Engagement in the Princely House of Leiningen!

 

Earlier this week, Prince Nicholas zu Leiningen proposed to his girlfriend Stephanie Paukner while the couple were on holiday in Puerto Rico. The proposal was met with a yes!

Born on 25 October 1991 at Philadelphia, Prince Nicholas "Nick" Alexander Karel Friedrich zu Leiningen is the only child of Prince Boris zu Leiningen (b.1960) and the late Millena Manov (1962-2015), who married in 1987. From his father's second marriage, Nicholas has two younger siblings. The paternal grandparents of Prince Nicholas are Prince Karl zu Leiningen (1928-1990) and Princess Marie Louise of Bulgaria (b.1933). The maternal grandparents of Prince Nicholas are Vladimir Manov (1933-2003) and Elly Nedeva Manov (b.1932). The great-uncle of Prince Nicholas is Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria. Nicholas, who attended Sacred Heart University, works as a Logistics Manager at the Interluxe Group. 

Born in 1992, Stephanie C. Paukner is the daughter of Richard W. Paukner (b.1956), a certified public accountant, and Catherine A. Papillo (b.1956), a home economist, who married in 1979. For several years, Stephanie has worked as an emergency room nurse. 

Our best wishes to the couple on their engagement!

A Marriage in the Royal Family of Georgia

On 19 November 2022, at Benahavís, Málaga, Spain, Prince Ugo Bagration-Mukhransky civilly married Niki "Nekia" Lane.

Ugo with his nephew and godson Giorgi.

Born on 14 February 1985 at Madrid, Prince Gourami "Ugo" Bagration-Mukhransky is the only child of Prince George "Jorge" Bagration-Mukhransky (1944-2008) and his second wife Princess Nuria (b.1953; née Llopis Oliart), who wed in 1982. Prince Ugo is a Sales Associate and Luxury Property Specialist with Berkshire Hathaway. 

Our best wishes to the couple!

The 98th Birthday of Maria von Hanau: A Hungarian Refugee to the US Who Became A Princess

 

Princess Maria.

Maria Madelaine (de) Kossaczky was born on 9 December 1924 at Budapest, Hungary, as the only child of Major General Árpád Vitéz Kossaczky (Szeleste, Austria-Hungary 9 April 1886-Miami, Florida 24 June 1967) and Ilona Wallner (Nagyszombat, Austria-Hungary 16 November 1891-Greenwich, Connecticut 3 December 1983). Árpád and Ilona were married on 10 November 1919 at Trnava, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia). Their daughter Maria arrived five years later.

Major General Árpád Kossaczky fought in the Austro-Hungarian army during World War I. In the 1950s, he recalled his time in the military on the Russian front, with regards to the conditions of the Russian soldiers: "Some of them cannot read or write." Kossaczky was firmly anti-Communist, and he founded a publishing and printing house in Budapest, which he ran until 1941. 

In Budapest, Maria attended Pázmány Péter Catholic University, and she then continued her studies at the University of Innsbruck (Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck), where she focused on art history. In November 1949, Maria came to the United States as a displaced person in thanks to sponsorship from the Pi Beta Phi sorority. After arriving in the States, Maria enrolled at the University of Texas (UT), where she studied languages - her original intention had been to study interior design. While at UT, Maria worked as a teaching fellow in the German language department. Maria received a master's degree in German from the University of Texas. She went on to teach French, German, and European history at San Antonio College. 

Reunited: Maria with her mother and father in 1951.
Photo (c) Neal Douglass Photos.

Through the sponsorship of friends, Maria's parents were able to immigrate to the United States in 1951. They had previously fled Hungary for Germany in 1945, and then relocated from Germany to Austria, where they lived in the French Zone. The Texan press covered the reunion of Maria and her parents when they arrived in April 1951. Maria's mother Ilona remarked after seeing her daughter, who had adapted to being a college student, "poised and self-assured," in Texas: "In disposition, she is the same, but when I look at her and hear her talk I must tell myself she is Maria." 

Maria walks down the aisle with her father Major General Kossaczky.

Friedrich Wilhelm and Maria exchange wedding bands.

Princess Maria, pictured after throwing her bouquet, with Countess Rose Fugger von Babenhausen, a first cousin of Maria's husband.

Maria and Friedrich Wilhelm drink from the Kossaczsky silver wine goblet and its smaller cup. 

On 5 June 1954, Maria Madelaine de Kossaczky married Prince Friedrich Wilhelm von Hanau, Count von Schaumburg, at 11:00am during a nuptial mass at St. Mary's Cathedral in Austin, Texas. Princess Maria's wedding outfit was thusly described by The Austin American of 8 June 1954: "She was attired in a gown of off-white peau de soie, designed with scooped neckline, Venetian point lace inlay, long pointed sleeves, Empire waistline, a bell-skirt with a long train... Her only jewelry was a pair of diamond earrings given her by her mother, which once were worn by her grandmother in Hungary." The maid of honour was Countess Andrea Széchényi von Sárvár-Felsövidék; the bridesmaids were Miss Jane Markman Wray, Miss Eugenia Hill, Miss Jo Jo Oefinger, Miss Emily Ann Finch, and Countess Rose Fugger von Babenhausen. The bestman was Mayor Andrew Wessling of Alamo City; the groomsmen were Dr Rudoph Winkelbauer, Lieutenant George Price, Mr August Clemens, Mr Jack Hebdon, and Mr Robert Schupbach. The Reverend Andrew J. Mulreany officiated over the wedding, which was followed by a reception at the home of Mr and Mrs Robert B. Thrasher of Grove House. During the reception, which was attended by 150 guests, Prince Friedrich Wilhelm and Princess Maria von Hanau shared a toast from a silver goblet brought over by her parents. Her mother Ilona, who wore a mauve dress and a diamond pendant, explained, "My husband and I drank from it at our wedding also." The couple then departed for a week's honeymoon, after which they settled in an apartment in San Antonio.

