Albania honours Queen Geraldine on October 22, marking 24 years since her passing in 2002.
Known as the “White Rose of Hungary,” Geraldine arrived in Albania in December 1937 following an invitation from the sisters of King Zog I. The king had seen her photograph at a ball in Budapest. His secretary, Jak Koci, and Hungarian envoy Cyczy helped arrange their introduction.
According to the General Directorate of Archives, Geraldine became engaged to King Zog I on January 30, 1938. They married on April 27 that year, and she became Queen of the Albanians. At the age of 22, she embraced Albania as her home. She also played an important role in advancing the emancipation of Albanian women.
Countess Geraldine Apponyi was born in Budapest on August 6, 1915, during the decline of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. She attended an English school in Menton, France, and later Sacred Heart College in Pressbaum, Austria, where she studied social and financial sciences.
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