A Habsburg engagement: Anna-Carolina of Austria to marry Briton

 

John Constable Straker was born on October 23, 1990, in Northumberland, most likely in Hexham, as his parents, James Andrew John Straker and Rodrica Consuelo Chichester-Constable.  He has three younger siblings, Isabel, Crispin and Beatrice.   

 HI & RH Archduchess Anna-Carolina of Austria is a member of the former ruling family of Austria. She was born in Munich, Germany, on June 11, 1996, the eldest of six children of HI & RH Archduke Eduard Karl Joseph Michael Marcus Antonius Koloman Volkhold Maria of Austria and Baroness Maria Theresia Katharina Elisabeth von Gudenus.  Her younger siblings are Archduchesses Theresa, Sophie, Ladislaja, Rose, and Archduke Paul.

Her paternal grandparents are HI & RH Archduke Michael of Austria and HSH Princess Christina of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, whose brother, Aloys, is the Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg.   

Archduke Eduard is Hungary's Ambassador to the Holy See and the Sovereign Order of Malta, succeeding his father, Archduke Michael, in the latter position. His son, Archduke Paul, a recent graduate of Thomas Aquinas College in Massachusetts, is an intern with the Order's UN Mission in New York City.

https://rlo.acton.org/archives/126019-an-interview-with-archduke-eduard-habsburg.html

Anna-Carolina also has Habsburg ancestry from her mother, a descendant of Archduke Johann of Austria (1782-1959) and his morganatic wife, Anna Plochl.   Johann was the 13th child of Emperor Leopold II of Austria and Infanta Maria Luisa of Spain.   

Johann and Anna had one son, Count Franz von Meran, who married Countess Theresia von Lamberg.  Maria Theresia is a descendant of Franz's son Count Johann, Count of Meran (1867-1947), and his wife Countess Ladislaja von Lamberg (1870-1952).

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 Jack is a graduate of Eton (2009).   He has a Master of Arts from the University of Oxford (foreign languages and literature) and an MBA from the IE Business School.  After several years working in London, he returned home in the summer of 2022 to take over the family business. He is the co-owner of the Burton Constable Holiday Park & Arboretum.   

His mother's family home, Burton Constable, is now owned by the National Heritage Memorial Fund, which purchased the house and estate in 1992 and established the Burton Constable Foundation.  Rodrica and Jack are members of the Foundation.  The family maintains an apartment in one of the Hall's wings.  The Straker estate, Greenshaw House, is in Hexham.

Jack is also a member of the Historic Houses' Next Generation Committee.

Although his father, James Straker, was Anglican,  Jack and his siblings were raised as Roman Catholics, their mother's faith.  He and his brother, Crispin, have been volunteers with the Order of Malta.  For three years, he was the advisor to Fra' Matthew Festing, Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta.  His position ended in September 2017 following Festing's resignation earlier that year.

Due to Archduke Eduard's position in Rome, it is possible that Anna-Carolina and Jack could marry at the Vatican.  Eduard's brother, Archduke Paul, is a priest with the Order of Legionaries of Christ.

The future bride and groom are (if I counted right) 14th cousins once removed as both are descendants of King James V of Scotland (1512-1542).   Anna-Carolina is a descendant of the king's legitimate daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots.  Jack's line of descent is through two of James's illegitimate sons,  James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray (1531-1570), and Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney (1533-1593). 

According to the French-language blog, https://gothanjou.blog/  Archduchess Anna-Carolina has 66 lines of descent from King James V of Scotland.

King James V's mother was Margaret Tudor, the elder daughter of King Henry VII of England.   

https://burtonconstableholidaypark.co.uk/

https://peeragenews.blogspot.com/2024/10/strakerhabsurg-lothringen-engagement.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc9_uPSjT30

https://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.php?ID=198213

Day 11 - June 18 - Duke's Lane and Runnymede

  

It was another sunny and warm day.     Today was Duke's Lane where the Royals get into the carriages for the procession to Ascot.  Great way to see the King and Queen and other members of the royal family, up close and personal.

The bus stop is across the street from Oyster Wharf.  The bus goes to Clapham Junction - a five-minute ride to the station, where I bought a ticket for Woking.  It was a quick trip.  My friend, Katrina, was waiting for me.   

Katrina had a ticket to park  -- so no need to walk up the hill from Ascot or from Windsor -- we arrived with several hours to spare.    We met up with her friend Val and Val's husband and settled on a spot to sit and wait.  Or take a walk to see the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee statue.

The police told me the walk would take about 20-30 minutes each way, and added I had plenty of time.  With my camera in hand, I set out to walk as fast as I could, but also took the time to appreciate where I was.  

Took a left turn after the three houses (all with lovely gardens).   It was another few minutes walk down its lane when I spotted the statue.  I took several photos before walking back down the lane, making a right turn at the three houses, and heading back down Duke's Lane. 

One police officer said to me -- well done, with time to spare.  It was nice to sit down, and enjoy lunch and a slice of sponge cake that I bought from the Royal School's Bake Sale.

Yummy!!! Victoria Sponge cake

The carriages arrive first and get into place before the cars come from the Castle.

And then the cars arrived. 

The procession sets off at 2 p.m.  It heads down Duke's Lane toward Ascot and the Racecourse.

It is time to pick up chairs, throw stuff in the trash, and return to the car.  Katrina decides to not drive down Duke's Lane but go toward the Castle,  exiting by Royal Lodge.

This is by the entrance to Royal Lodge, home of the Duke of York

We drove to Runnymede, where King John signed the Magna Carta in 1215.  Runnymede is owned by the National Trust.  This was my second visit to Runnymede.  I first visited in the mid-1980s.

these signs were in huts that are a part of a display at Runnymede, emphasizing the the Magna Carta's role in democracy and the freedom of speech.  (It's not free speech.)

Me wanting to stretch after a long day

This exhibit, The Jurors, was created in 2015 by Hew Locke to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta.

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/jun/15/hew-locke-sculpture-jurors-runnymede-magna-carta-against-injustice

Another American connection

The Kennedy Memorial is owned by the American people on an acre of land at Runnymede.

https://www.kennedytrust.org.uk/display.aspx?id=1870&pid=285

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2015/05/kennedy-memorial-at-runnymede- dedicated.html

According to the Cornell Law School,  "the writers of the Bill of Rights and state constitutions were inspired by concepts born in the Magna Carta: that a government should be constitutional, that the law of the land should apply to everyone, and that certain rights and liberties were so fundamental that their violation was an abuse of governmental authority."

The American Bar Association Memorial is on the site where the Magna Carta was signed in 1215.

https://magnacarta800th.com/magna-carta-today/links/runnymede-magna-carta-memorial/

Cute bird, but do not know this bird

Local pigeons enjoying a snack

We had dinner at the White Hart pub in Pirbight, Woking.  It was not my first time here -- good food -- as Katrina knew I would love to see the duck pond.  

Happy Duck

And then it was time to head back to London. Only two full days left.  Katrina dropped me off at the Woking station for Clapham Junction.    

My view when I got back to the AirBnB.