Queen Marie of Romania

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Queen Marie of Romania died on this day in 1938. Born the second child of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia, she was the granddaughter of both Queen Victoria and Tsar Alexander II of Russia. Her sisters were Grand Duchess Victoria Melita, the Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, and the Duchess of Galliera. Growing up in England in Malta, the family moved to Germany when her father became the Grand Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, inheriting from his paternal uncle. In 1893, she married the Crown Prince of Romania. The couple had six children, including Queen Maria of Yugoslavia and Queen Elisabeth of Greece. The couple became King and Queen in 1914, and were crowned in a lavish ceremony in 1922. Queen Marie was well loved for her work with the Red Cross during WWI, her prominent role in the Paris Peace Conference, and her theatrical dress sense. Widowed in 1927, Queen Marie remained prominent during the reign of her minor grandson King Michael, but after the return of his father (who had renounced his throne) in 1930, Queen Marie was forced to step back. She spent the remainder of her years at her homes Bran Castle and Balchik Palace, and died at Peleş Castle on this day in 1938. Her body was buried in Romania, and her heart was initially interred at the Balchik Palace, before being moved to Bran Castle when the palace became a part of Bulgaria.

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