I hadn't heard of Opal Whiteley. Thanks, open mike, for those references. What a very sad story. I have no opinion on the truth or otherwise of her claim to be a French princess. It may have been a consequence of her mental illness, it may (as someone opined somewhere in one of those references) have been a memory of a past life. It's unclear from what I've read as to whether anyone has actually researched in any depth the French information she gave. Whether she was a legitimate child of the Whiteleys or whether she was adopted should be a matter of record, but it would be interesting nevertheless if there was anything verifiable in the French connection.

Her hearing of voices put me in mind of another famous hearer of voices, Joan of Arc, who may well have had a similar mental condition. And it's interesting also that Opal insisted her French name was d'Orleans, Joan herself of course being known as 'The Maid of Orleans'. I may be making totally uncalled-for connections, but I find the coincidence striking.

It's interesting that some of Opal's writings have been set to music. Has anyone actually written a song about her?

Joan