Friedrich Wilhelm in 1953.

Born on 3 December 1927 at Horowitz, Czechoslovakia, Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich von Hanau was the fourth children and third son of Fürst Heinrich von Hanau (1900-1971) and Countess Maria Theresia Fugger von Babenhausen (1899-1994). In 1952, Friedrich Wilhelm came to the USA and settled in Texas. The prince took a job with the Southern Steel Company, and he was taking night classes at San Antonio College in geology. Friedrich Wilhelm went on to become the senior vice president of BMW North America. 

On 5 June 1956 (their second anniversary) at San Antonio, Prince Friedrich Wilhelm and Princess Maria welcomed the arrival of their only child, Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Christoph von Hanau, Count of Schaumburg. Prince Christoph married Candace McDowell on 13 June 1987 at the Roman Catholic Church of St. Catherine of Siena in Riverside, Connecticut. Over time, Friedrich Wilhelm and Maria were blessed with two grandchildren, Princess Victoria (b.1990) and Prince Maximilian (b.1993).

Prince Friedrich Wilhelm von Hanau died on 4 June 2016 at his home in San Antonio. His wife Princess Maria and his son Prince Christoph were by his bedside. Princess Maria was left a widow after almost precisely sixty-two years of marriage.

Our best wishes to Princess Maria on her birthday!

An Imperial Arrival: The Birth of Prince Alexander Georgievich Romanoff!

Grand Duke George and Princess Victoria. Photo (c) David Nivière. Courtesy of the Russian Imperial Chancellery.

Today, Prince Alexander Georgievich Romanoff was born in Moscow. He was named Alexander in honour of Prince St. Alexander Nevsky. The little prince is the first child of Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia and Princess Victoria Romanovna Romanoff, who wed in 2021. 

Alexander's grandmother, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia, issued the following communiqué:

By the Grace of God

We

Grand Duchess Maria of Russia

Head of the Russian Imperial House

Make an Announcement to All

On October 21, 2022, Our daughter-in-law, Her Serene Highness Princess Victoria Romanovna, the spouse of Our son and heir His Imperial Highness The Tsesarevich and Grand Duke George of Russia, was delivered of a son, Our grandson, who has been given the name Alexander.

Welcoming this new addition to Our Family as a sign of God’s grace, I ask all Our countrymen to offer fervent prayers to the Almighty for the health and well-being of the newborn. In accordance with Our current Family Law and the Family Act of September 14/27, 2020, Our grandson will be called His Serene Highness Prince Alexander Georgievich.

Issued in Madrid, 21 October, in the Year 2022 since the Nativity of Christ, and in the thirty-first year of our succession to the rights and duties of Our August Ancestors - the Emperors of All the Russia.

H.I.H. THE GRAND DUCHESS MARIA OF RUSSIA

Prince Alexander Romanoff is a double great-great-great-great-grandson of Emperor Alexander II of Russia:

Emperor Alexander II of Russia -> Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia -> Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia -> Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich of Russia -> Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia -> Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia -> Prince Alexander Romanoff

Emperor Alexander II of Russia -> Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia -> Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha -> Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich of Russia -> Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia -> Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia -> Prince Alexander Romanoff

Prince Alexander Romanoff is a great-great-great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom:

Queen Victoria -> Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha -> Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha -> Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich of Russia -> Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia -> Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia -> Prince Alexander Romanoff

Prince Alexander Romanoff is a great-great-great-grandson of German Emperor Wilhelm II:

German Emperor Wilhelm II -> Prince Joachim of Prussia -> Prince Karl Franz Josef of Prussia -> Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia -> Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia -> Prince Alexander Romanoff

Our congratulations to the Imperial House of Russia on the birth of Prince Alexander!

+++++++

The Ancestry of Prince Alexander Romanoff

1. HSH Prince Alexander Georgievich Romanoff (b.Moscow 21 October 2022)

Parents

2. HIH Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia (b.Madrid 13 March 1981)

m.(civ) Moscow 24 September (rel) Saint Petersburg 1 October 2021

3. Rebecca Virginia Bettarini, took the name Victoria Romanovna upon conversion to Russian Orthodoxy, granted the style and title HSH Princess Romanoff upon marriage (b.Rome 18 May 1982)

Grandparents

4. HRH Prince Franz Wilhelm Victor Christoph Stephan of Prussia, took the name Michael Pavlovich upon conversion to Russian Orthodoxy, granted the style and title HIH Grand Duke of Russia upon marriage (b.Grünberg 3 September 1943)

m.(civ) Dinard 4 September (rel) Madrid 22 September 1976 (div 1985)

