A London Story by George BUCHANAN (from the library of Elisabeta of Romania)
BUCHANAN, George. A London Story. London; Constable & Co., 1935.
First edition. 315 pp. 8vo, original cloth, spine faded. Very good.
This book is a rare survival from the library of Elisabeta of Romania and Greece, a royal princess and queen whose life was marked by exile. The book is signed twice by Elisabeta: once on The Book Society bookplate designed by Edmund Dulac, and a second time on the title page.
Elisabeta of Romania (1894-1956) was the eldest daughter of the legendary Queen Marie of Romania (born into the British Royal family as Princess Marie of Edinburgh), and King Ferdinand of Romania (born Prince Ferdinand of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen). Elisabeta entered a dynastic marriage with George II of Greece and Denmark and became Queen of the Hellenes in 1922. When Greece became a republic in 1924, Elisabeta returned to Romania and finally succeeded in divorcing her husband in 1935. Elisabeta was again driven into exile when the pro-communist government forced the abdication of her nephew King Michael and abolished the Romanian monarchy in 1947.
Elisabeta was an accomplished musician, and during her turbulent life, music remained a constant. Her musical education was shaped by the great composer George Enescu, who taught her violin and piano. Elisabeta's youth was marked by a great love affair with George Georgescu, one of the most distinguished Romanian conductors. Following her final exile from her country, Elisabeta settled in France where she made a living by giving piano lessons.
‘… she [Elisabeta] was most pleasant charming & I must say beautiful – would love to do many studys [sic] of her…I feel sorry for this fine face – unfortunate lonely woman’ (from the diary of Philip de Laszló, 1936)