Prince George (1869-1957) and Princess Marie Bonaparte (1882-1962)

[Warren]

Originally Posted by Vlaha Karatsokaros

How is this branch related to Gloria?

The Princely House has two major branches, Line I and Line II. They descend from two half-brothers, sons of the 3rd Prince (Fürst), Alexander Ferdinand (1704-1773).

Line I was founded by Karl-Anselm, 4th Prince (1733-1805). Gloria's son Albert is the current and 12th Fürst von Thurn und Taxis.
Line II (Bohemian Line) descends from Prince Maximilian Joseph (1769-1831). Amongst his descendants are the Torre e Tasso family. In 1923 Prince Alexander (Alessandro) of Thurn und Taxis (1881-1937) became a naturalised Italian along with his two sons. The King of Italy granted him the title of Principi della Torre e Tasso, 1st Duke di Castel Duino with the qualification of Serene Highness.

The family seat is Duino Castle (Castello di Duino) in Duino, Province of Trieste. It is very impressive.
-> Duino Castle, large
-> Duino Castle, aerial

[Vasillisos Markos]

Thanks, Warren, for posting the links to the photographs. What a beautiful site for a castle and it is very impressive.

[Vlaha Karatsokaros]

Originally Posted by Warren

Line II (Bohemian Line) descends from Prince Maximilian Joseph (1769-1831). Amongst his descendants are the Torre e Tasso family. In 1923 Prince Alexander (Alessandro) of Thurn und Taxis (1881-1937) became a naturalised Italian along with his two sons. The King of Italy granted him the title of Principi della Torre e Tasso, 1st Duke di Castel Duino with the qualification of Serene Highness.

The family seat is Duino Castle (Castello di Duino) in Duino, Province of Trieste. It is very impressive.
-> Duino Castle, large
-> Duino Castle, aerial

Very impressive and it must be costly to maintain it. Thus, it is unlikely that the current Duke, Carlo Alessandro, son of Eugenie, is poor. I also understand that Eugenie had two children with Prince Radziwill, Tatiana, Madame Fruchaud and George who died childless.
Therefore, given that prince Peter died childless, the surviving descendants of Prince George of Greece and Marie Bonaparte are Madame Fruchaud (granddaughter) and her children and Carlo Alessandro, 3rd Duke of Castel Duino (grandson).

My understanding is that Marie Bonaparte, albeit a descendant of an non-dynastic branch of the Napoleon House (due to a morganatic marriage) inherited a fortune in Monte Carlo etc.

It would be interesting to find out about the fate of the fortune and who has placed the jewels for auction.

[snowflower]

Originally Posted by Vlaha Karatsokaros

My understanding is that Marie Bonaparte, albeit a descendant of an non-dynastic branch of the Napoleon House (due to a morganatic marriage) inherited a fortune in Monte Carlo etc.

It would be interesting to find out about the fate of the fortune and who has placed the jewels for auction.

Marie had a large inheritance through her mother Marie Felix Blanc. Marie Felix was a daughter of Francois Blanc " the magician of Monte Carlo".Francois with his twin was dealing with gambling enterprises from his youth in Paris, Bordeaux, Luxembourg , Homburg and finally Monte Carlo , where he really flourished, deally with casinos ,founding the Casion of Monte Carlo, founding and taking the headship of the current Societe des Bains du Mer etc. When he died in 1877 he left a fortune of 72 millions of francs which was dealed by his widow Marie and his Elder son Camille.
I don't know what was Maire Felix's share of her father's fortune. Francois had 5 children from two marriages: Camille and Charles from his first marriage who both died childless, and Louise , Edmond and Maire Felix from his second marriage. Louise married a Radziwill and Edmond became a politician. I guess that both daughters got a good share of their father's money , but most of the money apparently stayed with with sons (mainly Camille) and I can't find out who inherited them. Marie Bonaparte was the sole inheritor of her mother's fortune and her father and granmother were very concerned over her health throughout her childhood because if Maire ever died, the inheritance would be returnd to the Blancs.

