Helen of Greece and Denmark

Born on May second, nineteen ninety-six, Helen of Greece and Denmark was a remarkable figure in Romanian history, serving as the queen mother during her son King Michael I's reign from nineteen forty to nineteen forty-seven. Her legacy is particularly marked by her humanitarian efforts during World War II, where she played a crucial role in saving Romanian Jews, earning her the honorific title of Righteous Among the Nations from the State of Israel in nineteen ninety-three.

The daughter of King Constantine I of Greece and Princess Sophia of Prussia, Helen's early life was spent across Greece, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The upheaval of World War I and her father's overthrow in nineteen seventeen deeply affected her, leading to a period of exile in Switzerland. It was during this time that she cared for her ailing father, which further distanced her from her beloved brother, Alexander I of Greece.

In nineteen twenty, Helen met Crown Prince Carol of Romania, who proposed marriage shortly thereafter. Despite his controversial reputation, she accepted and moved to Romania, where she gave birth to their only son, Prince Michael, in nineteen twenty-one. However, the marriage faced turmoil as Carol's infidelities became public, culminating in his abandonment of Helen in nineteen twenty-five. Following their divorce in nineteen twenty-eight, Helen was named Queen Mother in nineteen twenty-seven as Michael ascended to the throne under a regency.

As political tensions rose in Romania, Helen found herself exiled once more when Carol reclaimed the throne in nineteen thirty. She settled in Villa Sparta, Tuscany, where she remained close to her family until the outbreak of World War II brought her back to Bucharest. During the war, she and Michael navigated the complexities of a fascist regime, ultimately witnessing a coup against the dictatorship in August nineteen forty-four. However, the post-war era was fraught with challenges as the Soviet Union imposed its influence over Romania.

After Michael's forced abdication in December nineteen forty-seven, Helen returned to Villa Sparta, where she spent her later years immersed in family, gardening, and art. Financial concerns led her to relocate to Switzerland in nineteen seventy-nine, where she passed away three years later, surrounded by her son.