Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark (, romanized : Nikólaos; 22 January 1872 – 8 February 1938), of the Glücksburg branch of the House of Oldenburg, was the fourth child and third son of King George I of Greece, and of Queen Olga. He was known as "Greek Nicky" within the family to distinguish him from his cousin Emperor Nicholas II of Russia (first cousin on the paternal side and second cousin on the maternal side). Prince Nicholas was a talented painter, often signing his works as "Nicolas Leprince."

Marriage and issue

He married Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia (1882–1957), daughter of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia and Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, the only sister of the future Russian imperial pretender, Grand Duke Cyril Vladimirovich, and his second cousin through his mother Olga Constantinovna of Russia and her father Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia, on 29 August 1902 in Tsarskoye Selo, Russia. They had three daughters: The princesses were raised with an English nanny, Kate Fox, known as "Nurnie".

Public life

Along with his elder brothers Constantine and George, Nicholas helped to organize the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens, the first to be held since 393. Nicholas served as president of the Sub-Committee for Shooting. His father bequeathed him the Royal Theater of Greece which Nicholas, in turn, transferred to the Greek state in 1935. He was friends with George Simitis and was godfather to his son, future socialist Prime Minister Kostas Simitis.

Death and burial

Prince Nicholas died in Athens on February 8, 1938 and was buried in the Royal tomb at the Palace of Tatoi.

Honours

Ancestry