Princess Anne of Orléans, Duchess of Aosta

Princess Anne of Orléans (Anne Hélène Marie; 5 August 1906, Le Nouvion-en-Thiérache, Aisne – 19 March 1986, Sorrento). She was the daughter of Prince Jean, Duke of Guise and Princess Isabelle of Orléans.

Anne married in Naples, Italy, on 5 November 1927, her cousin, Prince Amedeo of Savoy, Duke of Aosta and had two daughters: Margherita (1930 - ) and Maria Cristina (1933 - ).

During World War II, Amedeo was the Italian Viceroy of Italian East Africa. Duke of Aosta surrendered to the British in May 1941. Due to the gallant resistance of the Italian garrison, the British allowed them to surrender with honours of war. On 3 March 1942, he died in a prison camp, reportedly as a result of complications from both tuberculosis and malaria. Amedeo was succeeded by his brother, Aimone, 4th Duke of Aosta.

Amedeo was well known and highly regarded for being a gentleman. Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia was so impressed by the respect and care that the Duke of Aosta showed to the exiled Emperor's personal property left behind in Addis Ababa. In a gesture of thanks, the Emperor during his state visit to Italy in 1953 invited the widowed Duchess of Aosta to tea during his stay in Milan, but was then informed by the Italian government that receiving the Duchess would cause offense to the Italian Republic, and so the Emperor sadly canceled the visit.

Anne died on 19 March 1986, Sorrento at the age of 79.

Note: Merry Christmas, everyone! May 2018 be even better than 2017.