was cared for by her nephew King Paul of Greece and his wife Frederica. She died, as the Greek royal family was about to leave for exile. She left a book of memoirs, published posthumously by her grandchildren with the title A Romanov Diary. Early life Princess Maria of Greece and Denmark was born on at the Royal Palace in Athens. She was the fifth child and second daughter of King George I of Greece and Grand Duchess Olga Constantinovna of Russia. Maria's father was born a Danish prince. Thus, the Greek royal family was part of the Danish. Princess Maria, nicknamed "Greek Minnie" to tell her apart from the elder "Minnie", her paternal aunt (Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia), grew up as part of a large family of eight children. One sister, named Olga, died in childhood, but she had five brothers: (Constantine, George, Nicholas, Andrew, Christopher) and one surviving sister: Alexandra. King George and Queen Olga were devoted parents who provided a happy, homely environment for their children. The Greek royal family was not wealthy by royal standards and they lived with simplicity. Throughout the year, following a regular pattern, they moved around their different properties. They began the year at the Royal Palace in Athens. On Sundays, they often visited Themistocles, the King's small estate at the entrance of the port of Piraeus. In the spring, they moved to Mon Repos, the family royal villa on the island of Corfu. During April, they toured the Greek provinces, choosing a different region each year. In the summer, the Greek royal family stayed in Tatoi, in the mountains north of Athens, until mid-October before returning to the Royal Palace for the winter. King George was a strict and demanding father, but contrary to the general approach of the time, he believed in happy rambunctious children. Maria and her siblings were mischievous, playing pranks, even taking "bike rides" through the long corridors of the Royal palace, sometimes led by the King himself. Education Maria and her siblings were raised by British nannies and educated by governesses and private tutors. English was the children's first language. They spoke Greek between themselves and English with their parents. Maria's education followed the conventions for princesses of her time. There was an emphasis on languages and she learned German, English, and French besides her native Greek. She studied mathematics, history, literature, and geography. In