5. HIH Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia (b.Madrid 23 December 1953)

6. Ambassador Roberto Amedeo Simeone Bettarini (b.Taranto 5 May 1947)

m.Kinshasa 13 August 1977

7. Carla Virginia Cacciatore (b.Rome 30 August 1945)

Great-Grandparents

8. HRH Prince Karl Franz Josef Wilhelm Friedrich Eduard Paul of Prussia (Potsdam 15 December 1916-Arica, Chile 23 January 1975)

m.(civ) Doorn 1 October (rel) Berlin 5 October 1940 (div 1946)

9. HSH Princess Henriette Hermine Wanda Ida Luise von Schönaich-Carolath (Berlin 25 November 1918-Neuendettelsau 16 March 1972)

10. HIH Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich of Russia (Porvoo, Finland 30 August 1917-Miami 21 April 1992)

m.(civ) Montreux 12 August (rel) Lausanne 13 August 1948

11. HRH Princess Leonida Georgievna Bagration-Moukhransky (Tbilisi 23 September 1914-Madrid 23 May 2010)

12. Aldo Giulio Icilio Bettarini (Rome 14 April 1910-Rome 10 December 1976)

m.Rome 16 February 1939

13. Marcella Tomassini (Rome 27 June 1908-Rome 1977)

14. Giulio Cacciatore (Melito Porto Salvo, Reggio di Calabria 2 June 1916-Rome 14 October 1988)

m.Rome 10 November 1944

15. Elsa Spoletini (b.Rome 25 March 1924)

Great-Great-Grandparents

16. HRH Prince Joachim Franz Hubert of Prussia (Berlin 17 December 1890-Potsdam 18 July 1920)

m.Schloß Bellevue 11 March 1916 

17. HH Princess Marie Auguste Antoinette Friederike Alexandra Hilda Luise of Anhalt (Ballenstedt 10 June 1898-Essen 22 May 1983)

18. HSH Prince Johann Georg Ludwig Ferdinand August von Schönaich-Carolath (Saabor 11 September 1873-Wölfelsgrund 7 April 1920)

m.Greiz 7 January 1907

19. HSH Princess Hermine Reuss zu Greiz (Greiz 17 December 1887-Paulinenhof 7 August 1947)

20. HIH Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia (Tsarskoie-Selo 30 September 1876-Neuilly 12 October 1938)

m.Tegernsee 8 October 1905

21. HRH Princess Victoria Melita of Great Britain and Ireland, took the name Victoria Feodorovna upon conversion to Russian Orthodoxy (Malta 25 November 1876-Amorbach 2 March 1936)

22. HRH Prince George Alexandrovich Bagration-Moukhransky (St.Petersburg 16 July 1884-Madrid 29 September 1957)

m.Tbilisi Jul 1908 

23. Elena Zlotnicky (Tbilisi 29 March 1886-Madrid 25 April 1979)

24. Amedeo Angiolo Giuseppe Bettarini (Poggibonsi 21 October 1883-Rome 23 December 1947)

m.Rome 3 February 1910

25. Carolina de Luca (Rome 14 October 1892-)

26. Simeone Tomassini (1863-)

m.

27. Elvira Bartolini (1880-)

28. Alberto Cacciatore (Polistena, Reggio di Calabria 1874-Villa San Giovanni, Reggio di Calabria 5 November 1918) 

m.

29. Virginia Rossetti (San Procopio, Reggio di Calabria 1890-)

30. Giovanni Crisostomo Spoletini (Bellegra 4 May 1895-Rome 29 April 1988)

m.Bellegra 18 December 1919

31. Benedetta Regina Maria Ciani (Bellegra 21 July 1897-Rome 10 February 1979)

The 70th Birthday of Princess Laure Napoléon

Princess Laure with her dog on the shores of Lake Geneva.

 

Louis and Alix with their children (left to right) Catherine, Laure, Jérôme, and Charles.

Today, Princess Laure Napoléon celebrates her seventieth birthday!

The Prince and Princess Napoléon with their four children, 1969.

Born on 8 October 1952 at Paris, Princess Laure Clémentine Geneviève Napoléon was the third child and second daughter of Prince Louis Napoléon (1914-1997), Head of the Imperial House of Bonaparte, and his wife Princess Alix (b.1926; née de Foresta), who wed in 1949. Laure's middle names come from her paternal and maternal grandmothers, Princess Clémentine of Belgium and Geneviève Fredet. Laure joined two older siblings, the twins Prince Charles (b.1950; married 1st Princess Béatrice of Bourbon-Two Sicilies; married 2nd Jeanne Françoise Valliccionni) and Princess Catherine (b.1950; married 1st Nicolò San Martino d'Agliè dei Marchesi di Fontanetto; married 2nd Jean-Claude Dualé), and Laure was followed by a younger brother, Prince Jérôme (b.1957; married Licia Innocenti). The princess was raised at the family home in Prangins, Switzerland. On 23 December 1982 at Grenoble, Princess Laure married Jean-Claude Lecomte (1948-2009). The couple had one son, Clément Louis Lecomte (b.1995). In 2005, the princess attended the funeral of her cousin Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg along with her brother Prince Jérôme.

Princess Laure at her christening, November 1952.

Our best wishes to the Princess on her birthday!

