February 3, 2010
Archduchess Regina of Austria died today at her home in Pöcking, Bavaria at 8:40 a.m. She was 85 years old.
In a statement released to the media by her eldest son, Archduke Karl said, on behalf of his family: "My mother was the model for all of us. We have lost a great personality who influenced us through her unwavering faith and her positive outlook on life."
Regina, who was the wife of Archduke Otto, the head of the Imperial House of Austria, suffered from heart disease. She died surrounded by her family.
Princess Regina Helene Elisabeth Margarete of Saxe-Meiningen was born January 6, 1925, in Würzberg, Germany, the youngest of four children of Prince Georg of Saxe-Meiningen and Countess Klara Maria von Korfft gennant Schmissing-Kersenbrock. She was the only one of the four children to marry and have descendants. Regina's oldest brother, Anton, was only 20 years old when he was killed in World War II. Her other brother, Friedrich, renounced his rights when he became a Carthusian monk. Regina also had a sister, Marie Elisabeth, who died at the age of three months in 1923, two years before her birth.
Prince Georg was himself the son of Prince Friedrich Johann of Saxe-Meiningen and Countess Adelheid of Lippe-Biesterfield. He was a captain in a cavalry regiment in Germany during the First World War. In November 1918, Georg's uncle, Bernhard III, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen abdicated. Georg died studied law after the war, and joined the Nazi party in 1933. He succeeded as head of the house of Saxe-Meiningen in 1941, following the death of his uncle, Ernst.
Georg died in a Russian Prisoner of war camp in 1946 and was succeeded by his son, Friedrich, as the head of the house. Friedrich renounced his rights in 1953 when he became a monk, and the succession passed to Georg's younger brother, Bernhard.
Prince Georg was baptized Lutheran, but as his wife was Roman Catholic, their children were raised in the Catholic faith.
Princess Regina worked as a social worker before she met Archduke Otto. They were married on May 10, 1951.
She is survived by her husband, Otto, 97, and seven children, Archduchess Andrea (Hereditary Countess of Neipperg), Archduchess Monika (Duchess of Santangelo), Archduchess Michaela, Archduchess Gabriela, Archduchess Walburga (Countess Douglas), Archduke Karl and Archduke Georg, 23 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Archduchess Regina will lie in repose at St Ulrich's Church in Pöcking from Saturday through Monday. This will be followed by a funeral service on Tuesday. The interment will take place on Wednesday at the Saxe-Meiningen family's crypt in Heldburg.
The archduchess was the Grand Mistress of the Order of the Starry Cross. It will be interesting to see who will become the next Grand Mistress. Neither of Regina's daughters-in-law is eligible. Archduchess Francesca is separated from her husband, Archduke Karl, who is the heir apparent, and Archduke Georg's wife, Elika, is Lutheran. The next eligible lady is Archduchess Margherita (nee Princess of Savoy-Aosta), the widow of Archduke Robert, Otto's brother. Perhaps, the position of Grand Mistress can be held by Margherita or her daughter-in-law, Archduchess Katharina (nee Princess of Isenburg.)
Archduchess Regina of Austria died today at her home in Pöcking, Bavaria at 8:40 a.m. She was 85 years old.
In a statement released to the media by her eldest son, Archduke Karl said, on behalf of his family: "My mother was the model for all of us. We have lost a great personality who influenced us through her unwavering faith and her positive outlook on life."
Regina, who was the wife of Archduke Otto, the head of the Imperial House of Austria, suffered from heart disease. She died surrounded by her family.
Princess Regina Helene Elisabeth Margarete of Saxe-Meiningen was born January 6, 1925, in Würzberg, Germany, the youngest of four children of Prince Georg of Saxe-Meiningen and Countess Klara Maria von Korfft gennant Schmissing-Kersenbrock. She was the only one of the four children to marry and have descendants. Regina's oldest brother, Anton, was only 20 years old when he was killed in World War II. Her other brother, Friedrich, renounced his rights when he became a Carthusian monk. Regina also had a sister, Marie Elisabeth, who died at the age of three months in 1923, two years before her birth.
Prince Georg was himself the son of Prince Friedrich Johann of Saxe-Meiningen and Countess Adelheid of Lippe-Biesterfield. He was a captain in a cavalry regiment in Germany during the First World War. In November 1918, Georg's uncle, Bernhard III, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen abdicated. Georg died studied law after the war, and joined the Nazi party in 1933. He succeeded as head of the house of Saxe-Meiningen in 1941, following the death of his uncle, Ernst.
Georg died in a Russian Prisoner of war camp in 1946 and was succeeded by his son, Friedrich, as the head of the house. Friedrich renounced his rights in 1953 when he became a monk, and the succession passed to Georg's younger brother, Bernhard.
Prince Georg was baptized Lutheran, but as his wife was Roman Catholic, their children were raised in the Catholic faith.
Princess Regina worked as a social worker before she met Archduke Otto. They were married on May 10, 1951.
She is survived by her husband, Otto, 97, and seven children, Archduchess Andrea (Hereditary Countess of Neipperg), Archduchess Monika (Duchess of Santangelo), Archduchess Michaela, Archduchess Gabriela, Archduchess Walburga (Countess Douglas), Archduke Karl and Archduke Georg, 23 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Archduchess Regina will lie in repose at St Ulrich's Church in Pöcking from Saturday through Monday. This will be followed by a funeral service on Tuesday. The interment will take place on Wednesday at the Saxe-Meiningen family's crypt in Heldburg.
The archduchess was the Grand Mistress of the Order of the Starry Cross. It will be interesting to see who will become the next Grand Mistress. Neither of Regina's daughters-in-law is eligible. Archduchess Francesca is separated from her husband, Archduke Karl, who is the heir apparent, and Archduke Georg's wife, Elika, is Lutheran. The next eligible lady is Archduchess Margherita (nee Princess of Savoy-Aosta), the widow of Archduke Robert, Otto's brother. Perhaps, the position of Grand Mistress can be held by Margherita or her daughter-in-law, Archduchess Katharina (nee Princess of Isenburg.)
I have excluded Archduke Lorenz's wife, Astrid, because she is a Princess of Belgium, first and foremost.
Here is a link to the Daily Telegraph's obituary of Archduchess Regina:
I talked to a friend, who lives in Austria, and asked him about the media coverage there. Very small articles, he said.
An interesting article from a Gibraltar newspaper.
A Baron von Korff was the Russian Ambassador to Stockholm in the 18th century and a Madame de Korff commissioned the berline à la Polignac which was used by the French Royal Family in their flight to Varennes.
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