The 95th Birthday of Sylviane Muselier, Half-Sister of Queen Geraldine of Albania

Sylviane in front of portraits of her sister Queen Geraldine and her brother-in-law King Zog.

Today, Sylviane Girault Muselier turns ninety-five!

Gladys Virginia Stewart.

Born on 3 August 1927 at Mehun-sur-Yèvre, Centre-Val de Loire, Sylviane Girault was the eldest child of and Gontran Girault (1882-1964) and Gladys Virginia Stewart (1891–1947), who wed in 1926. Sylviane was joined by two younger siblings: Guy Girault (b.1930) and Patricia Girault (b.1932). Sylviane's mother Gladys had previously been married in 1914 to Count Gyula Apponyi de Nagy-Appony (1873–1924). From this marriage, Sylviane had three older siblings: Countess Geraldine (1915-2002; married King Zog I of the Albanians), Countess Virginia (1916-2002; married 1st András Baghy; married 2nd Joseph Blackburn; married 3rd József Máriássy), and Count Gyula (1923-1946).

The family at Marseilles in 1955.
(left to right) Sylviane, Queen Geraldine, Gontran Gilrault, Princess Senije, and Crown Prince Leka.

On 18 December 1955, Sylviane Girault married Maurice Muselier (1907-1989), the son of Admiral Émile Muselier, who fought against the Nazi invasion of France. The couple had two children: Corinne Muselier (married 1st Bernard Serour; married 2nd Roger Tréger) and French doctor and politician Renaud Muselier (b.1959; married Stéphanie Clément). 

Sylviane with her son Renaud and other family attend the royal wedding.
Photo (c) Seth B. Leonard.

In October 2016 in Tirana, Sylviane Muselier attended the wedding of her great-nephew Crown Prince Leka of Albania to Elia Zaharia. Seventy-eight years earlier, Sylviane was present for the wedding of Leka's grandparents, King Zog of Albania and Countess Geraldine Apponyi de Nagy-Appony. At the time of her half-sister's wedding in 1938, Sylviane was just ten years-old.

Sylviane Muselier and President Ilir Meta, 2017.

In 2017, the President of Albania awarded the Mother Teresa Medal to Sylviane Muselier. The award was given to Madame Muselier "as a testament of deep gratitude for her remarkable contributions, over many years, in four of sick children and Albanian families in need, for her concern and for her humanitarian and medical support as well as in recognition of the her promotion of the values and image of Albania and Albanians in France."

Sylviane with her great-nephew Crown Prince Leka and his wife Crown Princess Elia in 2019.

Our best wishes to Madame Muselier on her birthday!