Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis

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Princess Elisabeth
Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis (1982-), 2016 (cropped).jpg
Princess Elisabeth in 2016
Born (1982-03-24) 24 March 1982 (age 42)
Schloss Thurn und Taxis,
Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany
Names
Elisabeth Margarete Maria Anna Beatriz Prinzessin von Thurn und Taxis
House Thurn and Taxis
Father Johannes, 11th Prince of Thurn und Taxis
Mother Countess Gloria von Schönburg-Glauchau
Religion Roman Catholic
OccupationJournalist, author, socialite

Princess Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis (Elisabeth Margarete Maria Anna Beatriz Prinzessin von Thurn und Taxis; born 24 March 1982) is a German journalist, author, socialite, and art collector. By birth, as the daughter of Johannes, 11th Prince of Thurn and Taxis, she is a member of the German princely House of Thurn and Taxis. Since 2012 Elisabeth has worked as a style editor-at-large for Vogue . A Catholic traditionalist, she has written as a columnist for Vatican Magazine and authored a book on Catholic spirituality called The Faith of Children: in Praise of the People's Devotion. She has been referred to in the press as Princess TNT, a nickname once associated with her mother, Gloria, Princess of Thurn und Taxis.

Contents

Biography

Early life and family

Princess Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis was born on 24 March 1982 at Schloss Thurn und Taxis, a 500-room palace in Regensburg owned by her family, the Princely House of Thurn and Taxis. She is the second child of Johannes, 11th Prince of Thurn and Taxis and Countess Gloria von Schönburg-Glauchau. [1] She has an older sister, Princess Maria Theresia, and a younger brother, Prince Albert, who succeeded their father in 1990 as the 12th Prince of Thurn und Taxis.

St. Emmeram's Abbey, Elisabeth's birthplace. SchlossThurnundTaxis2010.JPG
St. Emmeram's Abbey, Elisabeth's birthplace.

Until 1918, the House of Thurn and Taxis held the rank of royalty in the German Empire, where they once owned the continental postal system as an Imperial fief. [1] As they were required to intermarry with other reigning or once-reigning dynasties, Elisabeth's mother is of similar background. [1] Through her father, she is a descendant of Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor, John VI of Portugal, Louis Philippe, King of the French and Charles IV of Spain. Through her mother, by birth a member of a mediatised comital dynasty, Elisabeth descends from the houses of the Russian princely families Golitsyn and Meshchersky and the German princes of Reuss. [1] The House of Thurn and Taxis is one of Germany's wealthiest and most prominent families. From her maternal side, she is a descendant of the House of Schönburg. Her mother is the daughter of the politician and journalist Joachim, Count of Schonburg-Glauchau, as well as the sister of socialite Countess Maya von Schönburg-Glauchau and author Alexander, Count of Schonburg-Glauchau, a grandnephew by marriage of Queen Elizabeth II. [2] Through her maternal grandmother, Countess Beatrix Széchenyi de Sárvár-Felsővidék, she is a descendant of Count István Széchenyi.

During her childhood, Elisabeth and her siblings were frequent guests of Michael Jackson at his Neverland Ranch, visits she recalled in her blog after his death in 2009. Describing Jackson as "excruciatingly shy," she defended his reputation, writing, "I couldn't imagine Michael hurting a fly, let alone a friend." [3]

Elisabeth was educated at Sevenoaks School in Kent, England, and has a bachelor's degree in media and communication studies from the American University of Paris. [4]

Career

Elisabeth worked as a features editor for the London-based Finch’s Quarterly Review and penned a blog, "The Princess Diaries," for Finch's until departing in 2010. [5] The blog contrasted the expectations, pleasures, difficulties and assumptions surrounding "princess" status with more "normal" issues like flat-hunting, London weather, and work. Elisabeth also contributed a monthly column in Vogue and articles for German and international art and style publications, including New York-based style magazine Quest . [6]

A devout Roman Catholic, Elisabeth has written for the British Catholic Herald about the revival of traditional religious communities in France, as well as a monthly column in Vatican Magazine. [7] [8] [9] She signed a 2008 petition asking the bishops of England and Wales to provide more Latin Sunday Tridentine Masses. [10] In December 2010, she published a liturgical volume titled The Faith of Children: in Praise of the People's Devotion. The book, which featured a foreword by Pope Benedict XVI's elder brother, Georg Ratzinger, was published in Italian and German. [11]

In 2011, her blog posts from Finch’s Quarterly Review were translated into German and published as a book titled Tagebuch einer Prinzessin. [12] [13]

In 2012, she began working as a contributing style editor for fashion magazine Vogue. [6] [14] In March 2015, she drew media criticism when she shared a photo on Instagram of what appears to be a homeless woman in Paris reading an issue of Vogue, which she posted with the comment, "Paris is full of surprises....and @voguemagazine readers even in unexpected corners!" She later deleted the photo and apologised on Twitter for causing any offense. [15]

In October 2019 Elisabeth curated Sotheby's Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels sale in Geneva. [16] [17]

Personal life

Princess Elisabeth in 2021 Princess Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis (2021).jpg
Princess Elisabeth in 2021

Elisabeth has frequently featured in socialite diary items and appeared in a Vanity Fair article entitled "Fortune's Children" in June 2009, photographed by Bruce Weber. [18] "I think it's a huge privilege to be able to use the access that we have in an interesting way," she said, discussing a book about art collectors she is writing in collaboration with her cousin, photographer Alex Flick.