Prince Ferfried of Hohenzollern (1943-2022)

 

During the evening of 26 September/27 September, Prince Ferfried of Hohenzollern died at Großhadern Clinic in Munich. He was seventy-nine years-old. The late prince was an uncle of Fürst Karl Friedrich of Hohenzollern.

Prince Ferfried with his parents. Photo (c) Seeger-Presse.

Born on 14 April 1943 at Schloß Umkirch, Prince Ferfried Maximilian Pius Meinrad Maria Hubert Michael Justinus of Hohenzollern was the seventh and youngest child of Fürst Friedrich of Hohenzollern (1891-1965) and Princess Margarethe of Saxony (1900-1962), who wed in 1920. Ferfried joined three older sisters and three older brothers: the twins Princess Benedikta (1921-2011; married Count Heinrich von Waldburg zu Wolfegg und Waldsee) and Princess Maria Adelgunde (1921-2006; married 1st Prince Konstantin of Bavaria; married 2nd Werner Hess; married 3rd Hans Huber), Princess Maria Theresia (1922-2004), Fürst Friedrich Wilhelm (1924-2010; married Princess Margarita of Leiningen), Prince Franz Josef (1926-1996; married 1st Princess Maria Ferdnanda of Thurn and Taxis; married 2nd Princess Diane of Bourbon-Parma), and Prince Johann Georg (1932-2016; married Princess Birgitta of Sweden).

Prince Ferfried and Princess Angela on their wedding day, 1968. Photo (c) Seeger-Presse.

Prince Ferfried and his second wife Eliane, 1985. Photo (c) Seeger-Presse.

Prince Ferfried of Hohenzollern was married three times, each union was considered morganatic. On 21 September 1968 at Schloß Sigmaringen, the prince married Angela von Morgen (1942-2019). Ferfried and Angela had two daughters, Princess Valerie (b.1969; married Peter Brenske) and Princess Stephanie (b.1971; married 1st Count Hieronymus Wolff Metternich zur Gracht; married 2nd Martin Haag), before divorcing in 1973. In 1977, Prince Ferfried remarried to Eliane Etter (b.1947); the couple had two children, Princess Henriette (b.1978) and Prince Moritz (b.1980), after which the pair divorced in 1987. Lastly, and most notoriously, Prince Ferfried married model Maja Meinert (b.1971) in 1999 - the prince and mannequin divorced in 2007.

May the Prince Rest in Peace.

A Princely Engagement: Prince Johann Wenzel of Liechtenstein and Countess Felicitas von Hartig

Feli and Wenzel. Photo (c) Prince Johann Wenzel von und zu Liechtenstein. This image may be not reproduced without his permission.

Prince Johann Wenzel von und zu Liechtenstein and Countess Felicitas von Hartig are engaged! The kind couple shared the details of their engagement with royal reporters and writers, including me. This was very sweet of them.

The happy couple! Photo (c) Prince Johann Wenzel von und zu Liechtenstein. This image may be not reproduced without his permission.

From Prince Wenzel: "We are happy to announce that we got engaged on 25th of August 2022 during wonderful holidays in Sicily."

Photo (c) Prince Johann Wenzel von und zu Liechtenstein. This image may be not reproduced without his permission.

Countess Felicitas von Hartig, born on 10 April 1994, studied law in Vienna, Austria (Magistra Iuris). Now the countess is working for the Austrian Ministry of the Interior and is finishing her Art History degree on the side. She is the daughter of Count Lukas von Hartig (b.1964) and Countess Claudia von Hartig (b.1965; née Edle von Toperczer), who wed in 1993.

Photo (c) Prince Johann Wenzel von und zu Liechtenstein. This image may be not reproduced without his permission.

Prince Johann-Wenzel von und zu Liechtenstein, born 16 March 1993, studied Politics and Economy in Montreal, Canada followed by one year at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, United Kingdom, and two additional years with the Coldstream Guards. He finished his Masters in Agribusiness Management. Now the prince works with his father in Austria for the family business „Liechtenstein’sche Forst- und Gutsverwaltung“. Johann-Wenzel is the son of Prince Gundakar von und zu Liechtenstein (b.1949) and Princess Marie von und zu Liechtenstein (b.1959; née Princess d'Orléans), who wed in 1989. Prince Johann Wenzel is a great-grandson of the late Prince Henri and Princess Isabelle, Count and Countess of Paris.

Photo (c) Prince Johann Wenzel von und zu Liechtenstein. This image may be not reproduced without his permission.

Johann Wenzel and Felicitas met at a party in 2012. The couple met again after many years in 2017 in London while Countess Felicitas was completing an internship at Sotheby’s and Prince Johann-Wenzel was fulfilling his service with the Coldstream Guards. After both having lived in Paris and Lisbon, the couple now live in Vienna.

The wedding is planned for summer 2023.

Our congratulations to Johann Wenzel and Felicitas on their engagement!

The 80th Birthday of Princess Marion d'Orléans, Dowager Countess of La Marche

Thibaut, Marion, and Robert. Photo (c) Micheline PELLETIER/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images.

Today, Princess Marion d'Orléans, Dowager Countess of La Marche, celebrates her eightieth birthday.

Born on 4 September 1942 at Santiago, Chile, Marion Mercedes Gordon-Orr was the only daughter of James Gordon-Orr (1894-1973), an engineer, and Gertrude Mercedes Devia Hermosilla (1914-2003). Marion's paternal grandparents were Alexander Orr (1838-1919) and Clara Eliza Gordon (1858-1947). 

