Early Life
She was born in Gotha, Thuringia, in Germany, during the reigns of her maternal grandfather Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and her grand-uncle King Carol I of Romania. She was known as Mignon in the family to distinguish her from her mother. Her mother was Queen Marie of Romania, a daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, a son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Her maternal great-grandfather was Emperor Alexander II of Russia. Maria's father was King Ferdinand of Romania. Through her paternal side she was also a great-granddaughter of Maria II of Portugal. She had 3 brothers and 2 sisters: Carol, future King of Romania (Carol II); Nicholas, Prince of Romania; Elisabeta, Princess of Romania and future Queen of Greece; Ileana, Princess of Romania and future Archduchess of Austria (Tuscan line); and another brother, Mircea, who died at 3 years old.
During World War I, she worked as a nurse with her mother.
Read more about this topic: Maria Of Yugoslavia
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