OTD: The Birth of Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Ancestress of the Brazilian Imperial Family

Acte de Naissance of Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies

On this day in history, Maria delle Grazie Pia Chiara Anna Teresa Isabella Luitgarda Apollonia Agata Cecilia Filomena Antonia Lucia Cristina Caterina di Borbone was born on 12 August 1878. The princess, who became known as Maria Pia, was born at 10:00am in Grasse, Cannes. One of the witnesses on the Acte de Naissance of the princess was Pierre Antoine Cotte, an insurance agent and commercial clerk in Cannes.

Prince Alfonso, Count of Caserta.

Princess Maria Antonietta, Countess of Caserta. 

Maria Pia's father was Prince Alfonso of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Count of Caserta; he was thirty-seven years-old when his daughter was born. Through her father, the princess was a granddaughter of King Ferdinando II of the Two Sicilies and Queen Theresa (née Archduchess of Austria). Maria Pia's mother was Princess Maria Antonietta of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Countess of Caserta; she was twenty-seven years-old when her daughter arrived. Through her mother, the princess was a granddaughter of Prince Francesco di Paola, Count of Trapani, and Princess Isabella (née Archduchess of Austria-Tuscany). Maria Pia's parents were paternal first cousins.

Princess Maria Pia

Prince Imperial Luiz of Brazil

Acte de Mariage of Prince Luiz of Brazil and Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies 

The death notice for Prince Luiz of Brazil

On 3 November 1908 at Cannes, Princess Maria Pia of the Two Sicilies married her second cousin Prince Luiz of Orléans-Bragança, the son of Prince Gaston of Orléans, Count of Eu, and Princess Imperial Isabel of Brazil. Maria Pia and Luiz had three children: Prince Pedro Henrique (1909-1981), Prince Luiz Gastão (1911-1931), and Princess Pia Maria (1913-2000). Widowed in 1920, Princess Maria Pia died on 20 June 1973 at Mandelieu; she was ninety-four years-old.

The Prince Imperial and Princess Imperial of Brazil

Princess Imperial Isabel and Prince Gaston with their son Prince Luiz and his wife Princess Maria Pia together with their children Prince Pedro Henrique, Prince Luiz Gastão, and Princess Pia Maria.

Prince Achi of Greece Turns Twenty!

Prince Achileas-Andreas of Greece and Denmark

Today HRH Prince Achileas-Andreas of Greece and Denmark celebrates his twentieth birthday!

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The prince was born on 12 August 2000 at NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital, New York City.. He is the third child and second son of Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece and Crown Princess Marie Chantal (née Miller). Achi, as he is known in the family, has two older siblings: Princess Maria-Olympia (b.1996) and Prince Constantine-Alexios (b.1998). Achileas-Andreas was followed by two younger brothers: Prince Odysseus-Kimon (b.2004) and Prince Aristidis-Stavros (b.2008).

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The christening of Prince Achileas-Andreas took place on 7 June 2001 at the Greek Cathedral of Saint Sophia in London. The Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain, Gregorios, officiated over the ceremony. The prince's godparents are Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark; Infanta Elena of Spain, Duchess of Lugo; Prince Alexander von Furstenberg; Crown Prince Kardam of Bulgaria; Princess Rosario of Bulgaria; Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg; and Miss Veronica Toub.

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Achileas-Andreas was educated at Wellington College in Berkshire. With his parents and younger siblings, the prince moved back to New York City when his sister Olympia and brother Tino started university. In June 2019, Achileas-Andreas graduated from Dwight High School in New York. In September 2019, Achi of Greece began attending NYU (New York University).

Princess Sofia zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn Marries with Her 100 Year-Old Grandma Mamarazza in Attendance

The newlyweds.
Photograph courtesy of Schloß Sayn. 

Photograph courtesy of Schloß Sayn.

Photograph courtesy of Schloß Sayn.

On 8 August 2020, Princess Sofia zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn (b.1986) and Archia Akhavan-Kharazian (b.1990) were married at the Filialkirche Sankt Lorenz near Mondsee in the Salzkammergut, Austria. The Dean of Frankfurt, Johannes zu Eltz, a first cousin once removed of the bride, officiated over the religious ceremony. The bride wore the Sayn family bridal veil and tiara.

