Featured Do you recognize this royal(?) lady?

A woman in our town came to our small local history museum with this scan of a woman and asked if I can identify her. The photo from which this was scanned was among the items in her (Italian) aunt's estate. The crown, scepter, and ermine robe seem to indicate royalty, but I was not able to identify her. Can you help? Thanks!

 

Well, 1920s so, if Italian, would be Queen Elena. Here she is in 1910. Does it look like a match?

Debora

 

I don't know. The head shape and chin seem different, but that could be the angle. The eyes, nose and philtrum are similar.

 

Don't think it's a match. A bit too young and not the same attitude.

Debora

 

But the queried photograph is signed. What does it say?

Debora

 

Maybe Elena's daughter, Princess Mafalda of Savoy.

 

the last word is queen

 

I can read "Sincerely" in the first line and "Diana" in the third.

Debora

 

And this is the best I can put together on the signature......which is NOT saying much.....and I'm not positive the last word is Queen.....I believe the first word is Sincerely.....I wish I could magically take the background out!!!!

 

Something's not quite right with that photo. The tiara, ermine robe and scepter would point to royalty but her pearl strand is modest, not the type of jewelry one would expect a queen to wear on a state occasion, and queens don't typically autograph photographs. She doesn't have the presence of a thespian; I'd think she might be the honorary queen of some organization and the tiara, etc. are props. Let's see what others think.

Debora

 

Interesting points you make @Debora!! It does almost look somewhat like a 'flapper' dress.....at least to me! Too bad the image is so degraded, and we cannot see better the background either!! It almost looks to be a rather plain room, but really, too hard to tell....

 

I'd expect a studio portrait. And early 1920s. This green dress has (roughly) similar style.

Debora

 

Some of the background removed, but i don't think it helps.

 

Now that is one attractive style! NOT!!!

 

It must have been heaven... To cut off one's hair, to remove one's corset, to stride freely -- all for the very first time. The dress is a modest version of a robe de style with an implied pannier influenced by 17th and 18th century fashions.

Debora

 

how old was this aunt ? when was she immigrating ? etc. would all help to limit the possible era. the princesses in Italy were in the thousands. some princes and kings of all those small Italian states were even forced to marry Austrian "crooks".

 

A sceptre is used by a reigning king or queen, never by a consort. Italy didn't have a reigning queen at the time.
I think the only European country that did, was the Netherlands, queen Wilhelmina, who didn't have a sceptre btw. The woman in the photograph is not Wilhelmina. In fact, she doesn't look very regal to me.

Wilhelmina of the Netherlands:

 

No, I agree. Think she might have been Miss Mardi Gras or some such. But more details as to provenance would be helpful.

Debora

 

Jaja; Funkenmariele !

 

Wow! Thank you all for the help you have offered. I never even noticed the signature on the photo and appreciate the edited and enhanced images of it.

I will contact the resident who asked about the photo and will give her the link to this thread, so she can answer your questions.

THANK YOU