Victoria and Edward had a testy relationship at times; Albert died two weeks after he was sent to speak to Edward about a relationship the latter had with an actress, and Queen Victoria held her son partially responsible for his father's passing. Princess Alice was known for her commitment to philanthropic work, and she eventually became interested in nursing and met and befriended Florence Nightingale. Despite the misgivings of some of her siblings, she had the full support and blessing of her mother, and the wedding went on as planned. Despite her biographer saying she was chunky with a double chin, photos from that time period do not provide evidence of that. Buckingham Palace announced the death of Queen Elizabeth at age 96 in an official statement. The service was followed by a committal service at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, where she was later buried in a private ceremony beside her husband Prince Philip, her father King George VI, her mother Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and her sister Princess Margaret. The two had seven children and she would later become the great-grandmother to Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II's husband. Queen Victoria was opposed to Beatrice marrying at all, even ignoring news that her daughter planned to wed for months after it was announced. The marriage was annulled on December 13, 1900 by his father. That all changed when Albert admitted to having a secret affair that resulted in a daughter named Valerie Marie, though he never revealed the identity of the girls mother. This, on its own, was tragic enough, but for Helena, the nightmare was just beginning. Although Helena promised to stay close to the Queen after her marriage to Christian, keeping that promise was impossible. Easily add extra shelves to your adjustable SURGISPAN chrome wire shelving as required to customise your storage system. Finally, on January 22, 1901, Helenas mom breathed her last. Unsurprisingly, the grief-stricken Helena became quite unpleasant to be around. Princess Helena Victoria never married. WebThe Princess Alice (Alice Maud Mary: Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine by marriage; April 25, 1843 December 14, 1878). There were several problems with this match: Prince Christian was quite poor, he was quite a bit older than Helena, and his familys duchies were being fought over by Prussia and Denmark. Princess Marie Louise was born at Cumberland Lodge, in Windsor Great Park. 1 reference. ", "We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother," he continued. On December 14, 1861, Helena received the devastating news that changed her life forever. Helena died on September 1, 1922 of a heart attack in Hinterriss in Tyrol, Austria while visiting her son, Carl-Eduard, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Princess Victoria was born in November 1840 and was Womens rights interested Helena. Princess Helena had real health problems though. She was 61 years old. In 1894, Helena was one of the founders of the Deptford Fund. The two became engaged in November 1881. On July 6, 1891, Princess Marie Louise married Prince Aribert of Anhalt (June 18, 1866 December 24, 1933) at St. Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle. In 1917, after years and years of marriage, Helenas husband lost his life at the age of 86. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Place of Birth: Buckingham Palace, England, United Kingdom, Famous People's Birthdays on 25 May, United Kingdom, Famous People's Birthdays in May, United Kingdom, Famous nurse's Birthdays on 25 May, United Kingdom, Famous nurse's Birthdays in May, United Kingdom. Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh On 6 August 1844, Queen Victoria gave birth to her second son, Alfred. What she didnt know was that this was the last time she would see her son. Her health quickly went on the decline; both Helena and Beatrice, her youngest sister, spent their days at their mothers bedside, watching as their mom withered away. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty. Left alone, Helena soon got herself into a world of trouble. Princess Helena of the United Kingdom (Helena Augusta Victoria; 25 May 1846 9 June 1923) was the third daughter and fifth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The loss was most profound for her large family, including her four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. The Queen's time of death was also on the newly released document, listed as 3:10 p.m. on Sept. 8 at Balmoral Castle, the monarch's Scotland estate where she traditionally spent the late summer months. Between the world wars, she and her sister, Princess Marie Louise, were enthusiastic patrons of music at Schomberg House, their London residence. She also personally gave the couple 100,000, which provided them an income of about 4000 per year. This professionalism is the result of corporate leadership, teamwork, open communications, customer/supplier partnership, and state-of-the-art manufacturing. The engagement was not met with unanimous approval within the royal family. A few years later, Alfred married Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, the daughter of the Russian emperor, in 1874 in St. Petersburg, though the couple would live in England. SURGISPAN inline chrome wire shelving is a modular shelving system purpose designed for medical storage facilities and hospitality settings. Needless to say, Helenas match to Christian was a huge political scandalbut what did Helena herself have to say about all this? Furthermore, Victoria insisted that Helenas future husband had to be prepared to live near the Queen, thus keeping her daughter nearby. By 1894, her addiction was out of control. As male-line granddaughters of Christian August