are in Israel for a whirlwind visit to meet with officials of the government and Jewish organizations to ask them to help expose Michael - Paul's uncle - as a criminal accomplice of the Nazis.

Until now Paul, who was born in 1948, has fought Michael over recognition of the right to inherit the throne. "I didn't realize how involved he was but Michael was a war profiteer and a criminal," the prince said. "Just because he joined the Allies at the last minute doesn't mean he should get away with it. Antonescu was shot for his crimes. Doesn't Michael deserve the same?"

Paul Hohenzollern is not a Prince of Romania and is certainly not the Crown Prince of Romania. He is just an embittered would-be-if-he-could-be. Particularly tacky is his inference that King Michael should be "shot for his crimes". Paul is a nasty piece of work.

Queen Helen, King Michael`s mother, was honoured by Israel as "Righteous among Nations" for her role during the war to protect Romanian Jews. Enough said.
.
 
Warren said:
Paul Hohenzollern is not a Prince of Romania and is certainly not the Crown Prince of Romania. He is just an embittered would-be-if-he-could-be. Particularly tacky is his inference that King Michael should be "shot for his crimes". Paul is a nasty piece of work.

Queen Helen, King Michael`s mother, was honoured by Israel as "Righteous among Nations" for her role during the war to protect Romanian Jews. Enough said.
.

Too right! Well said Warren! - Prince Paul is the unfortunate victim of history and King Carol's adventures, however his attitude towards his cousin, King Michael, is ungrecious, uncooth, unbefitting of a prince and simply damages the cause of the monarchy.

Romania is a republic, restoring the monarchy is not high on the agenda, however Paul's attitude and attempt to usurp a throne that doesnt even exist is not only pathetic but is more likely to end all thinking in a monarchy, and his case for Crown Prince along with it. If Paul really beleived in representing the Romanian people as a 'modern' monarch he would support the regime and not try and steel grace from King Michael. Surley for a monarchist in a country without a monarchy it is better to work together and have one than to fight who will be King of a non existent Kingdom.

Paul's claims are not recognised by the Romanian Government (who have a 'working' relationship with King Michael's family and son-in-law) or other European Royalty... and to my knowlegde the various branches of Hohenzollen family do not recognise him as a Prince of Hohenzollen either.

Paul's grandmothers 'marriage' to Crown Prince Carol as he was then, was disolved and she is not even the woman for whom he finaly abdicated and exiled himself for. Paul's legitimate claim does not exist, perhaps had he behaved better and worked with the rest of the family, Michael may have seen way to at least recognise him as deserving of being a Prince. Paul summs up a "sad little man" making up for other inadeqacies. ;)
 
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Prince Carol Mircea of Romania has died in London



published in issue 3606 page 14 at 2006-01-30

London - King Carol II of Romania’s first born, Mircea died in London on January 27, aged 85, a press rissued by the Royal house of Romania informs.

“Elder brother of King Mihai, Prince Carol Mircea came to Romania in 2005, after a 50 year exile, Ana Maria Pascaru, Prince Paul’s spokeswoman said on Saturday.

“His only desire was to be back in his native country when the Romanian state would recognise him as first born of King Carol II, a result of a legitimate marriage that was illegally annulled.”

Prince Paul of Romania saw his father over the last couple of weeks, and Princess Lia, Radu Mircea’s daughter in law on Wednesday listened to the dying man’s last wishes.

“Two days before dying , Prince Carol confessed to his daughter in law he wanted to be buried beside his father” the press release reads.


http://www.nineoclock.ro/index.php?page=detalii&categorie=culture&id=20060129-502735
 
First-born son of former King Carol II dies aged 86
"Prince" Carol Mircea Lambrino, son of the late King Carol II of Romania, whose wish to be declared a legitimate son of his father was never fully realized, has died his family said Saturday. He was 86.
Lambrino died on Friday in London after a long illness, according to a family statement.
He was the first son of Carol II, known as the "playboy king" for his romantic escapades and Ioana "Zizi" Lambrino, a Romanian ballerina..................
http://www.daily-news.ro/article_detail.php?idarticle=22040
 
Queen Mother Helen of Romania

Princess Helen was born on May 2, 1896 in Athens. She was the daughter of King Constantin I of Greece (1868-1923) and his wife Sophie (1870-1932) born Princess of Prussia and sister of the Kaiser Wilhelm II.

Helen had two elder brothers, the futurs Kings Georges II and Alexander Ier and, later, will be born Paul, in 1901, Irina in 1904 and Catherine, in 1913.

During the first Worl War, she follows her father in exile then returns with her family to Greece at the time of the restoration of Monarchy in 1920.

On March 10, 1921, she married Prince Carol (1893-1953, heir to the Romanian throne and she gave birth a few months later to a son, Prince Mihai.

But the marriage was not happy and, in 1925, Carol escaped with his mistress Magda Lupescu, giving up Helen with his son who became King in 1927, with died of King Ferdinand.

In 1930, Carol returned from exile and banishes Helen who took refuge in Switzerland and in Florence.

But, in 1940, Carol II having again fled his responsibilities, she returned at the request of her become again son King.
She then helped some jews against the dictatorial power of the General Antonescu.

