Countess Beatrice von Hochberg (1929-2021), Granddaughter of Princess Daisy of Pless

Photo (c) Fundacja Księżnej Daisy von Pless.

Over this past weekend, Countess Beatrice von Hochberg died on 10 October at Munich. She was ninety-two years-old. The countess was the eldest sister of the current Prince of Pless.

Count Konrad and Countess Beatrice.

Photo (c) Zamek Książ w Wałbrzychu.

Countess Clotilde von Hochberg (formerly Princess of Pless) with her two eldest children, Count Konrad and Countess Beatrice.

Photo (c) Zamek Książ w Wałbrzychu.

Born on 15 July 1929 at Fürstenstein, Countess Beatrix "Beatrice" Maria Luise Margarethe von Hochberg, Baroness zu Fürstenstein, was the first child and only daughter to arrive during the marriage of Fürst Hans Heinrich XV of Pless, Count von Hochberg, and his second wife doña Clotilde de Silva y González de Candamo, who had married in 1925. Beatrice was followed by a younger brother, Count Konrad (1930-1934), who sadly died at the age of four from meningitis. Hans Heinrich XV and Clotilde of Pless divorced in 1934 after nine years of marriage.

The surviving children of Bolko and Clotilde (l to r): Bolko Jr., Beatrix, and Gioia.
Photo (c) Zamek Książ w Wałbrzychu.

In reality, Beatrice and her brother Konrad were the biological children of Clotilde de Silva y González de Candamo and her stepson Count Bolko von Hochberg. A few months after his father's divorce from his stepmother was finalised, Bolko and Clotilde married in 1934. They welcomed two additional children: Countess Gioia von Hochberg (b.1934; married Count Alfred Schenk von Stauffenberg; married Count Karl Magnus Leutrum von Ertingen) and Count Bolko (b.1936; current Fürst of Pless; married Ruth Marie Therese Reuther; married Elisabeth Malisse). 

Beatrice and her daughter Olivia in the late 1960s.
Photo (c) Zamek Książ w Wałbrzychu.

On 29 December 1951 at Munich, Countess Beatrice von Hochberg married Dr Franz "Frank" Armin Lindemann (b.1920). The couple divorced in 1955; they had no children. On 5 June 1961, Countess Beatrice married András Rudnay de Rudna et Divékujfalu (b.1911). The couple divorced in 1965; they had one daughter, Olivia. 

Countess Beatrice von Hochberg during her last visit to her family's home in 2014.
Photo (c) Zamek Książ w Wałbrzychu.

May the Countess Rest in Peace.

Sister Alix of the Silent Workers of the Cross (Archduchess Marie Adelheid; 1933-2021)

Sister Alix.

Photo (c) Corriere della Sera (Brescia).

At 6:30am on Sunday, 10 October, Sister Alix of the Silent Workers of the Cross died at Poliambulanza after a serious illness. Sister Alix was eighty-eight years old.

Born on 28 July 1933 at Schloß Persenbeug, Archduchess Marie Adelheid Theodora Antonia Bartholomea Leopolda Amalia Mathilde Markus d'Aviano Huberta Josepha Ignatia of Austria was the fourth daughter and fifth child of Archduke Hubert Salvator of Austria (1894-1971) and his wife Princess Rosemary zu Salm-Salm (1904-2001), who married in 1926. Marie Adelheid had twelve siblings: Archduke Friedrich (1927-1999; married Countess Margarete Kálnoky von Köröspatak), Archduchess Agnes (1928-2007; married Prince Karl Alfred of Liechtenstein), Archduchess Maria Margaretha (b.1930), Archduchess Maria Ludovika (1931-1999), Archduchess Elisabeth (1935-1998; married Prince Heinrich von Auersperg), Archduke Andreas Salvator (b.1936; married and divorced Maria Espinosa de los Monteros y Rosillo; married Countess Valerie Podstatzky-Lichtenstein), Archduchess Josepha (b.1937; married Count Clemens von Waldstein), Archduchess Valerie (b.1941; married Margrave Max of Baden), Archduchess Maria Alberta (b.1944; married Baron Alexander von Kottwitz-Erdödy), Archduke Markus (b.1946; married Hildegard Jungmayr), Archduke Johann (b.1947; married Annemarie Stummer), and Archduke Michael (b.1949; married Eva-Antonia von Hofmann). Marie Adelheid had a particular fondness for her three youngest brothers. In 1963, the archduchess became Sister Alix after she joined the Silent Workers of the Cross (Silenziosi Operai della Croce) following a meeting in Rome with its founder, the Blessed Father Luigi Novarese.

