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Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza

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Archduchess Francesca
Archduchess of Austria, Royal Princess of Hungary, Bohemia and Croatia
Francesca promoting a 'Tibet event', in Vienna, Austria, on 2012-05-26.
Born (1958-06-07) 7 June 1958 (age 66)
Lausanne, Switzerland
SpouseArchduke Karl of Austria
IssueArchduchess Eleonore
Archduke Ferdinand
Archduchess Gloria
FatherBaron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza
MotherFiona Frances Elaine Campbell-Walter
ReligionRoman Catholicism
Styles of
Archduchess Francesca of Austria
Reference styleHer Imperial and Royal Highness
Spoken styleYour Imperial and Royal Highness
Alternative styleMa'am

Francesca von Habsburg-Lothringen (born 7 June 1958) is an art collector and the wife of Karl Habsburg-Lothringen, head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.

Life

She was born Francesca Anne Dolores Freiin Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon et Impérfalva in Lausanne, the daughter of Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza and his third wife, fashion model Fiona Frances Elaine Campbell-Walter. She was educated at Le Rosey in Switzerland[1] and at the age of eighteen attended Saint Martin's School of Art[2] but left after two years. After leaving the college she worked as an actress, singer and model[3] Her partying lifestyle in London in the 1980s earned her reputation as an It girl.[1] For the ten years after she left Saint Martin's college she lived in England, New York and Los Angeles before moving to Lugano to become curator for her father's art collection.[4]

During the war in Croatia Francesca visited the country to help protect Croatia's heritage and artworks[1] and to help restore churches and paintings damaged during the fighting.[3]

Von Habsburg regularly participates in biennales by commissioning new works of contemporary art through a foundation called Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary which she founded in 2002 in Vienna Austria.[1] and has built up her own art collection with over four hundred pieces of contemporary video and digital art.[4] Since 2012, TBA21 has a new exhibition space in Vienna's second district, more precisely in a public park called Augarten. The exhibition space was therefore renamed Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary–Augarten. It exhibits works from the collection in thematic exhibitions twice a year. The Foundation also organises exhibitions of its collection world wide.[citation needed]

Von Habsburg has criticised her stepmother, Carmen Cervera, for the latter's management of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid after the sale of John Constable's painting, "The Lock".[5]

She appeared as Queen Marie-Henriette in the production Kronprinz Rudolf (2006), directed by Robert Dornhelm.[citation needed]

Personal life

Francesca married the heir to the Habsburg dynasty, Archduke Karl, son of Dr. Otto von Habsburg, in Mariazell on 31 January 1993. They have three children.

Francesca and Karl have been amicably separated since 2003.[3]

Considering this separation, Karl's sister, Archduchess Gabriella, assumes, since their mother Regina's death in 2010, the rank of Grand Mistress of the Order of the Starry Cross that Francesca would normally have assumed otherwise.[7][8]

She owns a residence in Port Antonio, Jamaica; where she is a keen supporter of the Reggae music industry.[9]

Honours

Habsburg dynastic honour

National honour

Ancestry[14]

Family of Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza
16. Friedrich Thyssen
8. August Thyssen
17. Katharina Thyssen
4. Heinrich, Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon
18. Johann-Heinrich Pelzer
9. Hedwig Pelzer
19. Hedwig Troost
2. Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon
20. Baron Albert Bornemisza de Kászon et Impérfalva
10. Baron Gábor Bornemisza de Kászon et Impérfalva
21. Countess Gabrielle Kornis de Göncz-Ruszka
5. Baroness Margit de Kászon et Impérfalva
22. James Price
11. Matilda Louise Price
23. Sarah M. Harlan
1. Francesca von Habsburg
24. Major Frederick Arthur Walter
12. Alexander McNeil Walter
25. Emma Elizabeth ...
6. Keith McNeill Campbell-Walter
26. Clifford Young Palmer Downing
13. Florence Ruth Gisella Downing
27. Florence Beatrice Crow
3. Fiona Frances Campbell-Walter
28. Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick Campbell
14. Sir Edward Campbell, 1st Baronet Campbell of Airds
29. Emilie Guillamine MacLaine
7. Frances Henriette Campbell
30. Arthur John Warren
15. Edith Jane Warren
31. Sophia Jane Wilson

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Byrnes, Sholto (2006-06-18). "Francesca von Habsburg: The It-girl who became an empress". The Independent. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  2. ^ Paco Barragán ([n.d.]). Interview with Francesca von Habsburg. ArtPulse Magazine. Accessed August 2013.
  3. ^ a b c Milner, Catherine (2006-05-13). "'It's like an invasion - without rape and pillage'". Daily Telegraph. p. 1. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  4. ^ a b Milner, Catherine (2006-05-13). "'It's like an invasion - without rape and pillage'". Daily Telegraph. p. 2. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  5. ^ "Euro Weekly News - Spain's largest FREE local newspaper in English". euroweeklynews.com.
  6. ^ "Royal godparents and godchildren".
  7. ^ Archdiocese of Vienna - " Oberste Schutzfrau: Gabriela Habsburg-Lothringen "
  8. ^ Sancrucensis, blog article about the Order and its Grand Mistress
  9. ^ Jamaica Gleaner
  10. ^ Seeger Press
  11. ^ Felix Austria Film
  12. ^ Hola
  13. ^ news networld Internetservice GmbH. "Habsburg reloaded - Auf den Spuren der Kaiser-Kinder • NEWS.AT". news.at.
  14. ^ Enache, Nicolas (1999). La Descendance de Marie-Therese de Habsburg Reine de Hongrie et de Boheme. Paris: L'Intermediaire des Chercheurs et Curieux. pp. 44, 50. ISBN 2-908003-04-X.