In Celebration of an American Royal Historian: Dr. Mary Houck

Dr. Mary Houck Photograph (c) The Blade

Over many decades and until the present day, Dr. Mary E. Houck of Ohio has carved out a special and unique role as an American historian with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the imperial, royal, and noble houses of Europe - as well as those of every other continent! She has shared a special bond with Arturo E. Beéche, the founder and publisher of the European Royal History Journal and of Kensington House Books...they are very much kindred spirits. I believe that the pair are rather a sort of adopted-by-choice mother and son team - two people bound together by an abiding common interest. Since 2000, Mary and Arturo have worked to guarantee that the published/written word of royal history is preserved for their contemporaries and for the generations to come. Dr. Houck has traveled widely on the European Continent in order to further her first-hand experience and knowledge. As a consequence, she has greatly inspired those who share her passion, and she has compelled many of us to seek more information about the subjects that so greatly interest Mary. Dr. Houck has undertaken countless visits to Germany, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Austria, Monaco, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, France, Russia, and the United Kingdom, so that she might fulfill her desire to learn all that she can about the history and genealogies of dynasties around the world. They also traveled to Costa Rica not only to visit Arturo's family several timers, but also his late dear friend Prince Alfred of Prussia. Her love for learning and teaching what she has gleaned about these subjects has been shared with a wide audience, indeed. The library that she has amassed at her home is amazing in both its size and the breadth of information that it contains. Due to Dr. Houck's dedication and influence, there are many aspiring royal historians (and royal watchers) who have benefited from her wish to teach others from the wealth of knowledge she possesses. The author of this post has had the pleasure of spending time with Dr. Houck on several occasions. I most memorably recall that she kindly helped me in learning the correct pronunciations of various German royal and noble families. Dr. Mary Houck is an invaluable resource due to her efforts in contributing the vast archive that she has acquired so that it will become an important part of the Eurohistory Photo Collections and Archive. Dr. Houck possesses an unrivalled ability to identify members in what may seem an obscure royal picture of postcard. We owe an unparalleled debt of gratitude to her - and, as is my humble wish, we celebrate her today!

For more on Dr. Mary Houck, please read this August 2002 article by George J. Tanber from The Blade: In terms of royal facts, she rules