Caroline Lacroix

Blanche Zélia Joséphine Delacroix, Baroness de Vaughan, known as Caroline Lacroix ( born May 13, 1883 in Bucharest, † February 12, 1948 in Cambo -les- Bains ) was the morganatic wife of the Belgian King Leopold II

Life

Blanche was the daughter of Jules Delacroix and Catherine Josephine Sebille. She met King Leopold II in Paris know and love, where she worked as a prostitute. Of the fifty years older than Leopold gave his beloved Château de Balaincour in Arronville (Val -d'Oise ), and the Villa of the Cedars in Saint -Jean- Cap- Ferrat on the French Côte d' Azur. Later, he awarded her the title of Baroness de Vaughan, which led to inconsistencies with the Parliament. From the liaison with the Belgian King Leopold II had two sons:

• Lucien Philippe Marie Antoine (1906-1984), Duke of Tervuren
• Philippe Henri Marie François (1907-1914), Count of Ravenstein.

On December 12, 1909 Blanche Delacroix married in Palm Pavilion of Royal Castle of Laken King Leopold II of Belgium, the marriage was considered a left-handed marriage. Five days later, he died of a stroke. In his second marriage in 1910 she married Antoine Durrieux.