Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark

Prince Nicholas
Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark
Born	22 January 1872 Athens, Kingdom of Greece
Died	8 February 1938 (aged 66) Athens, Kingdom of Greece
Burial	Royal Cemetery, Tatoi Palace, Greece
Spouse	Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia
Issue	Olga, Princess Paul of Yugoslavia Princess Elizabeth, Countess of Toerring-Jettenbach Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent
House	Glücksburg
Father	George I of Greece
Mother	Olga Constantinovna of Russia
Religion	Greek Orthodox

Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark (22 January 1872 – 8 February 1938), of the Glücksburg branch of the House of Oldenburg, was the fourth child and third son of George I, King of the Hellenes, and of Queen Olga. He was known as "Greek Nicky" in the family to distinguish him from his paternal first cousin Emperor Nicholas II of Russia. Prince Nicholas was a talented painter, often signing his works as "Nicolas Leprince."

Marriage and issue

He married Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia (1882–1957), daughter of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia and Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, the only sister of the future Russian imperial pretender, Grand Duke Cyril Vladimirovich, and his second cousin through his mother Olga Constantinovna of Russia and her father Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia, on 29 August 1902 in Tsarskoye Selo, Russia. ^[1]

They had three daughters:

• Olga (1903–1997). Married Prince Paul of Yugoslavia.
• Elizabeth (1904–1955). Married Count Carl Theodor of Toerring-Jettenbach.
• Marina (1906–1968). Married Prince George, Duke of Kent.

The Princesses were raised with an English nanny, Kate Fox, known as "Nurnie". ^[2]

Public life

Along with his brothers Constantine and George, Nicholas helped to organize the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens, the first to be held since 393. Nicholas served as president of the Sub-Committee for Shooting.

His father bequeathed him the Royal Theater of Greece which Nicholas, in turn, transferred to the Greek state in 1935. He was friends with George Simitis and was godfather to his son, future socialist Prime Minister Kostas Simitis.^[3]

Death and burial

Prince Nicholas died in Athens on February 8, 1938 and was buried in the Royal tomb at the Palace of Tatoi.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 22 January 1872 – 8 February 1938: His Royal Highness Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark.

Styles of Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark
Reference style	His Royal Highness
Spoken style	Your Royal Highness
Alternative style	Sir

Honours

Foreign Honours

•  Spain : Cross of Naval Merit -with White Decoration- (January 1892).^[4]
•  United Kingdom : Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) (August 1901).^[5]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark

16. Friedrich Karl Ludwig, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck               8. Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg                       17. Countess Friederike of Schlieben               4. Christian IX of Denmark                             18. Landgrave Charles of Hesse-Kassel               9. Princess Louise Caroline of Hesse-Kassel                       19. Princess Louise of Denmark               2. George I of Greece                                   20. Landgrave Frederick of Hesse-Kassel               10. Landgrave William of Hesse-Kassel                       21. Princess Caroline of Nassau-Usingen               5. Louise of Hesse-Kassel                             22. Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark and Norway               11. Princess Louise Charlotte of Denmark                       23. Duchess Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin               1. Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark                                         24. Paul I of Russia               12. Nicholas I of Russia                       25. Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg               6. Grand Duke Constantine Nikolaevich of Russia                             26. Frederick William III of Prussia               13. Charlotte of Prussia                       27. Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz               3. Olga Constantinovna of Russia                                   28. Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg               14. Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg                       29. Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz               7. Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Altenburg                             30. Duke Louis of Württemberg               15. Duchess Amelia of Württemberg                       31. Princess Henriette of Nassau-Weilburg

References

1. "Historic royal portrait miniature brooch". Christies.
2. "photographs of members of European royalty, together with several postcards, relating to the royal nanny Kate Fox". Bonhams.
3. Markezinis, Spyros (1994). Political History of Modern Greece (in Greek).
4. Gaceta de Madrid: no. 28. p. 292. 28 January 1892.
5. The London Gazette: no. 27346. p. 5409. 16 August 1901.