Margherita's family announced her engagement to Robert, Archduke of Austria-Este on 20 October 1953.[1] They married on 29 December 1953 in Bourg-en-Bresse, Ain, France (civilly) and 29 December 1953 (religious), in Brou, France.[2][3] He was the second son of former Emperor Charles I of Austria and Zita of Bourbon-Parma. Robert was 38, and Margherita was 23. As the royal couple arrived for the first ceremony, hundreds of Austrians and Italians stood outside the town hall where the marriage was held.[2] The wedding was also attended by former King Umberto II of Italy and Robert's older brother Otto of Habsburg, the claimant to the Austrian throne.[2] At six feet tall, Margherita was, according to some witnesses, an impressive sight. She wore an ivory gown made out of satin with a long train hung from a diamond tiara.[3]
The couple took up residence in Paris, where Robert was a bank clerk.[3] They had five children, all with the territorial designation of Austria-Este:
Archduchess Maria Beatrice Anna Felicitas Zita Charlotte Adelheid Christina Elisabeth Gennara (11 December 1954). Married Count Riprand of Arco-Zinneberg, a great-grandson of the last Bavarian king, Ludwig III, and has issue. They have six daughters:
Countess Anna Therese Marie von und zu Arco-Zinneberg (b. 28 December 1981 at Munich)
Countess Margherita Ginevra Maria von und zu Arco-Zinneberg (b. 18 June 1983 at Munich)
Countess Olympia Elena Maria von und zu Arco-Zinneberg (b. 4 January 1988 at Munich)
Countess Maximiliana Aimée Maria von und zu Arco-Zinneberg (b. 1 November 1990 at Greenwich, Connecticut)
Countess Marie Gabrielle Hillary von und zu Arco-Zinneberg (b. 1992 at Greenwich, Connecticut)
Countess Giorgiana Astrid Maria von und zu Arco-Zinneberg (b. 1997 at Greenwich, Connecticut)
Archduke Gerhard Thaddäus Anton Marcus d'Aviano Maria Umberto Otto Carl Amadeus (30 October 1957);
Archduke Martin Carl Amadeo Maria (21 December 1959). Married Princess Katharina of Isenburg-Birstein. They have three sons and a daughter:
Archduke Bartholomäus Karl Robert of Austria (b. 27 July 2006 at Pavia);
Archduke Emmanuel Achatius Franz Alexander of Austria (b. 15 February 2008 at Pavia);
Archduchess Helene Cristina Margherita of Austria (b. 13 July 2009 at Pavia);
Archduke Luigi Amedeo Thadeus (b. 12 February 2011 at Pavia);
Archduchess Isabella Maria Laura Helena Antonia Zita Anna Gennara (2 March 1963). Married Count Andrea Czarnocki-Lucheschi. They have three sons and a daughter:
Count Alvise Marie Lorenz Bronislaw Robert Marcus d'Aviano Czarnocki-Lucheschi (b. 1999 at Brussels)
Count Carlo Amedeo Czarnocki-Lucheschi (b. 2 May 2000 at Brussels)
Countess Maria Anna Astrid Martin Zita Lucia Victoria Czarnocki-Lucheschi (b. 15 February 2002 at Brussels)
Count Alessandro Czarnocki-Lucheschi (b. 24 August 2004 at Brussels)
.svg)
