The Death of Fürst Johannes von Khevenhüller-Metsch (1956-2020)

Fürst Johannes von Khevenhüller-Metsch

Death notice.

 

HSH Fürst Johannes "Hans" von Khevenhüller-Metsch died in Rome on 26 November 2020. Johannes was sixty-four years-old. The prince had suffered from the effects of COVID-19 for some time.

Fürst Max von Khevenhüller-Metsch

Count Maria Johannes Franz Xaver Lazarus Maximilian Felix Hubertus von Khevenhüller-Metsch was born on 20 November 1956 as the first child and eldest son of Count Max von Khevenhüller-Metsch (1919-2010; succeeded as Fürst in 1977 upon the death of Max's father Franz) and Countess Wilhelmine Henckel von Donnersmarck (b.1932). Johannes was followed by three younger brothers and two younger sisters: Count Bartholomäus (b.1958), Count Karl (b.1959), Count Georg (b.1960), Countess Melanie (b.1967), and Countess Isabel (b.1972). Johannes was a nephew of Princess Hella of Bavaria.

Camilla Borghese

 

In 1986, Count Johannes von Khevenhüller-Metsch married Donna Camilla Borghese (b.1962), the only child of Don Giovanni-Angelo Borghese, Principe di Nettuno (1928-2010), and Nobile Lydia dei Conti Cremisini (1940-1987). Johannes and Camilla had four daughters: Countess Francesca (b.1988; married Count Damiano Minozzi), Countess Helena (b.1989; married Prince Peter von Lobkowicz), Countess Sophie (b.1992), and Countess Cecilie (b.1997). In 2010, Johannes succeeded as X Fürst von Khevenhüller-Metsch after the death of his father.

Johannes Khevenhüller

In 1981, Johannes started his career working for Siemens in Zurich. In 1994, he joined the family business of his wife Camilla, IBI (Istituto Biochimico Italiano), which was founded in 1918 by Camilla's maternal great-grandfather Professor Giovanni Lorenzini (1886-1940). After Giovanni's death, IBI would be led by his daughter Loredana Lorenzini (1914-2010), by his granddaughter Lydia Cremisini, and, currently, by his great-granddaughter Camilla. Camilla Borghese is the President of IBI and Johannes Khevenhüller was the CEO of the pharmaceutical company.

May the Fürst Rest in Peace.

The Passing of Princess Ilke zu Wied (1936-2020)

Princess Ilke and Prince Ulrich zu Wied at the wedding of Duchess Fleur of Württemberg.
Photograph (c) Seeger-Presse.

 

Aged eighty-three, Princess Ilke zu Wied passed away on 26 November 2020. Born Ilke Fischer on 9 December 1936 at Bonn, she was the daughter of Dr. Gottfried Fischer and Dr. Maria Mühlenbein. In 1968, Ilke Fischer married Prince Wilhelm Friedrich Ulrich zu Wied (1931-2010). The couple had two children: Prince Wilhelm (b.1970) and Princess Marie (b.1973; married Duke Friedrich of Württemberg).

Princess Ilke zu Wied with her daughter Duchess Marie of Württemberg and her granddaughter Duchess Dorothée of Württemberg.
Photograph (c) Seeger-Presse. 

May Princess Ilke Rest in Peace. 

Divorce for Archduke Karl and Archduchess Francesca of Austria

Karl and Francesca.

HI&RH Archduke Karl of Austria, Head of the Imperial House of Habsburg, recently confirmed that he and Archduchess Francesca have divorced. The couple married in 1993 and separated in 2003. A divorce was rumoured to be on the cards in 2008, but it did not occur. The archduke and archduchess maintained an amiable separation: Karl lived in Salzburg, and Francesca lived in Vienna. Karl's father Archduke Otto was reported to have said at the time: "My son is Catholic enough to know what he has to do." The divorce occurred sometime after their youngest child reached her majority, so it is possible that Karl and Francesca’s union ended as early as 2017. Interviews with Francesca in late 2019 related that she and Karl had recently terminated their marriage; however, the date of this imperial divorce is not certain.

 

The newlyweds in 1993.

“Of course it is a very unfortunate affair for me. Because you can see that two people living together does not necessarily always work. We tried to save the relationship, but it did not work,” Karl stated, continuing, "all too often the children are the ones who suffer. That is why the wellbeing of our children was always the most important thing for me and Francesca.”

 

 

Karl and Francesca with their three children.

 

Archduke Karl of Austria (b.1961) and Archduchess Francesca (b.1958; née Baroness Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon et Impérfalva) have three children: Archduchess Eleonore (b.1994), Archduke Ferdinand (b.1997), and Archduchess Gloria (b.1999).

 

Karl’s partner since 2017 is Christian Nicolau de Almeida Reid, a woman of British and Portuguese descent. Of Mrs. Reid, the archduke said, "Christian is a cultured and sensitive woman with elegant decency. She is a loving counselor, sometimes a valuable critic and always available to me, a partner in the best sense of the word. In short, she is an incredible asset to my life and I am happy to have her by my side." Christian Reid is the daughter of the late Robin Reid, OBE, and his wife Elsa Andresen Nicolau de Almeida. 

 

Sources:

Karl Habsburg: Geheime Scheidung und neue Liebe

The New York Times - We Are Not A Muse

Daily Mail - Thyssen's girl faces a sad split

Financial Times - Collector Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza on artists being advocates for change

Archduke Eduard of Austria Is Author of Children's Book

Dubbie: The Double Headed Eagle

Archduke Eduard of Austria, the Hungarian Ambassador to the Vatican, has authored a children's book. Dubbie: the Double-Headed Eagle is scheduled to be published by Full Quiver Publishing on 15 December. The book's illustrator is James Hrkach.

Archduke Eduard of Austria and Baroness Maria Theresa von Gudenus on their wedding day.

Eduard is the son of Archduke Michael of Austria and Archduchess Christiana (born Princess zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg). Archduke Eduard of Austria has been married since 1995 to Baroness Maria Theresia von Gudenus. The couple have six children and live in Rome. 

The Engagement of India Hicks, Daughter of Lady Pamela Mountbatten, to Her Partner David Flint Wood

David Flint Wood and India Hicks.

 

The engagement between India Amanda Caroline Hicks and David Flint Wood, both of Harbour Island, Bahamas, has been announced in The Telegraph. 

 

The wedding of Lady Pamela Mountbatten and Mr David Hicks, 1960.

India Hicks is the daughter of Lady Pamela Carmen Louise Mountbatten (b.1929; daughter of Earl Mountbatten of Burma) and her late husband Mr David Nightingale Hicks (1929-1998). India was born on 5 September 1967 at London. She was the youngest of the three children of David and Pamela: sister Edwina and brother Ashley preceded her. In 1981, India Hicks was a bridesmaid to Lady Diana Spencer at her wedding to the Prince of Wales, who is India's godfather. Through her mother, India is a descendant of Queen Victoria.

David Charles Flint Wood was born on 3 March 1961 at London as the son of Derek Flint Wood and Alice Wendy Jackson. 

David and India with their children.

India and David have four children together: Felix (b.1997), Amory (b.1999), Conrad (b.2003), and Domino (b.2007; goddaughter of Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece). They are also the parents of Wesley. 

Congratulations to India and David upon their engagement!

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