HIH Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia, Princess Nicholas of Greece and Denmark Royal House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov Royal House of Oldenburg Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg Born in Tsarskoye Selo, she was the only daughter of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia and Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Paternal granddaughter of Tsar Alexander II and Princess Marie von Hessen und bei Rhine. Maternal granddaughter of Grand Duke Frederick Francis II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Princess Augusta of Reuss-Köstritz. Elena and her three brothers grew up with an English-speaking nanny and consequently spoke English as their first language. She was sometimes temperamental and could be arrogant and rash in her actions. She was first engaged to Prince Max of Baden, but he broke the engagement, eventually marrying Marie Louise of Hannover. Prince Nicholas proposed in 1900, but Elena's mother was initially reluctant to agree because Nicholas was a younger son with very little possibility of a throne in his future. However, she did finally consent, and Elena was married in 1902. Her marriage to Nicholas was a happy one, and together they had three daughters. The eldest, Olga, would later marry Prince Paul of Yugoslavia. The youngest, Marina, would become Duchess of Kent. Elena and Nicholas spent much of their married life away from Greece in the turbulence of World War I and the exile of the Greek royal family. She became involved in helping Russian exiles, especially children, and her jewel collection helped support her family through those difficult years. The family moved to Paris in 1923, but returned to Greece in 1936. In Athens, they lived in the Nicholas Palace, a wedding gift from her uncle Tsar Alexander III. She continued to live in Greece following her widowhood, and remained there throughout the second World War, where she died in 1957. Elena was survived by her daughters; HRH Princess Olga of Yugoslavia, and HRH Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent; grandsons, Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia, Count Hans Veit von Törring-Jettenbach, and Princes Edward and Michael of Kent; granddaughters, Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, Archduchess Helena of Austria and Princess Alexandra of Kent. She was predeceased by her husband; her daughter, HRH Princess Elizabeth, Gräfin von Törring-Jettenbach; and a grandson, Prince Nicola of Yugoslavia. HRH Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent
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