tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807469356676934317.post5315129357167191441..comments2024-03-25T10:50:11.187-07:00Comments on Gods and Foolish Grandeur: Overblown and unpleasant kings - Wilhelm II and Carol II, portraits by de LászlóStephiliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08562830870365561419noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807469356676934317.post-17007416405630783462023-01-29T20:43:08.910-08:002023-01-29T20:43:08.910-08:00King Carol the II and his mistrees Elena Lupescu w...King Carol the II and his mistrees Elena Lupescu were the center of controversy in Romanis in the 1930s.<br />Elena Lupescu, who was Jewish, was accused by extremist elements of influencing King Carol and conspiring against the country. This led in turn to the rise of antisemitism in Romania, along with political extremism, violence and assassinations. These extremists' elements i.e. The Iron Guard/Legion of St Michael led by the charismatic Corneliu Codreanu (himself executed in 1938) led to Romania's descent into chaos and King Carol's exile. - RJ<br />anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13525362039231038208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807469356676934317.post-39586267887289697732017-08-30T20:25:41.393-07:002017-08-30T20:25:41.393-07:00I don't remember who it was, either, Maria, bu...I don't remember who it was, either, Maria, but I remember the quote! She was certainly criticized for her noticeable public discomfort/awkwardness, but even her detractors had to admit - sometimes grudgingly - that she was a physically attractive woman.Stephiliushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08562830870365561419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807469356676934317.post-14696007558632980352017-08-30T18:11:10.932-07:002017-08-30T18:11:10.932-07:00Was it Lili Dehn? Or any of her other (very few) l...<br /><br />Was it Lili Dehn? Or any of her other (very few) loyal ladies in waiting?<br />Anyways, all I remember is her comment about Empress Alexandra not long before the Russian Revolution:<br /><br />"And then, finally, we saw the Empress approaching: Tall and slender like a lily, she was dressed all in white and holding a parasol..."<br /><br />I totally agree with Stephen in his physical description of the Tsarina Alexandra.Maria Russellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12932126681237937406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807469356676934317.post-87037708148907481252017-08-17T09:53:26.453-07:002017-08-17T09:53:26.453-07:00I can't entirely agree with your thoughts abou...I can't entirely agree with your thoughts about Queen Victoria's children. Though her two eldest sons were certainly stout, and Princess Beatrice was rather stout-ish, none of them really fit my particular meaning of fleshy: a sort of flabby, droopy, unhealthy sort of large. And I think we need to take our modern prejudices into consideration when we're talking about the physiques of people from the past; the Empress Alexandra was a middle-aged woman, not in the best of health - physically or emotionally - but she was still considered a very handsome woman, and nowhere near what one would call - at least not at that time - "tubby". Stephiliushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08562830870365561419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807469356676934317.post-81301933052045052582017-08-16T17:25:03.539-07:002017-08-16T17:25:03.539-07:00Indeed - of them all, only Ileana seems to have le...Indeed - of them all, only Ileana seems to have led an especially laudable life, although I suppose the other two girls weren't bad in comparison to their brothers. but definited fleshy!Muscatohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04657061324487851341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807469356676934317.post-45901865219625569222017-08-16T16:32:53.319-07:002017-08-16T16:32:53.319-07:00Willy is my least favorite German Emperor but the ...Willy is my least favorite German Emperor but the fleshier and less refined comment could describe most of Queen Victoria's progeny. Alix of Hess was rather tubby by the time the Bolshies got to her. Great blog as always. CALVINhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12625113103676301736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807469356676934317.post-12794094820842509862017-08-15T13:50:53.054-07:002017-08-15T13:50:53.054-07:00"... Fleshier and less refined"; rather ..."... Fleshier and less refined"; rather aptly describes almost all of Marie of Romania's troublesome offspring! ; ) <br /><br />Stephiliushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08562830870365561419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807469356676934317.post-66225336035881434282017-08-15T10:32:46.186-07:002017-08-15T10:32:46.186-07:00Looks like the Kaiser's pose was chosen to min...Looks like the Kaiser's pose was chosen to minimize the look of his injured left arm.<br /><br />King Carol's portraits are subtly flattering, in the way the best society portraits are. In the photographs I've seen of him, he looks fleshier and less refined.Shawn Cullenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18270423231633162242noreply@blogger.com