A Wittelsbach Turns Ninety: Princess Theresa of Bavaria

Prince Rasso and Princess Theresa of Bavaria in 2001.

On 9 January 1931, Archduchess Theresa Monika Valerie Elisabeth Ludovika Walburga Anna of Austria was born at Schloß Wallsee. The archduchess was the second child and first daughter of Archduke Theodor Salvator of Austria (1899-1978) and his wife Archduchess Maria Theresa (1901-1967; née Countess von Waldburg zu Zeil u.Trauchburg), who had married in 1926. Theresa of Austria had three siblings: Archduke Franz Salvator (1927-2012; married 1stly Princess Anna Amelie von Schönburg-Waldenburg; married 2ndly Hedwig von Lichem-Löwenburg), Archduchess Maria Immakulata (b.1933; married Count Reinhart von und zu Hoensbroech), and Archduke Carl Salvator (b.1936; married Baroness Edith Wenzl von Sternbach). 

Prince Rasso and Princess Theresa of Bavaria shortly after their wedding, 1955. Photograph (c) Alamy/Keystone Press.

On 17 October 1955 at Schloß Wallsee, Archduchess Theresa of Austria married Prince Rasso of Bavaria (1926-2011), the youngest child of Prince Franz of Bavaria (1875-1957) and his wife Princess Isabella (1890-1982; née Croÿ). Prince Rasso and Princess Theresa had seven children: Princess Maria-Theresia (b.1956; married Count Thomas Kornis von Göncz-Ruszka), Prince Franz-Josef (b.1957), Princess Elisabeth (b.1959; married Count Andreas von Kuefstein), Prince Wolfgang (b.1960; married 1stly Countess Beatrice zu Lodron-Laterano und Castelromano; married 2ndly Tatiana Marie Eames), Princess Benedikta (b.1961; married Baron Rudolf von Freyberg-Eisenberg-Allmendingen), Prince Christoph (b.1962; married Countess Gudila von Plettenberg), and Princess Gisela (b.1964; married Prince Alexander of Saxony, Margrave of Meißen). 

Prince Rasso and Princess Theresa of Bavaria surrounded by family members at a memorial of the death of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, June 2011. Photograph (c) Alamy.

In September 2011, Princess Theresa was widowed when her husband Rasso died at the age of eighty-five.

Prince Rasso of Bavaria and Archduchess Theresa of Austria on their wedding day. Photograph (c) Alamy.

We wish Princess Theresa of Bavaria a very happy birthday!

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