Thibaut and Marion shortly before their marriage, 1972.

In 1968, Marion first met Prince Thibaut d'Orléans, the youngest child of Prince Henri and Princess Isabelle, Count and Countess of Paris. At the time, Marion was working as an interpreter in Paris for an American firm. 

Thibaut and Marion.

The newlyweds.

On 23 September 1972 at Edinburgh, Marion Gordon-Orr, aged thirty, married Prince Thibaut, aged twenty-four. The royal couple celebrated their religious marriage at the private chapel of Cardinal Gray, Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh. At the time, their union was not pleasing to the groom's father, and the Count of Paris forbade all family members from attending the wedding. Thibaut's sister Princess Claude, then still Duchess of Aosta, was his only sibling to go against the wishes of the Orléans patriarch, and she was present to celebrate Thibaut and Marion's nuptials. 

During their marriage, Thibaut and Marion travelled widely. They visited Peru, Colombia, and Chile, where Marion was born. In Marion, Thibaut found a soul who shared his love of the discovery of lesser-known peoples and their cultures. Between 1973 and 1974, the couple wrote six books in the Les Princes du sang series; these books detailed the fate of a fictional German princely family. The first of these books was published in English under the title A Castle in Bavaria. 

Marion, Thibaut, and their eldest son Robert.

Prince Thibaut and Princess Marion had two children, both sons and both born while Thibaut and Marion were staying with her mother in Edinburgh. Prince Robert d'Orléans arrived on 6 September 1976; Robert's godparents are Viscount Paul de La Panouse, one of his parents' dearest friends, as well as his aunt Princess Claude, Duchess of Aosta. Robert's birth led to a reconciliation between his father Thibaut and his grandfather Henri. Three years later, the family was completed by the birth of Louis-Philippe on 18 April 1979; his godparents were Count Charles of Bourbon-Busset and the infant's grandmother Madame the Countess of Paris. Tragically, eight-month-old Louis-Philippe died on 2 January 1980 from sepsis. The sudden and unexpected loss of Louis-Philippe, coupled with the brutally insensitive decision of his grandfather the Count of Paris that the young child could not be buried in the Chapel Royal of Dreux as he was not a dynast, was a blow to Thibaut and Marion. 

The Count and Countess de La Marche, 28 June 1981. Photo (c) AKSARAN/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images.

In the months following his son's funeral, Thibaut d'Orléans was imprisoned for eighteen months for complicity in the theft of works of art. The case caused a stir and the problems of the Count and Countess of La Marche made the way to the front page of many French newspapers. Thibaut was tied with an attempt to steal works of art by Suzanne Courty.

Marion with her son Robert at the funeral of her husband Thibaut, 1983. Photo (c) Getty Images / Alain Mingam.

After his release from prison, the Count of la Marche left France to organise safaris for tourists in the Central African Republic. Marion and their son Robert remained in France. On 23 March 1983, Prince Thibaut died at hospital in Bangui, in circumstances that have been considered by some to be mysterious. The prince was thirty-five years-old when he died. Thibaut's funeral was attended by most of the Royal Family of France; even the separated Count and Countess of Clermont and divorced Princess Claude and Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta, came together to support Marion and her son Robert. 

Marion and Thibaut in Paris, 1977. Photo (c) AGIP / Bridgeman Images.

After the death of her husband, Princess Marion focused on the upbringing of their only surviving son, Robert. In 1999, after her brother-in-law Prince Henri succeeded as Head of the Royal House of France, Henri retroactively recognised Thibaut and Marion's marriage and, in doing so, Henri declared that their son Robert is a dynastic member of the royal house. Princess Marion lives discretely and quietly; however, on occasion, one can still spot her attending Orléans family functions. 

May Princess Marion be blessed with a very happy birthday!

The 50th Birthday of Archduchess Eilika of Austria

Archduchess Eilika and Archduke Georg of Austria, 2016. The couple are here attending the wedding in Tirana of Crown Prince Leka of Albania. Photo (c) Seth B. Leonard.

Today, Archduchess Eilika of Austria celebrates her fiftieth birthday!

Johann and Ilka of Oldenburg with their daughter Eilika and her fiancé Georg of Austria in 1997. Photograph (c) Seeger-Presse.

Born on 22 August 1972 at Bad Segeberg, Duchess Eilika Helene Jutta Clementine of Oldenburg was the eldest child of Duke Johann of Oldenburg (b.1940) and Duchess Ilka (b.1942; née Countess zu Ortenburg), who wed in 1971. Eilika was followed by a sister and a brother: Duchess Tatjana (b.1974; married Count Axel de Chavagnac) and Duke Konstantin (b.1975; married Esther Sáchez Calvo). From 1993-1994, Eilika of Oldenburg attended the Sorbonne in Paris. In the summer of 1994, the duchess studied the Spanish language in Madrid. Between 1996-1997, Eilika enrolled at the University of Lille where her focus was business management. 

Hereditary Grand Duke Nikolaus of Oldenburg and Hereditary Grand Duchess Helene (née Waldeck und Pyrmont)

Eilika's paternal grandparents were Hereditary Grand Duke Nikolaus of Oldenburg (1897-1970) and his first wife Hereditary Grand Duchess Helene (1899-1948; née Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont). Her maternal grandparents were Count Alfred-Friedrich zu Ortenburg (1906-1973) and Jutta von Lücken (1906-1991).

