Princess Marie of Edinburgh was born into the British royal family, spending her early years in England, Malta, and Germany. After refusing a marriage proposal from her cousin, future King George V of the United Kingdom, she married Crown Prince Ferdinand of Romania in 1893. As Crown Princess and later Queen of Romania from 1914 until her death, Marie gained popularity among Romanians and wielded significant influence over her weak-willed husband King Ferdinand even before his ascension to the throne.