 

Sofia and Archia with their parents and Sophie's grandmother.
Photograph courtesy of Schloß Sayn. 

Fürstin Marianne and her granddaughter Princess Sofia.
Photograph courtesy of Schloß Sayn.

Sofia is the sixth child and third daughter of Fürst Alexander zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn and Countess Gabriela von Schönborn-Wiesentheid. Sophie's 100 year-old grandmother Fürstin Marianne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn (b.1919; née Baroness Mayr von Melnhof) was one of the guests at the wedding. Archia is the son of Asghar Akhavan-Kharazian and Eva Jimenez Ontanaya. Sofia and Archia's engagement was announced in March 2020.

 

Archia and Sofia at their civil wedding.
Photograph courtesy of Schloß Sayn.

Before their religious wedding, Archia and Sofia contracted their civil marriage at the Rathaus St. Gilgen. The couple will take their honeymoon whenever conditions permit. The groom is an entrepreneur in London.

An Image of the Eagles: The Imperial Bonapartes in 1949

The Dowager Princess Napoléon (née Princess Clémentine of Belgium), her daughter-in-law the Princess Napoléon (née Alix de Foresta), and her son the Prince Napoléon. The trio are here photographed near their residence at Prangins, near Lausanne, in 1949.

14 November 1910: the marriage of Prince Victor Napoléon and Princess Clémentine of Belgium

Princess Clémentine of Belgium (1872-1955) was the third daughter and fourth and last child of King Léopold II of the Belgians and Queen Marie Henriette (née Austria). In 1910, Clémentine married Prince Victor Napoléon, the son of Prince Napoléon Bonaparte and Princess Clotilde of Savoy. Clémentine and Victor had two children: Princess Marie Clotilde (1912-1996) and Prince Louis (1914-1997). Prince Victor Napoléon died in 1926, aged sixty-three. Princess Clémentine Napoléon died in 1955, aged eighty-two.

16 August 1949: the marriage of Prince Louis Napoléon and Alix de Foresta 

The Princess Napoléon in her wedding gown

Prince Louis Napoléon married Alix de Foresta (b.1926) in 1949. The couple have four children: the twins, Prince Charles and Princess Catherine (b.1950); Princess Laure (b.1952), and Prince Jérôme (b.1957). Prince Louis died in 1997, aged eighty-three. His widow Princess Alix, now ninety-four, lives at Prangins, Switzerland. 

SISTERS: Princess Daisy of Pleß and Shelagh, Duchess of Westminster

THE SISTERS

Princess Daisy of Pleß and Shelagh, Duchess of Westminster

Every so often, here at EUROHISTORY, we receive a book that fills a much-needed niche in our study of European royalty and aristocracy. Much to our absolute delight, this is what THE SISTERS does so beautifully!

The book brings to the reader, in great detail, the family and life history of two remarkable women who played very prominent social role in pre-Great War European royal and aristocratic circles.

The author, Barbara Borkowy has achieved a remarkable feat!

Princess Daisy of Pleß and her sister Shelagh, Duchess of Westminster are them protagonists of this excellent study. This is, "a story that reads like an exciting period romance novel. The author zestfully and meticulously recreates the momentous lives of the sisters..." Furthermore, this expertly-written dual biography, "is a must-read for those who are fascinated by the last chatelaine of Castle Fürstenstein," the dreamlike castle in Silesia that served as home to the Princes of Pleß.

A reviewer correctly asserted that, "Sisters is also recommended to anyone wanting to learn about the extraordinary fate of two remarkable women spanning a fascinating yet tragic period of European history."

EUROHISTORY has been asked by the publisher in Poland to assist in giving this magnificent volume wider distribution. We are simply honored for the book is...excellent!

You can purchase the book through our AMAZON page:

To order SISTERS from AMAZON

You can also order directly by contacting us:

EUROHISTORY

6300 Kensington Avenue

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ph. 510.236.1730

Email: eurohistory@comcast.net / aebeeche@mac.com

The Death and Funeral of Johannes Count von Mirbach-Geldern-Egmont, Prince zu Hohenlohe-Jagstberg

On 6 July 2020, Count Johannes von Mirbach-Geldern-Egmont, Prince zu Hohenlohe-Jagstberg, died as a result of contracting COVID-19. Johannes was eighty-one years-old.