II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, Princess Helena Victoria and Princess Marie Louise were technically German Princesses and each were styled Her Serene Highness (Durchlaucht) within the German Empire. In response, he cut her off cold turkey. No one knew that, in private, Helena endured unbelievable agony. Helena was educated by private tutors chosen by her father and his close friend and adviser, Baron Stockmar. While Helena (and some of her other royal siblings) did grow overweight, these criticisms may not be entirely fair. She ran the organizations she led with brutal efficiency. As a result, Helenas title went from the very German-sounding Her Royal Highness The Princess Helena, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein to simply, Her Royal Highness Princess Christian, dropping the territorial designation. In the 1870s she suffered from severe rheumatism, congestion in her lungs, and had problems with her joints too. On May 12, 1876, Helena and her husband welcomed baby Harald, the fifth of their children, into their lives. English Wikipedia. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. ", King Charles concluded, "During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held. Queen Elizabeth on her final engagement - September 2022. After receiving formal consent from Queen Victoria, as well as agreeing that they would live in Great Britain, their engagement was announced on December 5, 1865. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty, Spencer Arnold Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty, Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group, The Best Royal Wedding Dresses of All Time, The Most Romantic Royal Proposal Stories and the Must-See Diamond Rings, All About Queen Camilla's Children and Grandchildren, Queen Camilla Wears Queen Victoria's Sapphire Brooch in Germany Inside the Significance, Why Prince Edward's New Title Won't Pass Down to Son James and May Go to Princess Charlotte Someday, King Charles Gives Royal Title That Previously Belonged to Prince Philip to Brother Prince Edward, Who Bows and Curtsies to Whom? She was born at Buckingham Palace in London, England on May 25, 1846. Posted by liamfoley63 in Featured Royal, Kingdom of Europe, Royal Genealogy, Helena of the the United Kingdom, Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, HRH The Prince of Wales, King Edward VII of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein, Me, My Memories of Six Reigns, Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. In fact, he assumed that the Queens evaluation of him was for a potential marriage candidate for herself! Birthday: May 25, 1846 Date of Death: The couple had a brief, but happy marriage, ending in the hemophiliac Leopolds death from a fall in Cannes, France, in March 1884. Helenas husband eventually went and begged the doctor to break her off from the habit. Platos Academy: Origin Story, Location, Scholars, & Legacy, The Boston Massacre: The American Revolution, Queen Victorias Father, the Duke of Kent, 10 Things You didnt know about Queen Victoria. Remember that nasty addiction to opium that Helena had? stated in. The engagement was declared on December 5, 1865, and despite the Prince of Waless initial refusal to attend (because of the political issues raised over the twin duchies of Schleswig-Holstein) Alice intervened, and the wedding was a happy occasion. Princess Helena in 1910; Credit Wikipedia. In accordance with rank, she resigned from her position and handed the reins over to Alexandra. Helenas family dropped the of Schleswig-Holstein designation from their titles, and Helena officially became just Princess Christian. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. We offer full engineering support and work with the best and most updated software programs for design SolidWorks and Mastercam. [6] She died at the age of 77, the same age at which her mother, Princess Helena, had also Through all the pain and suffering Helena endured throughout the past couple of years, she still managed to keep up with her duties as president of the Army Nursing Service. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. Catherine of Aragon was King Henry VIIIs first wife and longest-lasting Queen of England. Posted by liamfoley63 in Featured Royal, Principality of Europe, Royal Genealogy, This Day in Royal History, Alice of Albany, Charles Edward Duke of Albany, Georg-Victor of Waldeck and Pyrmont, Helena of Waldemar and Pyrmont, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Leopold Duke of Albany, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, Willem III of the Netherlands. Further rubbing salt in the wound, the Queen chose Helenas younger sister, Louise, as an assistant instead. Arthur was later appointed Governor General of Canada and died in January 1942. She was born in Arolsen, capital of Waldeck principality, in the German Confederation of the Rhine. The King also relinquished, on behalf of himself and his numerous German cousins who were British subjects, the use of their German titles, styles, and surnames. Princess Marie Louise (12 August 1872 8 December 1956). Queen Elizabeth 's cause of death has been revealed. Helena was likely heartbroken over the news, but her suffering was just beginning. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. After a German air raid damaged the house in 1940, the two princesses moved to Fitzmaurice Place, Berkeley Square. Helenas siblings disappeared from her life one by one, but the loss of Edward hit her especially hard. As Goodwin said, "Victoria and Albert made [the monarchy] respectable and popular it had been neither of those things before they came to the throne. The Queen's death comes after a year of various health issues. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. They had two children together, although Leopold died in France before the birth of his second child in 1884. Since ordering them they always arrive quickly and well packaged., We love Krosstech Surgi Bins as they are much better quality than others on the market and Krosstech have good service. King Richard III. She died at the age of 77, the same age at which her mother, Princess Helena, had also died. Making distraction rewarding since 2017. Instead, they became known simply as Her Highness Princess Helena Victoria and Her Highness Princess Marie Louise. When Helena needed to promote her newly established Royal School of Needlework, Helena held tea parties at the school for society ladies that wanted to be in her royal presence. After Leopolds death, Helena and her two children, Alice and Charles Edward, continued to reside at Claremont House. Worldhistoryedu is not responsible for the content of external sites. The two had their differences, but they stuck by each other when it counted. cause of death. After Alices marriage, Helena would continue in this role, along with her younger sister Louise, before the role was primarily taken by her youngest sister, Beatrice. The second edition, published in 1885, was titled Memories of Princess Alice by her Sister, Princess Christian.. Do you question the accuracy of a fact you just read? The couple had a brief, but happy marriage, ending in the hemophiliac Leopolds death from a fall in Cannes, France, in March 1884. After all, many of these barbed remarks regarding Helena came from her own mothers letters and journals. At Furnel, Inc. our goal is to find new ways to support our customers with innovative design concepts thus reducing costs and increasing product quality and reliability. Helena, along with her youngest sister, Princess Beatrice, became the Queen's unofficial secretary. The second daughter of Victoria and Albert, Princess Alice joined the family in April 1843. Her "usual residence" is stated to be Windsor Castle, where Queen Elizabeth used as her home base starting in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic for the final years of her life. Historians suggest that the cause of her death is likely related to her carrying the gene for haemophilia, a blood-clotting disease passed down from her WebPrincess Helena Victoria (3 May 1870 13 March 1948). Princess Helena Victoria died at Fitzmaurice Place, Berkeley Square, on March 13, 1948? WebPrincess Helena of the United Kingdom was born on May 25, 1846 and died on June 9, 1923. Helena was the most active member of the royal family, carrying out an extensive programme of royal engagements. Prince Leopold, who suffered from hemophilia, died at the age of 30 on March 28, 1884, from a Giving birth to Helena was so difficult that the Queenwho once chastised her husband for wanting to take more than two days off for their honeymoonhad to put a pause on her royal duties to recover from the ordeal. cause of death breast cancer 1 reference place of burial Church of Peace applies to part mausoleum 0 references father Albert, Prince Consort 1 reference mother Victoria 1 reference sibling Princess Alice of the United Kingdom kinship to subject younger sister 1 reference Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom kinship to subject younger sister Never married. Princess Helena Victoria (always known to her family as Thora) was born at Frogmore House, near Windsor Castle. Then, one of the guests had a sudden gout attack. Two months later, on July 25, 1846 she was christened in the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace, given the names Helena Augusta Victoria. Helena wasnt the only member of the family that suffered from addiction. Princess Helena. Rebecca had her start in writing in elementary school, when a short story she wrote was published in her school's yearbook; she's been chasing the thrill of having her works published ever since. WebQueen of the United Kingdom from 1837 to 1901. She died at the age of 77, the same age at which her mother, Princess Helena, had also died. PartV. History of the Kingdom of Greece:Conclusion. My mom never told me how her best friend died. Unfortunately, many of Alice's children contracted diphtheria and the Princess eventually caught the disease as well. One of Helenas greatest losses from WWI involved her second son, Prince Albert. Helena needed something to keep her mind off of Albert and his scandal, and despite her advanced age, Helena spent WWI in a flurry of activity. Of course, Helenas mom was going to be the one to choose her husband, but Helena faced a bit of a handicap when it came to finding the perfect match. Princess Helena was Victorias 5th child. Talk about awkward. Therefore they were simply styled Her Highness Princess Helena Victoria and Her Highness Princess Marie Louise without any reference to a territorial designation. Already, Helena proved herself to be quite the troublemaker, and it only got worse as she grew up. It was, to put it mildly, a terrible way for Helena to spend the last few years of her life. She was founding president of the Royal School of Needlework, and president of the Workhouse Infirmary Nursing Association and the Royal British Nurses' Association. Queen Elizabeth's daughter, Princess Anne, is listed as the informant of her death. Honours and offices [ edit] Orders and decorations [ edit] United Kingdom : Lets just, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Easy Facts About Shelley Duvall, The Eccentric Actress, Fearsome Facts About Harald Hardrada, The Last Viking, Poised Facts About Greer Garson, The Hollywood Duchess, Suspicious Facts About Robert Blake, The Did He Or Didnt He Actor. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. It soon became known as Schomberg House, and Helena would live there for the rest of her life. The grief nearly took Helenas breath away. Unnamed stillborn son (born and died 7 May 1877). Helena married Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, who was 15 years older than her, in 1866. The man chosen for Helena was Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein. Sign up to receive exclusive deals and announcements, Fantastic service, really appreciate it. The two had five children together. According to the memoirs of Helenas daughter, Princess Alice of Albany, Helena was very intelligent, had a strong sense of duty, and a genuine love of welfare work. Frederick later acceded to the throne of Prussia following the death of his uncle, King Frederick William IV, who had no children. ", The late monarch's name is listed as "Elizabeth Alexandra Mary" with the surname "Windsor." Were always looking for your input! Helena already had a ton of (uncontrollable) factors stacked against her, but her mom threw in one more condition that made marrying Helena a difficult pill to swallow. Who was that woman? Just a year later, tragedy struck Helena again; on May 7, 1877, Helena gave birth to a stillborn child. She was, in many respects, one of the most talented of the Queens children, that is, until her younger sister came along. Copyright 2023 by Factinate.com. She was survived by three of her children, and just three of her siblings. In 1956, she published her memoirs, My Memories of Six Reigns. Her paternal uncle, the Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, gave her away. In 1861, aged just 15, Princess Helena Of The United Kingdom sadly lost her father when he died prematurely, aged just 42. When Helenas mom tried to marry Louise off, Helenawho at this point had handed off most of her secretarial duties to Louiseencouraged her younger sister to hold off on marriage. Upgrade your sterile medical or pharmaceutical storerooms with the highest standard medical-grade chrome wire shelving units on the market. Queen Victoria, initially worried that Helena might turn out to be a stereotypically-remote German Princess, remarked in a letter to her eldest daughter, German Crown Princess Victoria, that she was pleased Helena liked to go among the people. The Queen soon came to regard her young daughter-in-law with great respect and affection, notwithstanding her initial concerns upon hearing from the match-making Vicky that Helena was an intellectual, being unusually well-educated for a princess. As president of the latter, she was a strong supporter of nurse registration against the advice of Florence Nightingale. Upon the Queen's passing, the United Kingdom where she reigned for a record 70 years mourned. Helena had a brief romance with Carl Ruland, who had served as her fathers librarian. The Princesses were considered members of the British Royal Family. Everything to Know About Their Residences, Princess Diana's Engagement Ring: Everything to Know, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's Titles Updated on Royal Family's Website, walked two of her daughters down the aisle, Victoria and Albert were hands-on with their daughter, Victoria and Edward had a testy relationship at times, Queen Victoria was opposed to Beatrice marrying at all. Online, HollywoodLife, Discover Los Angeles, Oscar.com and Hollywood.com. Unable to cope without her opium, Helena demanded that the doctor supply her with even more drugs. Helen of Troy, Greek Helene, in Greek legend, the most beautiful woman of Greece and the indirect cause of the Trojan War. After a German air raid damaged the house in 1940, the two princesses moved to Fitzmaurice Place, Berkeley Square. It took quite a while for Louise, Helenas younger sister, to find a man of her own, and Helena may have had a hand in it. Eventually, she travelled to Germany in the 1880s to see an oculist. 1901 was not a good year for Helenas family. Here is everything to know about Queen Victoria's nine children. In June 1917, a notice appeared in the Court Circular that a Royal Warrant was to be prepared by George V dispensing with his cousins use of the Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg part of their titles. In October 2021, she stepped out with a walking cane. In 1863, the Queen Victoria looked for a husband for her daughter Princess Helena. Unlike her mother (who, ironically, detested the whole womens rights idea), Helena actively campaigned for womens rights and threw the weight of her royal title behind many causes that she believed in. Between 1869 to 1871, Helena suffered from bouts of illness including rheumatism, joint pain, and severe congestion in her lungs. In spite of her addiction, Helena tried to build a life for herself, away from the court and her overbearing mother. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); World History Edu 2023. However, from all accounts, Helena was truly in love with Christian and was determined to marry him for her own happiness. Prince Leopold was born in April 1853, and he was named after King Leopold I of Belgium. When it came to leadership, Helena took a page out of her moms book. He married Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia in March 1879, and the couple welcomed three children. She married for the first and only time in 1891 to Prince Aribert of Anhalt. