Laetitia d'Arenberg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Laetitia d'Arenberg |
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| Born | Lætitia Marie Madeleine Susanne Valentine de Belzunce 2 September 1941 Brummana, Mandate of Lebanon |
| Spouse |
Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria
(m. 1965; div. 1981)John Anson |
| Issue | Archduke Sigismund Archduke Guntram |
| House | Belzunce (by birth) Arenberg (by adoption) Habsburg-Lorraine (by marriage) |
| Father | Henri, Marquis de Belzunce |
| Mother | Marie-Thérèse de la Poëze d'Harambure |
Laetitia Marie Madeleine Susanne Valentine de Belzunce d'Arenberg (born 2 September 1941), known as Laetitia d'Arenberg, is a businesswoman from Uruguay with French roots. She is known for her work in business and her efforts to help children in need.
Her Early Life and Family
Laetitia was born on 2 September 1941 in Brummana, which was then called the Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon (now Lebanon). Her parents were Henri de Belzunce and Marie-Thérèse de la Poëze d'Harambure. Both came from old French noble families.
Her father was an officer in the Moroccan Tirailleurs, a type of soldier. He sadly died fighting for France in a battle called the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944. His family was very old and important in France, coming from a region called Lower Navarre.
In 1949, Laetitia's mother married again to Prince Erik Engelbert, who was the 11th Duke of Arenberg. In 1951, Laetitia and her family moved to Uruguay. They were worried that the Korean War might spread to Europe.
A few years later, in 1956, Laetitia and her brother Rodrigue were officially adopted by their stepfather, the Duke of Arenberg. This meant her last name became "de Belzunce d'Arenberg." She also became one of the people who would inherit his money.
Marriage and Children
On 19 June 1965, Laetitia married Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria-Tuscany in a civil ceremony in Austria. They had a religious wedding later that year in France.
They had two sons together:
- Archduke Sigismund Otto of Austria: He was born on 21 April 1966. He married Elyssa Juliet Edmonstone in 1999. They had three children. They later divorced. Sigismund is now the head of the Tuscan branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. This is a very old and important royal family.
- Archduke Guntram Maria of Austria: He was born on 21 July 1967. He married Debora de Sola in 1996. They have two children.
Laetitia and her husband, Archduke Leopold Franz, divorced in 1981. He moved back to Europe. Laetitia stayed in Uruguay. Some years later, she married again to a man named John Anson.
Honours and Achievements
On 10 April 2009, Laetitia d'Arenberg received a very special award from the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy. It was the medal of the Legion of Honor, given at the rank of Knight.
This award recognized her successful career over thirty years. It also honored her dedication to many social projects in Uruguay. She especially worked to help children who were not as lucky as others. The award ceremony took place on 24 September, with a group of French senators visiting Uruguay.
See also
- House of Arenberg
- Famille de Belzunce
