Louise of Saxony in Geneva with lover

December 23, 1902

Louise, the Crown Princess of Saxony, who fled her home near Salzburg eleven days ago, is now living in Geneva with her lover, Andre Giron, who was the tutor to her children. Staying at the same hotel is the princess' brother, Archduke Leopold, and a beautiful Viennese woman, whom he wants to marry. But both families are against the marriage.
Rumors about Louise's reconciliation with her husband, the Crown Prince of Saxony, are baseless, according to press reports. Her brother has renounced his archducal title and will take the name Leopold Wolfing. He is "noted for his artistic inclinations and for frequenting bourgeoisie households." Leopold has also resigned his military commissions and returned his orders to the Emperor.
He is expected to marry his Viennese companion. The Archduke was once secretly engaged to Donna Elvira, the second daughter of Duke Carlos, who eloped with "Count Filippo Folochi" in 1896. Leopold is said to be "regarded as weak mentally," and he "professes to extreme radical and almost anarchist views."

In the meantime, King Georg of Saxony and Crown Prince Friedrich have accepted that the separation is irreparable, and a divorce is possible. Louise has made it known that she could no longer endure the "forced companionship of a man who was loathsome to her." She had written to her mother, who implored with Louise to stay with her family for the sake of her children, but to see the Crown Prince as little as possible. Louise told her entourage that she was going to visit her parents in Salzburg. If Louise hoped that her parents would see her side of the story, she was mistaken. Her mother and father reminded her of her duty as a wife, and as an Austrian archduchess. Her brother, Archduke Leopold, took her side, much to their parents' chagrin.
The theory is that Louise is "suffering from a mental aberration is now only feebly propagated by the Saxon court."
Louise and her brother fled from their parents' home and traveled to Munich, where they met up with Professor Giron and the Viennese woman. They traveled from there to Brussels and then onto Geneva, where they are all now ensconced in a Geneva hotel.