Sister Nora, the Head of the Silent Workers of the Cross, remembered Sister Alix: "Always smiling, active, energetic, in all circumstances of life. Her attention to the sick consisted above all in being close to them to instill serenity. Lover of nature and gardening. Many of us remember the works in the park of the Montichiari Castle."

May Sister Alix Rest in Peace.

Source:

Addio a sorella Alix, pronipote dell’imperatore Francesco Giuseppe

Prince Luiz of Brazil Hospitalised Since Last Week

Prince Luiz of Brazil was hospitalised last week in São Paolo after a period of ill health. The prince initially began to feel unwell on 29 September. This information was released on Monday by the Secretariat of the Brazilian Imperial House. The prince, who is eighty-three years-old, has remained under observation by doctors. More information is to be released in due course.

 

The prince spent a period in hospital last November: Prince Luiz, Head of the Brazilian Imperial Family, Released From Hospital Yesterday

A Bracelet at Auction Hints to Romance between Lady Iris Mountbatten and the Last Maharaja of Bundi

Gardener Galleries, an auction house in London, Ontario, currently has on offer a bracelet given to Lady Iris Mountbatten by His Highness Bahadur Singh, Maharaja of Bundi. The bracelet is made of silver and adorned with turquoises, garnets, and pearls. In addition to this jewellery, there are two letters from the Maharaja to Lady Iris, both written in 1950.

Maharao Bahadur Singh of Bundi entertaining a guest in the 1950s.

This is the description of the lot: Exquisite handcrafted antique solid silver hinged bangle bracelet designed in Mughal style of a double elephant head set with turquoise, pearl and garnets - gift to Lady Iris Mountbatten (moved to Toronto in 1960's) from the Maharaja of Bundi Rajputan (Col. HH Maharao Raja Shri Bahadur Singhji Bahadur) - in Birks box with her calling card, portrait photo and also accompanied by letters (some a little salacious) from the Maharaja to her. Following is an extract from one of the letters:

My very own Fatty,

Darling I wanted to write to you so badly for all these months, but as I didn't know your address in the States I couldn't. At last one day I was so worried & upset about you that I couldn't sleep the whole night...

Both letters from the Maharaja are written on his personal stationary, and they bear the arms of the Princely family of Bundi.

Lady Iris Mountbatten at Kensington Palace.

A great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria, Lady Iris Mountbatten (1920-1982) was the only child of the Marquess and Marchioness of Carisbrooke.

To see the bracelet, you can visit the website of Gardener Galleries.

To learn more about the last Maharaja of Bundi's service during World War II, you can read this article: Military Digest - The Prince who was a War Hero

Fürst Andreas and Fürstin Alexandra of Leiningen Mark Ruby Wedding Anniversary

Left to right: Princess Monika of Hannover, Fürst Emich of Leiningen, Princess Alexandra of Hannover, Prince Andreas of Leiningen, Fürstin Eilika of Leiningen, and Prince Ernst August of Hannover.

Today, the Fürst and Fürstin of Leiningen celebrate their fortieth wedding anniversary. On 11 October 1981, Prince Andreas of Leiningen married Princess Alexandra of Hannover in a religious ceremony in Austria. The couple had been civilly married the previous day at Amorbach. Andreas (b.1955) was the second son of Fürst Emich of Leiningen and Fürstin Eilika (née Duchess of Oldenburg). Alexandra (b.1959) was the fifth child and third daughter of Prince Ernst August of Hannover and Princess Ortrud (née Princess of Schleswig-Holstein). Andreas and Alexandra have three children: Hereditary Prince Ferdinand (b.1982; married Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia), Princess Olga (b.1984), and Prince Hermann (b.1987; married Isabelle Heubach). The Fürst and Fürstin of Leiningen live at Amorbach. 

