Archduchess Yolande de Ligne: A Tribute to the Last Daughter-in-Law of the Austrian Imperial Family

2023-10-07 17:25:56

Archduchess Yolande of Habsburg-Lorraine, daughter-in-law of the last emperor of Austria, was buried this Saturday, October 7, 2023 in the Capuchin crypt, in Vienna. She thus joins the necropolis of her in-laws and rests with her husband, Archduke Charles-Louis. Many members of the Austrian imperial family attended this poignant moment, as well as representatives of other royal families. Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and several members of the Grand Ducal family were present.

Read also: Reunion between nephews of heads of state: Prince Joachim attends the wedding of Archduke Alexander

Archduchess Yolande de Ligne buried near the Austrian imperial family

Born in Madrid on May 6, 1923, Princess Yolande de Ligne was the daughter of Prince Eugène II, 11th head of the Belgian princely de Ligne family, and Philippine de Noailles. His brother, Baudouin de Ligne, became the 12th Prince of Ligne upon the death of their father in 1960. The latter died in 1985 without issue. Their second brother, Antoine, succeeded him. The 13th Prince of Ligne himself died in 2005. Prince Michel, 14th Prince of Ligne and son of the previous one, is the nephew of Princess Yolande.

Libretto of the requiem in memory of Archduchess Yolande of Austria (Photo: Jean-Claude Ernst/Luxpress)

The coffin of Archduchess Yolande rests in the chapel in Vienna (Photo: Jean-Claude Ernst/Luxpress)

The children of Archduchess Yolande de Ligne in the front row (Photo: Jean-Claude Ernst/Luxpress)

In 1950, Princess Yolande de Ligne married Archduke Charles-Louis of Austria at the Château de Beloeil, stronghold of the de Ligne family. Archduke Charles-Louis was the fourth son of Emperor Charles I of Austria and Empress Zita. Yolande and Charles-Louis had four children: Archduke Rudolf, Archduchess Alexandra, Archduke Charles-Christian and Archduchess Constanza. Her husband died in 2007. Archduchess Yolande died on September 13, 2023 in Brussels.

Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg attends the requiem service of Archduchess Yolande in Vienna (Photo: Jean-Claude Ernst/Luxpress)

The Archdukes of Austria gathered in front of the Capuchin crypt (Photo: Jean-Claude Ernst/Luxpress)

Grand Duke Henri with one of his sisters, Princess Margaretha of Luxembourg (Photo: Jean-Claude Ernst/Luxpress)

Read also: Wedding of Archduke Alexander of Austria in the presence of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg at Beloeil Castle

Foreign royalties pay tribute to Princess Yolande de Ligne in Vienna

The funeral of the Archduchess was celebrated in a small group in the Saint-Pierre church in Beloeil, on September 23, 2023. Close members of the family attended the service which was held a week before the wedding with great pomp. of one of his grandsons, Archduke Alexander, bringing together all Gotha in Beloeil. This Saturday, October 7, 2023, it was in Vienna that part of the family met to pay a final tribute to the Archduchess who died at the age of 100. Archduke Alexander himself, and his young wife, Archduchess Natacha were present.

Archduke Alexander married Natacha last week at the Saint-Pierre church in Beloeil, where his grandmother’s funeral had taken place a week earlier (Photo: Jean-Claude Ernst/Luxpress)

Archduke Christoph, son of Princess Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg and Archduke Carl Christian, attended the service in memory of his grandmother with his children (Photo: Jean-Claude Ernst/Luxpress)

Archduke Imre, brother of Alexander and Christoph, with his wife, Archduchess Kathleen and their youngest, Archduke Karl, first boy born in June 2023 after four girls (Photo: Jean-Claude Ernst/Luxpress)

Princess Gabriella of Bourbon-Parma, born Archduchess Gabriella of Austria, with her daughter (Photo: Jean-Claude Ernst/Luxpress)

Read also: Queen Anne-Marie’s poignant tributes at her husband’s funeral in memory of their marriage

The Austrian imperial family was once again torn between tears and joy. Part of the family responded to the invitation of the Duke of Braganza who married his daughter, the Infanta Maria Francisca, on this day, in Portugal. The other part of the family remaining in Austria went to the Capuchin crypt to pay homage to the daughter-in-law of Emperor Charles. Among them were the children of the deceased as well as the heir to the imperial family, Archduke Ferdinand. Archduke Ferdinand, 26, is the only son of Archduke Karl, current claimant to the imperial throne of Austria, also grandson of Emperor Charles. Archduke Lorenz, husband of Princess Astrid of Belgium, head of the Este branch, was present.

Princess Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg and her husband Archduke Carl Christian of Habsburg-Lorraine, daughter-in-law and son of the deceased (Photo: Jean-Claude Ernst/Luxpress)

Ligne’s family was also torn between these two events. The de Ligne family having attended the funeral celebrated two weeks ago in Belgium, the Prince de Ligne chose to go to the wedding of the Infanta Maria Francisca in Portugal.

Relations between the grand ducal family and Princess Yolande de Ligne (Image: Histoires Royales)

Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg was present at the funeral, surrounded by members of his family. The Luxembourg sovereign went to the office on the arm of Archduchess Gabrielle, born Princess Gabrielle de Wrede. Archduchess Gabrielle is now the last living daughter-in-law of Emperor Charles. She is the widow of Archduke Rudolph, sixth child of the last imperial couple. The nephews and nieces of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, also grandchildren of the deceased, were present.

Archduchess Yolande rests in the Capuchin crypt with her in-laws (Photo: Jean-Claude Ernst/Luxpress)

Grand Duke Henri with Archduchess Gabrielle, last daughter-in-law of Emperor Charles and Empress Zita (Photo: Jean-Claude Ernst/Luxpress)

The Capuchin crypt was commissioned in 1617 by Anne of Austria, wife of Emperor Matthias I of the Holy Roman Empire. The Empress wanted a burial place for her and her husband that would be close to the Hofburg Palace in Vienna. In 1617, a year after requesting the construction of her own tomb, the empress died. Her husband died in 1619. The crypt was only completed in 1633. Over time, the crypt became the Habsburg necropolis and several extensions were built over the centuries.

The Archduke Lorenz, Prince of Belgium and the Sovereign of Luxembourg (Photo: Jean-Claude Ernst/Luxpress)

The Capuchin crypt in Vienna was built in 1633 (Photo: Jean-Claude Ernst/Luxpress)

The last members of the family buried at the Capuchins rest in the Crypt chapel, the crypt chapel. We find Empress Zita, who died in 1989, as well as her sons, Archduke Otto and Archduke Charles-Louis. Archduchess Regina is also in this crypt, with her husband, Archduke Otto. This Saturday, Archduchess Yolande joined her husband, Archduke Charles-Louis. Emperor Charles I is an exception since he is buried in Madeira, where he died at the age of 34 in 1922.

Nicolas Fontaine Editor-in-chief

Nicolas Fontaine has been an independent web editor since 2014. After having been a copywriter and author for numerous Belgian and French brands and media, he specialized in royal news. Nicolas is today editor-in-chief of Histoires royales. [email protected]


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