This royal cipher belonged to Elisabeta, Queen of Greece (b. Princess of Romania), used by her after she became queen consort of King George II between 1922-1923. Elisabeta designed herself the cipher as many of the royals of the time used to compose their own ciphers and ensign types. The cipher contains her monogram rendered as the Greek letter “Epsilon” corresponding with the Latin letter “E” representing her name within a circle crowned by the Greek state crown. Elisabeta was a gifted artist and produced many beautiful and interesting drawings in pencil and brush and also illustrated a number of books. Less known are her drawings that were left over at her Banloc county house when the communists took over this estate. These drawings were transferred to the archives and are a real piece of history, dating from the period of the First World War and first years afterwards. Please see bellow two of those drawings made in June 1921, a self-portrait and the portrait of King George II of Greece.

Elisabeta, June 1921(RNA) www.royalromania.wordpress.com

George Duke of Sparta, 1921 (RNA) www.royalromania.wordpress.com

A drawing by Princess Elisabeta of Romania, 1917 (RNA) www.royalromania.wordpress.com
She also enjoyed drawing floral themes, as was a botany connoisseur, taught by her father King Ferdinand of Romania, an expert in this field. The rose presented here drawn by Elisabeta during the years of First World War while the Royal Family was based in Iasi, the war capital, is the one I like most from among her floral drawings that I encountered in the archives. ©Diana Mandache http://royalromania.wordpress.com
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See also
‘Shattered Dreams’ my new article on Elisabeta published by Majesty magazine September 2009
King George II of Greece & Elisabeta in Asia Minor film footage
George of Greece & Elisabeta of Romania: budding romance, 1914





I must find out more about Princess Elisabeta. Her drawings are certainly very good. I especially like the rose.