Our congratulations to Andreas and Alexandra on the occasion of their Ruby Wedding Anniversary! 

The 70th Birthday of Prince Michael of Liechtenstein

Prince Michael in 2013. Photo (c) Getty Images / South China Morning Post.

On 10 October 1951 at Graz, Prince Michael Karl Alfred Maria Felix Moritz of Liechtenstein was born as the second child of Prince Heinrich of Liechtenstein and Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria. Michael's paternal grandparents were Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein and Princess Theresia Maria zu Oettingen-Oettingen und Oettingen-Wallerstein. The prince's maternal grandparents were Emperor Karl of Austria and Empress Zita (née Princess of Bourbon-Parma). Prince Michael has four siblings: Prince Vincenz (1950-2008), Princess Charlotte (b.1953), Prince Christof (b.1956), and Prince Karl (b.1957). 

Prince Michael and Princess Hildegard of Liechtenstein, 1998. Photo (c) Seeger-Presse.

In 1986, Prince Michael of Liechtenstein married Hildegard Berta Peters (b.1948). The prince and princess have two daughters: Princess Theresa (b.1987; married Count Cajetan zu Toerring-Jettenbach) and Princess Gisela (b.1990; married Victor Bergmann). 

Our best wishes to Prince Michael on his seventieth birthday!

The Death of Tây Phuong, the "Last Empress of Vietnam"

Emperor Bao Dai and his wife Princess Vĩnh Thụy in 1992.

Photo (c) Raymond Reuter/Sygma/Corbis.

French journalist and royal researcher Frederic de Natal has reported the recent death of Empress Tây Phuong of Vietnam, the widow of Emperor Bаo Đai. The empress reportedly passed away on the night of 27/28 September at Paris. She was seventy-five years-old. 

Monique Baudot.

Monique Marie Eugénie Baudot was born on 30 April 1946 at Pont-а-Mousson, Lorraine, France. In 1969, she met the widowed Emperor Bаo Đai in the French capital. At the time, Monique Baudot worked in the press office of the Embassy of Zaire to France. The couple married in February 1972, with the bride taking the title Princess Vĩnh Thụy. Between 1972 and 1974, the emperor and princess lived in Hong Kong, before returning to Paris, which became their permanent home. In 1982, the couple visited Vietnamese communities in Los Angeles, California; Washington, DC; and Newark, New Jersey. The last residence of the imperial pair was a small apartment at 29 rue Fresnel in the 16th arrondissement of Paris.

The headstone of Emperor Bao Dai.

Monique in 2006 at the Passy Cemetery.

Aged eighty-three, Emperor Bаo Đai died in Paris on 31 July 1997. The funeral of the emperor was attended by his five children from his first wife, Empress Nam Phương; however, his widow was not present. Bаo Đai was buried at the cimetière de Passy. After the death of the emperor, Princess Vĩnh Thụy assumed the title Empress Tây Phuong. In 2006, the empress presided over the placement of a new headstone on her late husband's final resting place. 

 Princess Vinh Thuy and Emperor Bao Dai in 1992.

Photo (c) Raymond Reuter/Sygma/Corbis

Frederic de Natal has written that the funeral for Empress Tây Phuong will be held on the morning of 14 October at the chapelle Sainte-Bernadette, 4 rue d'Auteuil, Paris.

May the Empress Rest in Peace.

Sources:

Décès de la dernière "impératrice" du Vietnam (Frédéric de Natal on 8 October 2021)

Savez-vous qu’une Mussipontaine est la dernière impératrice du Vietnam ? (L'Est Républicain of 21 January 2021)