The Austrian Imperial Tiara Treasured by the Princesses of Liechtenstein
Today, Princess Marie Caroline, the only daughter of the Hereditary Prince and Princess of Liechtenstein, will be married in Vaduz. Will she choose to wear this fabulous Habsburg heirloom tiara?
Today in Liechtenstein, the only daughter of the principality’s regent will be married in a glittering ceremony in the cathedral near the family’s castle in Vaduz. Ahead of the nuptials, join me for a deep dive into the history of the family’s most important piece of royal jewelry: a diamond tiara worn by the bride’s mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
The Princes of Liechtenstein have been sovereigns of a petite territory nestled in the Alps since the eighteenth century, but the jewelry vaults of the family are relatively spare given the family’s breathtaking personal wealth. Prince Hans-Adam II, who has been head of state since 1989, is the chairman of a billion-dollar foundation which manages the family’s finances and maintains their vast portfolio of properties and assets, including castles, artwork, and jewelry.
Today, Prince Hans-Adam lives a quiet life in retirement, having handed over the day-to-day work of running the principality to his eldest son. Hereditary Prince Alois has been Liechtenstein’s regent since 2004, exercising the powers of the head of state. He also often represents the family abroad at royal events like weddings (including those of the Crown Princess of Sweden and the Crown Prince of Jordan), investitures and coronations (like the celebrations for the Kings of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom), and funerals (including the state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II).
When Hereditary Prince Alois attends gala events abroad, he is joined by his wife of thirty-two years, Hereditary Princess Sophie. She was born into German royalty as a member of the House of Wittelsbach. Sophie’s great-great-grandfather was the last King of Bavaria before that monarchy was abolished in the wake of World War I, and her uncle, Prince Franz, is the current Duke of Bavaria, residing in the grand Nymphenburg Palace in Munich. (For those who cling to the idea of the Jacobite succession, Franz is also the current pretender to the British throne, a position he has dismissed as a “charming historical curiosity.”) On her mother’s side, Sophie is a descendant of the Swedish branch of Clan Douglas, who were ennobled by Queen Christina in the seventeenth century.
