French Socialite's Hidden Secret Finally Revealed 70 Years Later
You might think you know all about your family's past thanks to an ancestry website or a dense photo album, but there are always surprises out there. The de Florian's were saddened when their family matriarch passed away, but they were also shocked to learn that she'd been keeping a secret her entire life — right in the heart of Paris. With just the turn of a key, they learned the truth of their ancestral identity.
The De Florian mystery
What's it like to live a double life? The de Florians, asked themselves that after they bid farewell to their mother and grandmother, Mrs. de Florian. The process of sorting out her estate revealed that there was a side to her that she kept hidden for decades.
A secret life
French privacy law has concealed Mrs. de Florian's full name, but many suspect she is Solange Beaugiron, a playwright who wrote under the stage name Solang Beldo. The finer details of her life, and that of another ancestor, were all contained within a single room.
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Home away from home
Mrs. de Florian's children learned after her passing that their mom owned an apartment in Paris. She hadn't set foot inside for decades although she had been living in southern France the whole time. The children, who were now adults, put a team together to investigate the apartment.
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Putting a team together
Mrs. de Florian's children gathered a team, led by auctioneer Olivier Choppin-Janvry. At the apartment, they were to evaluate their mother's assets, but they had no idea the treasure trove of history and family secrets they'd uncover.
