May Be Queen of Albania

Mrs. Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte

Photo by Geisler–Andrews.

New York may shortly contribute a king and queen to European royalty. It is rumored that the Albanian Government, which has been ruled by four regents appointed by Parliament, since William of Wied fled to Switzerland at the outbreak of the World War, is seeking Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte, of New York, as king. Three High Commissioners of the Balkan nation recently were delegated by its parliament to find a candidate free from entanglement of European politics, possessed of the friendship and confidence of America and of independent means. Added to these qualifications Bonaparte is a descendant of a powerful ruling house. The only disadvantage to his candidacy is that he is married, whereas Albania would prefer a bachelor king. His wife is the former Mrs. Blanche Pierce Stebeign. They were married in 1914. Bonaparte is said to have had three conferences on the subject in the last few weeks with A. J. Chekrevi, one of the three High Commissioners, who is in this country in fulfilment of his mission. Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte is a descendant of Elizabeth Patterson, of Baltimore, who was married in this country to Jerome Bonaparte after his exile from France by Napoleon Bonaparte. Jerome Bonaparte later became king of Westphalia and remarried in Europe, Westphalia refusing to recognize his American wife.

May Be Queen of Albania, The Alaska Daily Empire, January 12, 1922, Page 1. (PDF)