Georg and Eilika on their wedding day, 1997. Photo (c) Getty Images / Jean-Claude Deutsch.

On 18 October 1997 at Budapest, Duchess Eilika of Oldenburg married Archduke Georg of Austria (b.1964), the youngest child and second son of Archduke Otto of Austria and Archduchess Regina (née Princess of Saxe-Meiningen). In addition to the Habsburg and Oldenburg families, their wedding was attended by King Felipe VI of Spain (then Prince of Asturias) and Prince Albert II of Monaco (then Hereditary Prince of Monaco). Through their respective mothers, Duchess Eilika and Archduke Georg are fifth half cousins once removed; they are both descendants of Kurfürst Wilhelm II of Hessen (1777-1847), with Georg descending from Wilhelm and his first wife Princess Auguste of Prussia (1780-1841) and with Eilika descending from Wilhelm and his second wife Emilie Ortlöpp, Countess von Reichenbach und Lessonitz (1791-1843).

Archduke Georg and Archduchess Eilika with their parents and their three children, 2004. Photo (c) Getty Images / Isza Ferenc.

Archduke Georg and Archduchess Eilika are the parents of three children: Archduchess Zsófia "Sophie" (b.2001), Archduchess Ildiko (b.2002), and Archduke Károly-Konstantin (b.2004). Georg and Eilika had made their home in Budapest, the Hungarian capital, which is where their three children were born.

In September 1998, Eilika founded the Eilika of Habsburg Foundation (HABSBURG EILIKA ALAPITVÁNY) in Hungary. The foundation has provided support to hospitals and social institutions in the country. At a certain point, the archduchess began to focus on encouraging adults and children to participate in equestrian sports by facilitating training and practice. Eilika recalled: "When I came to Hungary as a young bride, I didn't speak a word of Hungarian and didn't even understand the language. However, my language skills have now at least developed to such a level that, for example, I can comprehend the information that people tell me and pass it on. I've always been a curious person who likes to work, and if necessary I'll do hard physical work. I can say that my work is also my hobby, and my hobby is also my work...and I give many people the opportunity to enjoy this hobby with us...I have been riding since my early childhood and have passed this passion on to my children. Horse riding is not only a sport but also a way of life. It helps with body language, communication, clear and honest words and driving skills." Eilika's son Karoly is also becoming an accomplished horseman, following in the steps of his mother.

Our best wishes to the Archduchess on her birthday!

The Wedding of Hereditary Prince Pál-Antal Esterházy von Galántha & Franziska von Reutter

On Saturday, 30 July 2022, Hereditary Prince Pál-Antal Esterházy von Galántha and Franziska von Reutter celebrated their religious marriage. 

Born in 1986, Hereditary Prince Pál-Antal Esterházy von Galántha is the only child of Fürst Anton Esterházy von Galántha (b.1936) and Ursula Koenig (b.1941). Born in 1989, Franziska von Reutter is the daughter of Georg von Reutter (b.1954) and Joanna Doubleday (b.1954). Hereditary Princess Franziska Esterházy von Galántha is a descendant of Archduke Johann of Austria and Anna Maria Josephine Plochl (created Countess von Meran).

Our congratulations to the couple on their special day!

The 80th Birthday of Prince Rémy of Bourbon-Parma

Prince Guy, Princess Maria, Prince Rémy, Princess Chantal, and Prince Louis of Parma.

On 14 July 1942 at Cannes, Prince Rémy François Xavier Louis Robert Victor of Bourbon-Parma was born as the second son and child of Prince Louis of Bourbon-Parma (1889-1967) and Princess Maria of Savoy (1914-2001), who wed in 1939. Rémy has three siblings: Prince Guy (1940-1991; married Brigitte Peu-Duvallon), Princess Chantal (b.1946; married 1st Panayotis Skinas; married 2nd François-Henri des Georges), and Prince Jean (b.1961; married Virginia Roatta).

The paternal grandparents of Prince Rémy were Duke Roberto I of Parma (1848-1907) and his second wife Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal (1862-1959). Rémy's maternal grandparents were King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy (1869-1947) and Princess Elena of Montenegro (1873-1952).

Princess Aude and her father Prince Rémy.

In 1973, Prince Rémy of Bourbon-Parma married Laurence Dufresne d'Arganchy (b.1951). The couple divorced in 1983, after having had two children: son Prince Tristan (b.1974) and Princess Aude (b.1977). In 2003, Prince Rémy married Madame Elisabeth Tardif. 

Our best wishes to the Prince on his birthday!

The 70th Birthday of Archduchess Alexandra of Austria

On 10 July 1952 at Beloeil, Archduchess Alexandra Maria Anna Philippa Othonia of Austria was born as the second child and first daughter of Archduke Carl Ludwig of Austria (1918-2007) and Archduchess Yolande (b.1923; née Princess de Ligne), who wed in 1950. Archduchess Alexandra had an older brother and two younger siblings: Archduke Rudolph (b.1950; married Baroness Marie Hélène de Villenfagne de Vogelsanck), Archduke Carl Christian (b.1954; married Princess Marie Astrid of Luxembourg), and Archduchess Constanza (b.1957; married Fürst Franz Josef von Auersperg-Trautson). 

