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Thursday, July 31, 2014

Engagement: Habsburg-Fairfax

Alexander Fairfax has popped the question to Archduchess Elmerice of Austria, and she said yes.  The couple were among the guests last weekend at the wedding of Prince Francois of OrlĂ©ans and Theresa von Einsiedel, so one presumes that Alexander's proposal took place not long afterward.

Elmerice Karoline Sidonie Elisabeth von Habsburg-Lothingen is the fifth and youngest child of Archduke Christoph of Austria and Ebba von Mohrenschildt.  Elmerice, who will celebrate her 30th birthday on September 6, is the only daughter.  She has four older brothers: Dominik, Maximilian, Constantin and Ferdinand.


This branch of the family descends from Archduke Heinrich (1878-1969) whose marriage to Karolina Ludescher, was morganatic.   Until the mid-1990s, the morganatic Habsburgs had the surname Habsburg-Lothringen, but were upgraded to counts and countesses of Habsburg-Lothringen by Archduke Otto.  (This was allegedly done because his elder son, Archduke Karl, was dating Camilla von Habsburg-Lothringen, and as a countess, she would be seen as equal.  Since then the marriage rules have been loosened.  The only requirement now is for the bride to be Christian.  According to several reports, Karl has extended the archducal titles to all the former morganauts.)


Heinrich was the 6th son of Ferdinando IV, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and was the issue of Ferdinando's second marriage to Princess Alicia of Bourbon-Parma.

The bride-to-be is an independent art consultant based in London.  http://www.elmericehabsburg.com/

In January 2003,  Elmerice was made her debut at the International Debutante Ball at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. 

Alexander Thomas Digby Fairfax was born in 1986 and is the eldest child of the Hon. Hugh Fairfax and Victoria Neave.  Hugh is a younger brother of Nicholas, 14th Lord Fairfax of Cameron.  I live on land once owned by his ancestors.

A specialist in mobile marketing communications, Alexander Fairfax is also based in London.

http://www.smallbusiness.co.uk/starting-a-business/success-stories/992622/rising-star-alexander-fairfax.thtml


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