Greta is the daughter of Princess Gina. She was born in Europe and her birthdate is unknown. As a little girl, her mother showered her with expenisive gifts, but on an emotional level -- she was somewhat distant towards her. It is probably because Greta's mother was pre-occupied with John Black, or Father John, as Greta knew him. Princess Gina eventually sent Greta off to boarding school in New Orleans.
As Greta grew older, she began working as an actress and became an integral part of Bo and Hope's lives -- although they would not know about it until many years later. When Hope was in that infamous cage set up by Ernesto Toscano, it is revealed that at the last minute, Greta took Hope's place in the cage and ended up being caught in the terrible explosion. It left her with a scarred face and many fears. She retreated to the bayou where she would spend the next part of her life.
We, the audience, were first introduced to Greta in this setting. She was simply known as "Swamp Girl". She wore mud on her face and lived a simple life in the bayou. A local woman named Erlene and her two sons, Wayne and Earl, looked after her throughout this time. Then one day, Bo Brady appeared at the swamp and discovered her. He decided to stay there and try to earn her trust. Eventually, Bo was able to befriend Greta and she learned to trust him enough to finally reveal her face. She also introduced herself as Greta and told Bo that she was the one caught in the explosion, and not Hope. Armed with this new information, Bo brought Greta back to Salem with him.
Greta discovers that "Father John" is living there and they form a close bond again, as they did when she was young. She began helping him learn more about his past with her mother. Years ago, Greta had been told that her mother was killed. She did not know the cause of death and it was all a big mystery.
John financed the surgery that removed Greta's scars, and she continued to help both John and Bo discover the truth. It is wildly speculated that John is really Greta's father. Apparently, John and Princess Gina were lovers in the past, which explains why it is possible that Greta is his daughter. But nothing is confirmed and it still remains a mystery.
The questions surrounding her mother's death continue to trouble Greta. She becomes friends with Eric Brady and he offers to help her find out the truth. She accepts his help and they fly to Paris together to find the answers.