In 2009, she was made a Dame of the Order of Malta. [19]

Elisabeth has resided in New York City, London, and Rome. [8] [16]

Decorations

Ancestry

Books

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thurn und Taxis</span> German noble family

The Princely House of Thurn and Taxis is a family of German nobility that is part of the Briefadel. It was a key player in the postal services in Europe during the 16th century, until the end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, and became well known as the owner of breweries and commissioner of several castles. The family has resided in Regensburg since 1748 with their seat at St. Emmeram Castle from 1803. The family is one of the wealthiest in Germany, and the current head of the House is Albert, 12th Prince of Thurn and Taxis.

The Flick family is a wealthy German family with an industrial empire that formerly embraced holdings in companies involved in coal, steel and a minority holding in Daimler AG.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gloria von Thurn und Taxis</span> Dowager Princess of Thurn and Taxis

Gloria, Dowager Princess of Thurn and Taxis is a German noblewoman, socialite, businesswoman, Catholic activist, and artist. Through her marriage to Johannes, 11th Prince of Thurn and Taxis, she acquired the courtesy title Princess Consort of Thurn und Taxis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert von Thurn und Taxis</span> German aristocrat and race car driver

Albert, 12th Prince of Thurn and Taxis, is a German aristocrat, businessman and race car driver. He has been listed as the world's youngest billionaire many times since his father's death in 1990, first appearing on the list when he was eight years old.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert, 8th Prince of Thurn and Taxis</span> Prince of Thurn and Taxis

Albert Maria Joseph Maximilian Lamoral, 8th Prince of Thurn and Taxis was the eighth Prince of Thurn and Taxis and Head of the Princely House of Thurn and Taxis from 2 June 1885 until his death on 22 January 1952.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johannes von Thurn and Taxis</span> 11th Prince of Thurn and Taxis

Johannes Baptista de Jesus Maria Louis Miguel Friedrich Bonifazius Lamoral, 11th Prince of Thurn and Taxis was a German businessman and head of the House of Thurn und Taxis from 1982 until his death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karl August, 10th Prince of Thurn and Taxis</span> Prince of Thurn and Taxis

Karl August Joseph Maria Maximilian Lamoral Antonius Ignatius Benediktus Valentin, 10th Prince of Thurn and Taxis was the tenth Prince of Thurn and Taxis and Head of the Princely House of Thurn and Taxis from 13 July 1971 until his death on 26 April 1982.

Alexander, Count of Schönburg-Glauchau, known professionally as Alexander von Schönburg, is a German journalist and writer. He is, after his older brother Carl's abdication, the current head of the comital branch of the princely House of Schönburg.

The Order of Parfaite Amitié is a dynastic order of knighthood of the princely House of Thurn and Taxis.

Joachim, Count of Schönburg-Glauchau was the nominal successor head of the former mediatised German Counts of Schönburg-Glauchau until 1945. Dispossessed and expelled from his homeland in 1945, he and his family migrated to the Rhineland, where he was an author and journalist. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, he returned to his homeland, represented the district in the Bundestag, and served in local government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schönburg family</span> European noble family

The House of Schönburg is a noble family of princely and historically sovereign rank. It formerly owned large properties in present-day Saxony, Thuringia and Bohemia. As a former ruling and mediatized family, it belongs to the Hochadel. The family today includes two princely and a comital branch.

Princess Elisabeth of Thurn and Taxis may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duchess Auguste of Württemberg</span> Princess of Thurn and Taxis

Duchess Auguste Elisabeth Marie of Württemberg was a member of the Ducal House of Württemberg and a Duchess of Württemberg by birth. Through her marriage to Karl Anselm, 4th Prince of Thurn and Taxis, Auguste was also a member of the Princely House of Thurn and Taxis and Princess consort of Thurn and Taxis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Princess Marie Auguste of Thurn and Taxis</span> Duchess of Württemberg

Princess Marie Auguste Anna of Thurn and Taxis was a Regent of Württemberg. By birth she was a member of the Princely House of Thurn and Taxis and through her marriage to Karl Alexander, Duke of Württemberg, she became Duchess consort of Württemberg.