[Vlaha Karatsokaros]

Thank you. Very interesting

[Warren]

A picture of a younger Marie Bonaparte.
from here
copyright expired

[Vlaha Karatsokaros]

According to the biographies, Marie died in Septmeber 1962. It just occurred to me that it was only a few months after the wedding of Sofia and Juan Carlos. I am sure you are all familiar with the official wedding pictures where Marie looks radiant. Does anyone know how she died?

[Vasillisos Markos]

According to Wikipedia (so take it for what it may be worth), it states Marie died from leukemia.

[snowflower]

I find it somehow hard to believe. Not that it is impossible of course, but I think that old people suffer rarely from agressive cancer . I always assumed it was old age ( she was 80 after all).

[Katrianna]

That's not necessarily true. Elderly people can and do die from aggressive cancers all the time, however, like other cancer patients of younger ages, they also frequently die from an infection. Marie may have been well enough to attend Sofia's wedding, but may have succumbed to an infection or the cancer had invaded vital organs and remember, in that time, cancer interventions were nothing like the present day.

[maria-olivia]

I read the book " Marie : la dernière des Bonapartes " but I lost it.
I remember how sad she was when she discovered the close relationship of her husband with his uncle Prince Waldemar of Danamark.

The Royals are not happier people than commoners..To tell the thuth , I don't admire them I am only interested in royal jewelery but not at all about their glittering events.

[snowflower]

George 's relationship with Waldemar is a rather complicated issue . It was quite the common secret in the family- even their children after a certain age started understanding the true nature of their " friendship" . Personally, I am quite disgusted that Waldemar developped this kind of relationship with his (then) underaged nephew.Btw, it was also the reason that Marie turned to psychoanalysis, in order to find something to keep her busy and save her from depression. And she found her true calling there....

[Vasillisos Markos]

What was the nature of this relationship? Homosexual?

[snowflower]

Yes, according to various sources and relatives ( even in the memoirs of their wives) they had developped a sexual realtionship since George moved in Denmark in his teen. He felt very lonely there, away from home , very insecure and Waldemar took him under his wing. And that is the part that bothers me, not the fact that it was a homosexual relationship, but the fact that Waldemar developped a relationship , with his lonesome, underaged and vulnerable nephew. It doesn't sound right at all.

[maria-olivia]

Snowflower , I like your comments and your pictures. In Paris twice a year at Drouot there is an action about royals and the prices are not expensive at all. Every time I buy a small thing.
At one auction they were paintings from Princess Marie de Guise, Princess Waldemar of Danemark. She was an artist. I wonder if Marie de Guise and Marie Bonaparte, both french Princesses were close to-gether ?

[snowflower]

Marie d' Orleans ( Waldemar's wife) was indeed a very talented person with many artistic interests. She had a spacious atelie in her home , which was quite an attraction for guests ( and it would cause German royals a headache because Marie , who was a fervernt patriot, had placed a huge French flag hanging from the ceiling on one wall). The two Maries became quite close , and used to support one another whenever their husband had a fight and things would become melodramatical fro both families . Marie d'Orleans also tried to make Marie Bonaparte to start having a different attitude towards her husband. She herself stopped reacting after a few years and the phrase " let them gossip, I don't care" sort of became her motto.
Here are the two couples together ( with some of their children, but I am not sure who is who in order to identify them)

[maria-olivia]

Snowflower , What a picture ! The children are Axel , Harald, ? and Margaretha who maried a Prince of Bourbon Parme, Marie and Waldemar's 4 children.
Marie de Guise must have had eye's problems.

[Vlaha Karatsokaros]

Margaretha married Renέ de Bourbon-Parma and her daughter is Queen Anne de Roumanie

[snowflower]

The other child must be Aage - didn't Marie and Valdemar had a son named Aage? I found this picture to be quite interesting - Valdemar and George are seated side by side holding hands, Marie Bonaparte looks as if she wished she was a thousand miles away and the other Marie had this "cool" expression sort of saying " I really don't care anymore"....

It might be my idea but Valdemar seems to me the link in why George V and Nicholas looked so much alike - I see a great resemblance here to their uncle.

[Vasillisos Markos]

I did not even notice the two men had their arms linked. You don't see that in a lot of photographs of the time!