Fürst Johannes zu Hohenlohe-Bartenstein and Archduchess Anna of Austria.

The Hohenlohe-Jagstberg siblings (right to left): Maria Rosa, Karl, Albrecht, Elizabeth, Margarethe, and Friedrich August.

Prince Johannes Maria Carl Alfons Friedrich Leopold zu Hohenlohe-Jagstberg was born at Haltenbergstetten on 2 December 1939. Johannes was the second child and son of Fürst Albrecht zu Hohenlohe-Jagstberg (1906-1996) and Countess Therese von Geldern-Egmont (1911-2000), who married in 1936. The paternal grandparents of Johannes were Fürst Johannes zu Hohenlohe-Bartenstein (1863-1921) and Archduchess Anna of Austria (1879-1961).

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The prince had two siblings: Fürst Alexander zu Hohenlohe-Jagstberg (b.1937; married (div.) Princess Michaela von Schönburg-Waldenburg) and Princess Eleonore (b.1940; married Baron Peter von Kap-herr). Johannes was adopted by his maternal uncle Count Ladislaus von Mirbach-Geldern-Egmont (1905-1982).

Prince Johannes zu Hohenlohe-Jagstberg, Count von Marbach-Geldern-Egmont at the wedding of Duchess Fleur of Württemberg in 2003.
Photograph (c) Seeger-Presse.

(Left to right): Count Benedikt von Dürckheim, Princess Andrea, Prince Johannes, and Princess Isabella in 2003 at the wedding of Duchess Fleur of Württemberg.
Photograph (c) Seeger-Presse.

Prince Lamoral and Princess Ruve zu Hohenlohe-Jagstberg.
Photograph (c) Seeger-Presse.

On 22 December 1969 at Haltenbergstetten, Johannes married Andrea Vogel (b.18 October 1944). Andrea is the daughter of Karl Vogel and Ingeborg Schreiber. Johannes and Andrea had two children: Princess Isabella (b.1972) and Prince Lamoral (b.1973). In 2018, Princess Isabella married Burkhard Keese, the CFO of Lloyd's of London. In 2000, Prince Lamoral married Ruve Nevillia Watts (b.1968); the couple have four children: Princess Feodora (b.2002), Princess Franziska (b.2004), Princess Mercedes (b.2007), and Princess Henrietta (b.2009). Prince Lamoral and Princess Ruve live in New South Wales, Australia, with their children. Lamoral is the founder of Mirbach Financial Modelling.

 

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The funeral for Count Johannes von Mirbach-Geldern-Egmont, Prince zu Hohenlohe-Jagstberg was held privately in July. A memorial service will take place in 2021. Following are photos from the funeral.

 

 

 

May Johannes Rest in Peace.

The Time Of King Juan Carlos In Spain Is On The Wane

King Emeritus Juan Carlos of Spain has sent a letter to his son King Felipe VI stating that Juan Carlos will be departing the country. The former Spanish monarch had been living at La Zarzuela Palace.

Indeed, it has now been confirmed by Max Foster of CNN that the king emeritus has already left Spain. Recent mounting criticism of extremely questionable financial and personal actions by Juan Carlos are the most understandable catalyst for this drastic step; indeed, the king abdicated in 2014 amidst declining popularity as reports of misconduct became public knowledge. The letter of don Juan Carlos to his son don Felipe reads as follows:

Your Majesty, dear Felipe:  

With the same desire for service to Spain that inspired my reign and in the face of the public repercussions of certain events from my past private life, I wish to express to you my absolute availability to contribute to facilitating the exercise of your functions, from the tranquility and calmness that your high responsibility requires. My legacy, and my own dignity as a person, demand it of me. One year ago, I expressed my will and desire to stop participating in institutional activities. Now, guided by the conviction of providing the best service to the Spanish people, their institutions, and to you as the King, I communicate to you my thoughtful decision to move, at this time, outside of Spain. A decision I make with deep feeling, but with great serenity. I was King of Spain for almost forty years and for all of them I have always wanted the best for Spain and for the Crown. 

With my loyalty forever.  

With my care and affection always, your father.

It is not indicated where don Juan Carlos, who is eighty-two, will be relocating.

Queen doña Sofía will continue to live at La Zarzuela.

¡Adiós, don Juan Carlos!