Maria Theresia Ludowika Klothilde Helene Alexandra Prinzessin von Thurn und Taxis, is a German visual artist, journalist, forest and agricultural landowner, and member of the German princely House of Thurn und Taxis. Along with her siblings, her family owns one of Europe's largest private estates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Princess Maria Sophia of Thurn and Taxis</span> German princess

Princess Maria Sophia of Thurn and Taxis was a member of the House of Thurn and Taxis, a Princess of Thurn and Taxis by birth, a member of the House of Württemberg, and a Duchess of Württemberg through her marriage to Duke Paul Wilhelm of Württemberg — a German naturalist and explorer.

Finch's Quarterly Review was an international luxury magazine which published articles about glamour and style, often with a humorous slant. The magazine was primarily aimed at the luxury sector, but also included coverage of philanthropy, politics, the arts, history and music. Articles in the publication were often written by society insiders, from a perspective which was often not available in other magazines. The target audience of the magazine was people in show business.

Hugo Wilson is an English artist and sculptor.

Countess Maria Felicitas von Schönburg-Glauchau, also known as Maya von Schönburg, was a German socialite.

Beatrix, Countess of Schönburg-Glauchau was a Hungarian-German aristocrat and socialite. By birth a member of the Széchényi family, a Hungarian noble family, she fled Hungary in 1956 during the Communist Revolution. After arriving in Germany, she married Joachim, Count of Schönburg-Glauchau, the nominal head of the House of Schönburg-Glauchau, and moved to Africa. She lived in Togo and Somalia, where her husband worked as a journalist, before returning to Germany in 1970. After divorcing her husband in 1986, she moved to Regensburg to live with her daughter, Gloria, Princess of Thurn und Taxis.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürstliche Häuser Band XIX. "Schönburg". C.A. Starke Verlag, 2011, pp. 367–370. ISBN   978-3-7980-0849-6.
  2. ↑ Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Furstliche Hauser Band XIX. C.A. Starke Verlag, Limburg an der Lahn. 2011. pp. 365, 368–369, 383–386. German. ISBN   978-3-7980-0849-6.
  3. ↑ Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis (7 July 2009). "Never Neverland Again". Finch's Quarterly Review. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  4. ↑ Julia Katharina Hettich (16 March 2014). "Das Glamouröse Leben Der Jetset-Prinzessin" [The Glamorous Life of the Jet-Setting Princess]. Bunte (in German). Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  5. ↑ Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis (29 October 2010). "Goodbye, Farwell, Aufwiedersehen, Adieu!". Finch's Quarterly Review. Archived from the original on 12 February 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  6. 1 2 Emanuella Grinberg (7 March 2015). "Photo on Vogue editor's Instagram deleted amid criticism". CNN . Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  7. ↑ Josef Karg (29 October 2009). "Ich bin keine Heilige!" [I'm not a saint!]. Augsburger Allgemeine (in German). Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  8. 1 2 Anna-maria Wallner (1 April 2010). "Die Carrie Bradshaw des Vatikans" [The Carrie Bradshaw of the Vatican]. Die Presse (in German). Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  9. ↑ "The return of the tonsure, wimple and soutane". Catholic Herald . 23 November 2007. Retrieved 2 July 2009.
  10. ↑ "Leading Catholics petition for Latin Mass". The Daily Telegraph . London. 24 July 2008. Archived from the original on 21 October 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2009.
  11. ↑ "German Princess Thurn und Taxis presents book about her faith". Rome Reports. 19 December 2010. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
  12. ↑ Jochen Brenner (23 September 2011). "Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis:Katholisch für Anfänger" [Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis: Catholic for Beginners]. Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  13. ↑ "Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis: Aus dem Tagebuch einer Prinzessin". Die Welt. 4 October 2011.
  14. ↑ Dhani Mau (7 March 2015). "Vogue's Elisabeth Von Thurn Und Taxis Posts Tasteless Instagram in Paris". Fashionista. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  15. ↑ Elisabeth of Thurn und Taxis (8 March 2015). "I wanted to extend my sincerest apologies for the offense my post has caused". Twitter . Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  16. 1 2 Sigee, Rachael (18 October 2019). "Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis on Making Her Own Way as a Modern Princess". Sotheby's .
  17. ↑ Elwick-Bates, Emma (18 October 2019). "Princess Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis Hosted a Dinner to Celebrate Her Curation of Sotheby's Jewelry Auction Last Night in London". Vogue . Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  18. ↑ "Fortune's Children". Vanity Fair . 1 June 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  19. ↑ "Bischof Schraml ruft zum Dienst an Armen und Kranken" [Bishop Schraml calls for service to the poor and sick] (in German). Roman Catholic Diocese of Passau. 20 June 2009. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
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