In 1948, she was again exiled, like all the Royal Family of Romania, under the pressure of the Soviet Union, and she died on November 28, 1982 in Lausanne, Switzerland where she had found refuge.
 
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Young Princess Helen with her greeck family around 1920

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Helen with her spouse Carol of Romania in the early 1920s

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Helen and her young son Mihai

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Queen Helen with her son Mihai in 1940
 
I always think there's something very special about a Telegraph death announcement. May Princess Carol rest in peace.
 
Another event

The King and Queen participated at an event organized by the Jewish community in honour of Queen Helen at the sinagogue in Arad(22 december), who was the recipient of the title "Righteous among Nation" awarded by the organization Yad Vashem.

It was for the first time when the King has visited a sinagogue. There was a presentation from the famous Romanian actress Maya Morgenstren and the jazz-guitarist Weinberger. At the end the cantor of the Jewish community of Wien S. Barzilai was singing.

In the evening there was a gala evening organized to raise money for sick children and hospital, the royal couple were the guest of honour.
 
That is certainly a high honour for the late Queen Helen, and it is also shared by the late Princess Andrew of Greece (Alice of Battenberg), the Duke of Edinburgh's mother.

Andrew, do you have the details of Queen Helen's activities which led to the award by Yad Vashem?
 
Qh

Well, as the Queen Mother she did not have any constitutional power to act in Romania, not even king Michael had many. All the powers were in the hands of Marshall Antonescu.
However she managed to stop the deportation of thousands of Jews in the lagers from Poland, where they would have faced certain death. She also achieved that provisions-food, medicines, blankets-were sent to the working-camps in Transnistria. She and her son joined forces in persuading Antonescu to change the drastic measures against the Jews. If it wasn't for her, the situation of the Romanian Jews would have been much worse.
There is a letter of the Romanian Rabbi of that time in which he acknowledges the achievements of the Queen Mother during the war. Thanks to Her many thousands of Jews were saved from death and others were better treated.
In 1993 the Yad Vashem insitution finally awarded her post-mortem after examining many documents. The award was accepted by her son King Michael in Geneva.
 
I suppose the videos made by Andrew were made at Savarsin Castle but I can't open them.
 
videos

Actually the videos were made in a bookshop called ''Corina '' in Arad, where the booklaunch took place.
 
The new book about Queen Helen is a tribute bor the beloved mother of King Mihai I.
 
It's funny that one of the arguments from the Lambrino clan against Michael was that he was an opponent to the Jews during the war, but here we have the truth that he and his mother worked to help them :)
 
Today I have read that the former king of Romania, Carol II, had an illegimate son, called Mirel Marcovici. Can someone tell me something about Mirel? Thank you!
 
King Carol's descendants

Carol II had a son, Mircea Lambrino from his marriage with miss Zizi Lambrino. They had married in Odessa, but king Ferdinand had annuled the marriage. Mircea lived in Paris and had a son, Paul who entitles himself 'de Hohenzollern'. He does some charity work in Romania. His wife has died recently.
King Michael has never acknowledges him as a part of his family. They had some dispute in Court about this question and also about the legacy of Carol II.
 
Carol II had a son, Mircea Lambrino from his marriage with miss Zizi Lambrino. They had married in Odessa, but king Ferdinand had annuled the marriage. Mircea lived in Paris and had a son, Paul who entitles himself 'de Hohenzollern'. He does some charity work in Romania. His wife has died recently.
King Michael has never acknowledges him as a part of his family. They had some dispute in Court about this question and also about the legacy of Carol II.

Mircea died 2 years ago.
 
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:previous:
Within the EU he is legally recognised as Paul Hohenzollern. No "von" and certainly no "Prince of Romania".
 
She's not 56, she's older than that and her math is way off. Marlene Koenig has an interesting piece posted on her blog about Lia's past.
 
There seems to be an issue with the link. Can we get another? Thanks! :flowers:
You know, there are lots of things I'd rather do than be pregnant, especially at that age. .. . .:eek:
 
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Oops, it doesn't open for me anymore either! Very sorry! However, I was able to read the article via this link. Let me know if it works!

Also, here is the blog post about Lia that Katrianna mentions: Royal Musings: Funniest story of the year: Fuzzy math

Lia Lambrino (previously married to the late Melvin Belli, who affectionately referred to her as La Trampa, and stated in one of his wills that "I charge my executors to see that nothing, but absolutely nothing, goes to Lia Triff, and I charge them to contest ultimately any claim by this miserable, deceitful person"; see Battle Belli) seems to have feigned several pregnancies over the duration of her marriage to Paul.:whistling:
 
Paul and Lia Lambrino became the parents of a son, Carol Ferdinand, on 11 January 2010 (today).

Carol Ferdinand Lambrino was delivered by Caesarean section at the Maternitatea Regina Maria in Bucharest.

Royal Musings: Lia has a baby at 60
 
Oh my goodness -- 60 years old! And the Terrible Twos at 62 - 63....yow! I'm only 48 and the very idea of that makes me tired. It said in the article that she had some medical help in conceiving.
Congratulations to the couple on this special day. They seemed to have been wanting a child, and I'm happy for them. Wouldn't it be great if they could live long enough to see their first grandchild, too? It's quite possible -- I hope that happens.
Purrs,
Pook
 
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