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. Thanks to her famous mom, this talented Princesss life was filled to the brim with family drama, sibling rivalry, and personal strife. As a kid, Helenas brothers teased her relentlessly, but this little girl was no shy wallflower. She was closest to her brother Alfred, and the two remained so for their entire lives. Helenas joy, however, was brief; baby Harald only lived to eight days old. PartV. History of the Kingdom of Greece:Conclusion. In this time of grief, Helena shouldve been able to depend on her family for support, but their dysfunctional relationship made this impossible. Poor Helena was soon overshadowed by Louise and her other sisters, and a family tragedy only made life for Helena worse. Princess Helena of the United Kingdom. Princess Helena, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein. She died on Dec. 14, 1878, the 17th anniversary of her father's death. He was said to be interested in the military from early on in his life, ultimately joining its ranks in 1866 when he enrolled at the Royal Military College. In her grief, Helenas mother ordered Helena and the rest of her sisters out of Windsor. Prince Aribert was the third son of Friedrich I, Duke of Anhalt, and his wife, Princess Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg. Her mom disagreed, deeming Helena unsuitable due to her penchant for bursting into tears. Born on May 25, 1846, Princess Helena was the 5th child of her parents. While Helena and her husbands marriage ended more or less in a happily ever after, it actually began with a very embarrassing misunderstanding. All of her children except Elisabeth, who was staying with her paternal grandmother, became infected, as did her husband. Alexandra was also still pretty ticked off at Helena for marrying Christian, so she made sure to hit Helena where it hurt. Princess Helena and Prince Christian; Credit Royal Collection Trust. WebPrince Christian died in 1917, a year after celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary together, and Helena died six years later in 1923 aged 77 and was buried in Frogmore Garden On 27 April 1882, Leopold and Helena married in St. Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle. Furnel, Inc. has been successfully implementing this policy through honesty, integrity, and continuous improvement. Following her When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Helena, along with her youngest sister, Princess Beatrice, became the Queen's unofficial secretary. Just a few months later, on October 8, 1917, Helenas husband died at Schomberg House. Princess Alice died on December 14, 1878, the 17th anniversary of Prince Alberts death, at the age of 35 from diphtheria. Prince Alfred arrived in August 1844. After their wedding, Leopold and Helena resided at Claremont House. All SURGISPAN systems are fully adjustable and designed to maximise your available storage space. Her beloved father, Prince Albert, lost his life to typhoid fever. The First World War began four years after his death. As historian Daisy Goodwin told PEOPLE, this was a revelatory moment for the United Kingdom. Determined to carve out a life for himself, Helenas son joined the British Army, saw battle, and eventually became a major. Choose from mobile baysthat can be easily relocated, or static shelving unit for a versatile storage solution. Her son lost his life due to his illness. All Rights Reserved. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. Her health problems varied from hypochondria in 1869, to Severe rheumatism in 1870, to Congestion in her lungs in 1871. The shock of losing two children back-to-back stunned Helena. Unlike the rest of her siblings, she and her mother spent several years together following Albert's death and Beatrice was largely regarded as her mother's favorite. Her older brother and newly-crowned King smoked like a chimney, and that eventually took him to his grave. An extremely private individual, most of what we know about Princess Helena comes from her mothers diariesand her mother wasnt always the kindest to her third daughter. ", Ahead of the news of her death, Buckingham Palace said in a statement that "the Queen's doctors are concerned for Her Majesty's health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision," adding, "The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.". Helena received many graphic letters from her ailing sister describing the excruciating pain she constantly felt but could do little to help. She later met with another distant cousin Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, youngest son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom at the suggestion of his mother. Premium chrome wire construction helps to reduce contaminants, protect sterilised stock, decrease potential hazards and improve infection control in medical and hospitality environments. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. She was also an active patron of charities, and was one of the founding members of the British Red Cross. With the new King and Queen taking up residence at Buckingham Palace, Helena was in need of a new home in London. She joined the brand in 2021 as digital news writer, spanning across the site's verticals. Following her funeral on June 15, 1923, held at St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor England, her remains were placed in the Royal Crypt at St. Georges Chapel. The couple remained in Britain, in calling distance of the Queen, who liked to have her daughters nearby. On the 14 th of December 1861, Helenas childhood took a traumatic turn when her father, the Prince Consort died prematurely, aged only 42. The fifteen-year-old Helena was distraught at the death of her beloved father. Shortly after she wrote to a friend I adored Papa, I loved him more than anything on earth. Embed from Getty Images. Far from empathizing with Helena, the Queen actually accused her of hypochondria, which she claimed Christian encouraged. Louise was described as a charming baby. Despite the age difference, all the political uproar, and the family drama being caused by the proposed marriage, Helena and Christian were happy. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. There's something about the family structure that encourages secrets. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily.