Geraldine of Albania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Geraldine |
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| Queen consort of the Albanians | |
| Tenure | 27 April 1938 – 7 April 1939 |
| Born | Countess Géraldine Margit Virginia Olga Mária Apponyi de Nagy-Appony 6 August 1915 Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary, Austria-Hungary |
| Died | 22 October 2002 (aged 87) Tirana, Republic of Albania |
| Burial | 26 October 2002 Mausoleum of the Albanian Royal Family |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | Leka, Crown Prince of Albania |
| House | Apponyi (by birth) Zogu (by marriage) |
| Father | Count Gyula Apponyi de Nagy-Apponyi |
| Mother | Gladys Virginia Stewart |
| Religion | Catholic |
| Signature | .svg) |
Geraldine (born Countess Géraldine Apponyi; 6 August 1915 – 22 October 2002) was the Queen of the Albanians. She became queen when she married King Zog I on 27 April 1938. Her time as queen ended on 7 April 1939, when King Zog was removed from power.
Geraldine was born in Austria-Hungary into a noble family called Apponyi. In 1918, her family moved to Switzerland when the monarchy in Austria-Hungary ended. They returned to Hungary in 1921. After her father, Gyula, passed away in 1924, her mother, Gladys, took Geraldine and her two siblings to live in Southern France. Later, Geraldine went to a boarding school in Austria. She met King Zog in 1938, and they got married soon after.
The Italian invasion of Albania quickly ended King Zog's rule. During World War II, Zog and Geraldine lived in France and then in England. Later, they lived in France again and in Egypt. After her husband died in Paris in 1961, Geraldine was known as the Queen Mother. She supported her son, Leka, Crown Prince of Albania, to become the next ruler. She and Leka moved to Spain, then Rhodesia, and finally South Africa. Geraldine was able to return to Albania in 2002, and she died that same year at 87 years old.
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Early Life and Family
Geraldine was born in Budapest, which was part of Austria-Hungary at the time. Her father was Count Gyula Apponyi de Nagy-Appony. He was a high-ranking official in the Hungarian Court. The Apponyi family was very old and noble, owning large areas of land in Upper Hungary since the 1200s.
Her mother was Gladys Virginia Stewart, an American woman. Gladys's father, John Henry Stewart, was a diplomat for the US in Antwerp, Belgium. Both of Geraldine's grandparents on her mother's side came from wealthy families in America.
Moving and Schooling
When Geraldine was three, the large Empire of Austria-Hungary fell apart. Her family then moved to live in Switzerland. In 1921, they returned to the Kingdom of Hungary. This country was stable under its leader, Regent Miklós Horthy.
However, Geraldine's father died in 1924. Her mother, Gladys, then took Geraldine, who was nine, and her two siblings to live in Menton, a resort town in southern France. When her mother married a French officer, Geraldine's Hungarian relatives wanted the children to return to Hungary for school.
The girls were sent to a boarding school called Sacred Heart near Vienna, in Pressbaum. Geraldine also spent happy times at the chateau Oponice (Appony) in modern-day Slovakia. This was an old family home. At that time, this area was part of Czechoslovakia, and Geraldine became a citizen there. She lived there until 1938. Since her family's money was running out, Geraldine worked as a shorthand typist. She also worked in the gift shop of the Budapest National Museum, where her uncle was the director.
Becoming a Queen
In December 1937, Geraldine was introduced to King Zog I of the Albanians. He had seen a picture of her and was interested. She visited the Albanian Kingdom. Within a few days, the King and Geraldine were engaged to be married. Geraldine was known as the "White Rose of Hungary." Before her wedding, she was given the royal title of Princess Geraldine of Albania.
On 27 April 1938, Geraldine married King Zog in Tirana, Albania. Important guests attended the ceremony, including Galeazzo Ciano, who was the son-in-law of Benito Mussolini, the leader of Italy. Geraldine was Roman Catholic, and King Zog was Muslim.
For her wedding, Geraldine wore a new diamond crown. It was made in Austria and had designs of a white rose for her and a goat for the King. After the wedding, they drove to their honeymoon in a bright red Mercedes-Benz 540K. This car was a gift from Adolf Hitler.
The King and Queen had one son, Crown Prince Leka Zogu, who was born in 1939.
Life in Exile
King Zog's rule ended quickly when Italy invaded Albania in April 1939. The royal family had to leave the country and live in exile. From April 1939, Geraldine and Zog fled Albania. They traveled through Greece and Turkey. Then, they settled in France, and later in England.
In England, they lived in the Ritz Hotel in London, and also in Ascot. For most of World War II, they stayed at Parmoor House in Frieth, Buckinghamshire. In 1946, they moved to Egypt. Then, in 1952, they moved back to France.
King Zog I passed away in Hauts-de-Seine, France, in 1961. After his death, their son, Crown Prince Leka, was declared King Leka I by the royalist government that was also in exile. Following this, the royal family moved to Spain, then to Rhodesia, and finally to South Africa.
Later Years and Legacy
After her husband's death, Geraldine preferred to be called the "Queen Mother of Albania." In June 2002, Geraldine returned to Albania from South Africa. This was possible because the law had changed to allow her to come back. She continued to believe that her son Leka was the rightful King of the Albanians.
Queen Geraldine of the Albanians died five months later, at the age of 87. She passed away in a military hospital in Tirana on 22 October 2002. She had been admitted for treatment for lung disease and suffered several heart attacks. She was buried with full honors on 26 October 2002. Her funeral service was held at St Paul's Cathedral. She was first buried in the Sharra cemetery in Albania. Later, she was reburied in the Royal Mausoleum in Tirana.
On 5 April 2004, her grandson, Leka, Crown Prince of Albania, accepted the Mother Teresa Medal for her. This award was given to her after her death by the Albanian government. It recognized her charity work for the people of Albania. Leka's daughter, also named Geraldine, was born on 22 October 2020. She was named in honor of Queen Geraldine.
Honours
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Fidelity (26 April 1938).
Mother Teresa Medal (awarded after her death, 5 April 2004).
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