Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark
| Prince Michael | |
|---|---|
| Born |
7 January 1939 Rome, Italy |
| Spouse | Marina Karella (m. 1965) |
| Issue |
Princess Alexandra of Greece Princess Olga, Duchess of Apulia |
| House | Glücksburg |
| Father | Prince Christopher of Greece and Denmark |
| Mother | Princess Françoise of Orléans |
| Religion | Greek Orthodox |
| Greek Royal Family |
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Extended royal family HM Queen Sofía of Spain HRH Prince Michael
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Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark, RE (born 7 January 1939) is the author of several historical novels and biographies, as well as a contributing writer to Architectural Digest. He is also a paternal first cousin of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Birth and family
He was born in Rome to Prince Christopher of Greece and Denmark and his second wife, Princess Françoise of Orléans; his father died when he was a year old.
His paternal grandparents were George I of Greece and Olga Konstantinovna of Russia. His maternal grandparents were Jean d'Orléans, duc de Guise, and his wife Princess Isabelle d'Orléans.
Michael studied the political sciences in Paris. He then served a term in the Hellenic Coast Guard, discharged with the rank of Sub-lieutenant.
He married the Greek artist Marina Karella (b. 17 July 1940) on 7 February 1965, at the Royal Palace in Athens. Her parents were Theodore Karella and Ellie Chalikiopoulos. This was a morganatic marriage, which resulted in Prince Michael renouncing any rights to the throne of Greece on behalf of himself and his future descendants; this renunciation occurred prior to the marriage, after which the marriage was approved by King Constantine II.
The couple has two daughters:
- Princess Alexandra of Greece (born 15 October 1968), married to Nicolas Mirzayantz, by whom she has two sons, Tigran and Darius Mirzayantz.
- Princess Olga of Greece (born 17 November 1971), married to her second cousin H.R.H. Prince Aimone, Duke of Apulia, son of Amedeo, 5th Duke of Aosta and paternal grandson of Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark, second daughter of King Constantine I. Aimone and Olga are the parents of two sons, Prince Umberto of Savoy Prince of Piedmont (b. 7 March 2009), Prince Amedeo Duke of the Abruzzi (b. 2011), and a daughter, Princess Isabella Vita Marina (b. 2012)
List of works
Prince Michael has written fictionalized history and most of his books deal with royalty, about whom his own royal acquaintances have provided him with abundant anecdotal information.
In English:
- Sultana (1983, reprinted several times)
- Louis XIV, the other side of the sun (1984)
- Rani, La femme sacrée, a novelised but well documented biography of the Rani of Jhansi (French: 1984 ; English: 2013) ISBN 978-2266023610
- The royal house of Greece (1988), illustrated album
- Living with ghosts (1995)
- The Empress of Farewells: the story of Charlotte, Empress of Mexico (1998)
- The White Night of St. Petersburg (2000), historical novel
- Jewels of the Tsars (2006), illustrated album
- Le Rajah Bourbon (2007)
- Voices of light (2012), illustrated by Marina Karella
| Styles of Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark | |
|---|---|
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| Reference style | His Royal Highness |
| Spoken style | Your Royal Highness |
| Alternative style | Sir |
Titles, styles, honours and arms
Titles and styles
- 7 January 1939 – present: His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark
Honours
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Denmark : Knight of the Order of the Elephant (11 September 1964).[1] -
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Empire of Iran : Commemorative Medal of the 2500th Anniversary of the founding of the Persian Empire (14 October 1971).[2]
Ancestry
References
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