The Riesle/Habsburg family.

Archduchess Alexandra of Austria and Héctor Guillermo Riesle Contreras (b.1943), the son of Oscar Riesle and his wife Ventura Contreras, were married in civil and religious ceremonies in September 1984 in Belgium. Héctor Riesle Contreras, the husband of the archduchess, was the former Chilean ambassador to Belgium and the Holy See. In April 1974, Héctor Riesle presented his credentials to Pope Paul VI: 

Hector Riesle, a thirty-one year-old former professor of legal history and philosophy, presented his credentials to Pope Paul as the first ambassador nominated by the Chilean junta. In his brief address, Riesle noted that Chile "having recently suffered the greatest crisis in its history, now looks to the future with renewed hope." After mentioning that the Government of Chile is determined to achieve national unity on the basis of solidarity of free men, the new ambassador stated that his government was well aware that this will be impossible without a moral renewal comprising "freedom, responsibility, respect, understanding and brotherhood, cemented in the natural and inviolable rights of the human person." Riesle closed his remarks with a special greeting to the Pope from the government junta. Seizing on Riesle's description of the recent crisis, in his reply, Pope Paul recalled his interest in and preoccupation for Chile, "We have not ceased and will not cease to follow with the same lively and paternal solicitude the problems and the difficulties still existing."

The couple have three children: Felipe Riesle de Habsburgo-Lorena (b.1986; married Pilar García-Huidobro Echeverría), Sofia Riesle de Habsburgo-Lorena (b.1987; married Rodrigo Risopatrón Montero), and Constanza Riesle de Habsburgo-Lorena (b.1989; married Sebastián Prieto Donoso). 

To learn more about the charitable activities of Archduchess Alexandra within the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, please read this article: Faces of the Fund: Interview with Alexandra de Habsburgo-Lorena de Riesle

Our best wishes to Archduchess Alexandra on her birthday!

Other sources:

Habsburg Descendant Engaged to Great-Nephew of Dowager Countess of Paris

https://www.pliniocorreadeoliveira.info/UK_740421_resisting.htm

“Change Direction”: Influencing the National Church through the Vatican during the Pinochet Dictatorship in Chile

Happy Birthday of Princess Barbara of Yugoslavia!

Princess Barbara.

(These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!)

Today, Princess Barbara of Yugoslavia celebrates her eightieth birthday! Earlier this week, the princess marked this special occasion in Vienna with her son Prince Dushan and her daughter-in-law Princess Valerie. 

From the left: Prince Albrecht, Princess Karoline, Princess Barbara, and Prince Eugen of Liechtenstein. (These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!)

From the left: Prince Albrecht, Prince Eugen, their cousin Prince Monica (in first communion dress),
their grandmother Princess Marie (Marizza), and Princess Barbara of Liechtenstein.
(These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!)

Princess Marie Eleonore, Prince Albrecht, Princess Karoline holding Princess Barbara,
and Prince Eugen of Liechtenstein.
(These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!)

Born on 9 July 1942 at Mährisch-Sternberg, Princess Barbara Eleonora Marie of Liechtenstein was the fourth child and second daughter of Prince Johannes of Liechtenstein (1910-1975) and Princess Karoline (1912-1996; née Countess von Ledebur-Wicheln), who wed in 1936. Princess Barbara joined three older siblings: Princess Marie Eleonore (1937-2002), Prince Eugen (b.1939; married Countess Maria Theresia von Goëß), and Prince Albrecht (1940-2017; married 1st Tamara Nyman; married 2nd Mylena Tullio).

Princess Barbara, early 1970s. (These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!)

The princess attended schools in Paris, Rome, and Vienna. In the early 1970s, Princess Barbara was a special consultant for Eve of Roma. In an interview with the Associated Press at the time while on a visit to the United States, the princess reflected: "My life had to be different. My parents were strict and always reminded me that people would look more at me than at other people. It is true. In the United States, I am asked incredible questions, such as how it feels to be a princess. I always answer that I am so used to it that I don't think about it." Princess Barbara gave some sage advise to women regarding the application of their makeup: "This is what I am going to tell girls: You cannot smear makeup on your face and expect to look pretty. One must experiment, sitting before a mirror with the cosmetics and makeup remover. They should put on faces until they get the look that flatters them. Makeup should never glare. It should be subtle. Girls may not know this if they make up their faces only for special occasions. Foundation creams, lipstick, eye shadows may be used to improve shortcomings of features as well as to enhance good features. And this should be the aim in grooming. For example, hair styles can do a lot toward giving the face a good frame. My head is sort of flat in the back, so I wear this hairdo slightly teased on top and at the back to give my head a more rounded look."

Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia and Princess Barbara of Liechtenstein at their civil wedding
in Paris, November 1973. To Princess Barbara's left are her uncle Prince Emanuel, her brother Prince Eugen and their father Prince Johannes of Liechtenstein Jr., who is holding a walking stick.
(These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!)

On 2 November 1973 at Paris, Princess Barbara of Liechtenstein married Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia (1924-2016), the eldest son of Prince Regent Paul of Yugoslavia and Princess Olga (née Princess of Greece). Prince Alexander was previously married to Princess Maria Pia of Savoy, daughter of King Umberto II of Italy and Queen Marie-José (née Princess of Belgium), from 1955 until 1967. Prince Alexander and Princess Barbara of Yugoslavia celebrated their religious marriage on 28 October 1995 at the Church of St George in Oplenac.

