Estelle Manville Bernadotte (1944)

Estelle Manville Bernadotte (wife of Folke Bernadotte) in 1944, with kind permission from Patricia Allen DiGeorge of  http://www.LibertyLadyBook.com. 

My great-aunt Gerda was in Estelle Bernadotte’s employ for many years, but I still lack details of when or where it started or in what capacity (from what I recall being told, as chamber maid or similar).

Googling for more info on Estelle, I happened to land on Pat’s blogpost from 2010. I asked about the origin of this photo and got the reply that she got it from her parents’ wartime scrapbook. She kindly gave me permission to use it here, and even sent me a copy with higher resolution. Thanks very much Pat!

From the same blogpost I copy this:

On August 18, 1928 Time Magazine published this milestone:
Engaged. Count Folke Bernadotte, nephew of King Gustaf of Sweden; to Estelle Romaine Manville, Manhattan debutante, descendant of Jeoffrey de Magnavil, ally of William the Conqueror; in Pleasantville, N. Y.

Pat also links to Royal Musings where I find  more detailed information on the wedding:

December 1, 1928
Miss Estelle Romaine Manville, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. Edward Manville, was married today to Count Folke Bernadotte of Wisborg, a nephew of King Gustaf V of Sweden. This was "one of the most brilliant society gatherings in recent years," according to the New York Times. The couple were married in the "small, ivy-covered Episcopal Church of St. John in Pleasantville, New York.”

The Wikipedia article on Folke Bernadotte, referred to in my previous blog post here, says that the couple got married in “New York City”. But since the same W. article also says Estelle was born in Pleasantville (Westchester County, N.Y.), it makes sense that that’s where the wedding was held rather than in N.Y.City. As the quote above even has details of the name of the church, I assume that reference to be the correct one.

What annoys me just now is that I’m sure I also saw a press cutting from the Bernadotte wedding among the family papers but I think I must have left that behind at the House, because I can’t find it now among the things I took home with me last time. I must remember to look for it next time I go out there!