100 years ago… Missy writes to her mother, the Duchess of Coburg

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Duchess of Coburg, First World War, Great War, Marie Alexandrovna, Prince Mircea, Queen Marie of Romania, World War One, WWI

Ileana & Mircea of Romania (Mircea died on 20 October /2 November 1916)

1/14 November 1916

Mama dear,

Can I write about it? Can I? Will I find the courage, and yet I want to tell you, just now, because in my unutterable despair it was you my heart called for, you, you, my old Mama from whom I am cruelly separated, from whom for two long terrible sorrow filled months I have had never a word.

Why was this to be? Who can tell? The popular belief is that God took him from me, to pray for his country that is in danger – so let it be!

He was so well lately, so jolly, so sweet. We are not living in town but in a house that has been „réquisitionnée” for us close by out in the country, Cotroceni being in a too exposed position in these days of aeroplanes and bombs.

One day he had a sore throat and sudden fever – but he did not seem ill with it, although the temperature was enormous. The doctor declared that it was „amigdalite” – the next day he has the same temperature, the it suddenly fell and and we thought all was over – but the next day up goes the temperature again and nothing can make it go down, it remains 40, 40… 40…. In despair I send for other doctors, there is a consultation, they take some of his blood and analyse it and find typhoid fever… that terrible illness that seems to follow our family and the male members of our family.

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The diary of Queen Marie of Romania: 12/25 October 1916

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First World War, Great War, Henri Berthelot, Prince Mircea, Queen Marie of Romania, war diary, World War One, WWI

 

 

 

 

 

 Queen Marie’s diary: 12/25 October 1916, Buftea [nearby Bucharest].

Day of struggle and anguish, 3 times my Mircea nearly slipped away. Towards evening a ray of hope, night terrible.

Saw General Berthelot, had a long earnest conversation with him, as I consider that he is the man who must save our country as we cannot save ourselves. Told him my child was dying, that perhaps God would ask that sacrifice of me but that in spite of what absorbed my completely now, I wanted to speak to him of my country, so that I should not lose both at once! Have not the courage to write down our conversation, but I felt as though I was making my will.

 

Romanian monarchs visiting the WP cemetery in Val du Pâtre, Alsace

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First World War, Great War, King Ferdinand of Romania, Queen Marie of Romania, Val du Pâtre, World War One, WP cemetery, WWI

Queen Marie and King Ferdinand of Romania taking part in a commemoration service at the former war prisoner cemetery from Val du Pâtre (Soultzmatt) in Alsace, where the Romanian war prisoners were interned and a great number of them died between 1917-1918. They were captured during the German offensive of 1916 in Transylvania and the Romanian Kingdom.