Alexander, Barbara, and Dushan in Paris, 1985.

Prince Alexander and Princess Barbara welcomed the arrival of their only child, Prince Dushan Paul of Yugoslavia, on 25 September 1977 at St.Gallen. The family resided in Paris. Prince Dusan pursued his studies at McGill University in Montreal, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations. He decided thereafter to spend a year in Belgrade where he studied the language and travelled all around Serbia to reconnect with his heritage and roots. Prince Dusan’s first internship was at UNESCO, and then he worked within L’Oréal’s Travel-Retail division and Eurosport in marketing and communications. Following he joined an entrepreneurial project in the air cargo sector, where he worked on creating a cargo hub in South America.

Through Barbara's lenses: Fürst Franz Joseph II of Liechtenstein and Prince Alexander.

Through Barbara's lenses: the Countess of Barcelona, Prince Alexander, Prince Michael, and Infanta Beatriz, Princess Torlonia.

Through Barbara's lenses: Catherine Oxenburg, Prince Dimitri, Princess Olga, Prince Michael, Prince Dushan, and Prince Alexander.

Through Barbara's lenses: Prince Michael, Prince Dushan, and Prince Alexander.

Princess Barbara is a passionate photographer. Having traveled all over the world, her snaps of various places and people have filled many albums. The princess also captured unique snapshots of many of her relatives and members of the Gotha.

Prince Alexander, Princess Barbara, and Prince Michael of Kent.

Princess Margaret, Prince Alexander, and Princess Barbara in London.

Princess Barbara of Yugoslavia and Prince Michel of Bourbon-Parma; Prince Alexander is behind them.

Prince Alexander and Princess Barbara remained close to their many family and friends. 

Princess Barbara bids farewell to her beloved husband. Photo (c) Royal House of Serbia.

After forty-two years of marriage, Princess Barbara was widowed when Prince Alexander, aged 91, died on 12 May 2016 in Paris. He was buried on 20 May 2016 at the Church of St George yard in Oplenac. The prince's funeral was officiated by Their Graces Bishop Jovan of Sumadija and Bishop Irinej of Australia and New Zealand. Among those in attendance were Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine, (the then) Hereditary Prince Peter (the godson of the late prince), Princess Linda and her son Prince Michael, Princess Barbara, Prince Michel, Prince Serge with his wife Princess Eleonora, Prince Dusan, Prince Eugen and Princess Maria Theresia of Liechtenstein, Prince Johannes of Liechtenstein, Princess Marie of Liechtenstein (by marriage Countess v.u.z. Trauttmansdorf-Weinsberg), Princess Sophie of Liechtesntein (by marriage Countess Hoyos), Count Hans-Veit zu Toerring-Jettenbach, Hereditary Count Ignaz zu Toerring-Jettenbach, and Mr. Tomislav Nikolic, President of Republic of Serbia. A funeral mass was held on 20 June 2016 at the Cathédrale Saint-Alexandre-Nevsky in Paris.

Prince Dushan and Princess Valerie after their civil wedding, 2018. Photo courtesy of Prince Dushan and (c) Terry Tsiolis.

Princess Valerie, Prince Dushan, and Princess Barbara, 2019. Photo (c) Royal House of Serbia.

The newlyweds and family: Princess Danica and Prince Philip, Princess Valerie and Prince Dushan, Princess Barbara, Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine. Photo (c) Royal House of Serbia.

On 3 July 2018, Prince Dushan of Yugoslavia civilly married Valerie Anne De Muzio in New York City. Princess Valerie works in marketing and advertising in the Big Apple. The couple had first met in NYC in 2015. Prince Dushan and Princess Valerie of Yugoslavia celebrated their religious wedding on 25 May 2019 at the Church of St George in Oplenac. Prince Dushan's best man was his friend Mr. Alexander Sehnaoui, and Princess Valerie's was her dear friend Mr. Terry Tsiolis. A formal dinner reception was held at the White Palace, Beli Dvor, in Belgrade, that evening. Among the guests were Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine, Prince Philip and Princess Danica, Princess Barbara, Prince Michel, Archduchess Helen of Austria, Hereditary Count Ignaz zu Toerring-Jettenbach, Hereditary Countess Robinia zu Toerring-Jettenbach, Prince Tassilo von Metternich, Prince Alexander of Liechtenstein, Prince Rudolf and Princess Tilsin of Liechtenstein, Prince Eugen and Princess Maria Theresia of Liechtenstein, Prince Johannes and Princess Kinga of Liechtenstein, Princess Anna of Liechtenstein and Count Alexander Kottulinsky, Princess Marie of Liechtenstein and Count Ferdinand of Trauttsmansdorff-Weinsberg, and Prince Maximilian della Torre e Tasso and his sister Princess Costanza.

Princess Barbara and her mother Princess Karoline.

Princess Barbara between her two brothers.

Princess Barbara with her darling son Prince Dushan and much-loved husband Prince Alexander.

Some years ago, Princess Barbara moved back to Liechtenstein, where she resides today.

We wish this lovely Princess all the best on her birthday!