Princess Francoise and me at the photographer’s in Tanger
Once a week, my mother, and often with me in tow, would take an old green coach nicknamed the Valanciana in Tanger to attend political meetings, tea parties with some friends and run errands. During one of those visits, she took us to the photographer’s to have our portraits taken.
Princess Francoise and the little nun
While living in Malaga, my mother would stop everyday at the Noble Hospital where she had become an intimate friend of the Mother Superior. Nicknamed by us « little mother », she was woman with an immense personality and boundless kindness with whom my mother would have long and fruitful discussions.
The Count of Paris back from exile
In 1950, the Parliament in Paris voted the abolition of the law forcing into exile heads of Houses having reigned in France. Hence, for the first time since 1925, the count of Paris could set foot in his motherland – a terribly emotional moment.
Official Boat in Palermo
The duchess of Aoste Helene of France had just visited her uncle Henri of Orleans, Duke of Aumale, who owned the palace of Orleans, right outside of Palermo and inherited through his mother, Queen Marie Amelie. The whole family was quite fond of those Sicilian getaways in its magical setting. The palace possessed ten hectares of citrus at the very door of Palermo. Today, the palace has become the headquarters of the Regione and the park has been considerably amputated.