This is Princess Ileana of Romania, 192?. When I saw this picture it made me pause and just stare for a moment. Something about her expression. She looks so real. There’s something really stunning about this picture. Princess Ileana was very popular in Romania, the sister of the unpopular Carol II. She was also a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria, like most royal girls of her generation. She lived from 1909-1991. I don’t know when this photo was taken but it was used as a postcard at some point which is interesting. I’m guessing late 1920′s.

Most photos I’ve seen of Ileana are much stiffer than this. Ileana’s mother Marie was a fascinating woman, Queen Marie.

She had a sister named Elisabeth who I’m having trouble finding much information about. But I did find a quote:

“I’ve committed every vice in my life except murder, and I don’t want to die without doing that too.”

So I’d imagine she was fairly interesting as well.