Madalyn Romm
| Madalyn | |
|---|---|
| Princess of Ottonia Princess-Dowager of Staalmark Lady of Meuse | |
 Press photograph of Madalyn in 2011. | |
| Born | Madalyn Theofania Maria Romm 3 July 1946 Staalburg, SM, United Kingdom of Ottonia |
| Husband | Adolfus (m. 1971 - 1978) Leopuld, Prince of Ottonia |
| Issue |
|
| House | House of Romm House of Sproek-Kristhulm (by marriage) |
| Father | Viktur, Duke of Meuse |
| Mother | Madalyn II, Duchess of Meuse |
| Religion | Honorian Church |
Princess-Dowager Madalyn Romm of Staalmark and Ottonia (born Madalyn Theofania Maria Romm on 3 July, 1946) is a South Ottonian and Draakuri aristocrat and influential figure. She has been a notable figure in royal politics since the 1970's, having been married to the Prince of Staalmark and the High Royal Prince Leopuld. Princess Madalyn's children include the current (pretender) Prince of Staalmark, along with several dynasts in the nation's ruling family. Madalyn has been attested to have been an attentive mother by her children, and she continues to carry influence with them.
In 2022, Madalyn became the Princess-Dowager of Staalmark by virtue of her son's ascension to the (admittedly, empty) title of Prince of Staalmark.
She is known to be a very observant Honorian Catholic.
Early Life
Madalyn was born to the future Madalyn II, Duchess of Meuse and her husband Viktur in 1946, the couple's first child. Though she would be displaced in the succession for the Duchy by her younger brother, Izaak, Madalyn never lost her parents' attention, and they doted on all three of their children: Madalyn the eldest, her soon-following younger sister Vikturya, and Izaak, ensuring no expense was spared on their education. Unusually for their time, Madalyn and Vikturya received a collegiate education at Santa Elisabeth College, an all-women's college in Onneria, after they had finished secondary education at Vylfhuld Academy and attended etiquette schooling.
Debut and High Society
The Romm sisters made their joint debut to South Ottonian high society in 1966. The beautiful, well-mannered and well-read young ladies were the darlings of South Ottonia's upper-crust over the next several years, with attention first primarily on Madalyn and then also on her sister once she completed her schooling in 1968. While several eligible young men sought to court Madalyn, ultimately permission was given to the dashing young heir-apparent to Prince Alfryd of Staalmark, Adolfus. The two began courting in 1969, were almost immediately enamored with each other, and were swiftly betrothed, with their wedding occurring on Midsummer 1970.
Marriage to Adolfus of Staalmark
The handsome and charming Adolfus at first seemed the perfect husband for Madalyn, and she quickly bore him a son, the future Prince Godwyn. The marriage was initially a happy one, but as the first few years passed and the two settled into married life, it became increasingly-clear that Adolfus had little patience for Madalyn's own strong will and intelligence. The couple's honeymoon phase had almost certainly ended by the time Madalyn dutifully bore a second child, the couple's daughter Audhild, and it only got worse from there. Although Madalyn became pregnant a third time and gave birth to the couple's second son Harald in 1977, palace observers in Staalburg suggest that by this point Adolfus had become abusive to Madalyn, at least emotionally and possibly physically, although Madalyn herself has never spoken of the latter.
The upshot is that by the time Harald was born, Madalyn was already seeking a way out of the marriage, and four months later she was successful in her quest to divorce the Staalmarker heir, although she lost the benefit of primary custody of their three children in the process.