Princess Michael of Kent facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marie-Christine |
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| Princess Michael of Kent | |
Photograph by Allan Warren, 1999
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| Born | Baroness Marie-Christine Anna Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz 15 January 1945 Karlsbad, Greater German Reich (now Czech Republic) |
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| House | Reibnitz (by birth) Windsor (by marriage) |
| Father | Baron Günther von Reibnitz |
| Mother | Countess Maria Szapáry von Muraszombath |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
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Princess Michael of Kent was born Marie-Christine Anna Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz on January 15, 1945. She is a member of the British royal family. Her background includes German, Austrian, Czech, and Hungarian heritage. She is married to Prince Michael of Kent, who is a grandson of King George V. Before becoming an author, Princess Michael of Kent worked as an interior designer. She has written several books about European royalty.
Contents
Her Early Life and Family History
Princess Michael was born in Karlsbad (now Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic) on January 15, 1945. This was shortly before World War II ended in Europe. She was born at her Austrian grandmother's family estates. Later that year, many German-speaking people left Czechoslovakia.
Her family, the Reibnitz family, is a very old noble family from Silesia. Their noble history goes back to 1288. The family's old home was Reibnitz Castle. On her father's side, Princess Michael is related to other noble families. Some of these families, like the Dohna and Trauttmansdorff families, are also ancestors of Queen Elizabeth II.
Her father was Baron Günther Hubertus von Reibnitz. Her mother was Countess Maria Anna Carolina Franziska Walburga Bernadette Szapáry von Muraszombath. Her mother's father was Count Friedrich Szapáry, who was an ambassador for Austria-Hungary.
Princess Michael's father was a cavalry officer during World War II. Near the end of the war, her family left their estates. They moved to Bavaria, which was in the American-occupied part of Germany. Her parents divorced in 1946. Princess Michael then moved to Australia with her mother and older brother. She went to school there at the Convent of the Sacred Heart. In the early 1960s, she lived with her father on his farm in Mozambique. After that, she moved to London. She studied the history of art and design at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Her Marriages
Princess Michael's first husband was Thomas Troubridge, an English banker. They met in Germany and married on September 14, 1971, in London. They separated in 1973 and divorced in 1977. Their marriage was later officially cancelled by the Catholic Church in May 1978.
One month later, on June 30, 1978, she married Prince Michael of Kent. They had a civil ceremony in Vienna, Austria. Prince Michael is the son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. He is also a grandson of King George V. Lord Mountbatten helped them meet.
Prince Michael gave Marie-Christine a special ring. It had two sapphire and diamond stones that belonged to his mother, Princess Marina. After the wedding, she wore a beautiful diamond tiara and a cream-colored dress. When she married Prince Michael, she became Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent. This is the female version of her husband's title. With permission from Pope John Paul II, they had a Catholic blessing for their marriage on June 29, 1983.
Because she was Catholic, Prince Michael of Kent lost his right to the throne when they married. This was due to an old law called the Act of Settlement 1701. At that time, he was 15th in line to the throne. However, a new law in 2015 changed this, and Prince Michael got his succession rights back. Their children are members of the Church of England. They have always kept their rights to the throne.
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent have two children:
- Lord Frederick Windsor, born on April 6, 1979. He married Sophie Winkleman in 2009. They have two daughters: Maud (born 2013) and Isabella (born 2016).
- Lady Gabriella Kingston, born on April 23, 1981. She married Thomas Kingston in 2019. Her husband sadly passed away in February 2024.
Her Work and Career
Before marrying Prince Michael, she worked as an interior designer. She later restarted her design company, Szapar Designs. In 1986, her first book, Crowned in a Far Country: Portraits of Eight Royal Brides, was published. Her second book, Cupid and the King: Five Royal Paramours, was also published.
From 2007 to 2011, Princess Michael was the president of Partridge Fine Art, an art gallery in London. In 2008, she became a consultant and later an international ambassador for Galerie Gmurzynska in Switzerland. She also served on the board of the Victoria and Albert Museum. She gives lectures around the world about historical topics. She speaks at universities, museums, and galleries to promote her books and support her charities. Princess Michael has also been learning Russian.
Royal Duties and Charity Work
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Prince and Princess Michael have represented the Queen at important events. These include the independence celebrations for Belize and the coronation of King Mswati III of Eswatini. Princess Michael also supports many charities and organizations.
She has a strong interest in protecting cheetahs. She is the international royal patron for the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia. She is also a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London. This is a group dedicated to studying natural history.
Her Home and Finances
Prince Michael has never received money from the government for his royal duties. The couple has been able to use a large apartment at Kensington Palace. Queen Elizabeth II used to pay the rent for this apartment from her own money. This was to recognize the royal work and charity efforts Prince and Princess Michael did without public funding.
In 2008, it was announced that Prince and Princess Michael would start paying the full rent themselves from 2010. They had lived in the apartment since 1979.
Her Catholic Faith
Princess Michael of Kent is a Roman Catholic. She attended several events when Pope Benedict XVI visited the United Kingdom in September 2010. She went to Mass at Westminster Cathedral. She also attended a large outdoor Mass in Birmingham.
She represented the Duke of Edinburgh at an event in Assisi, Italy, in 2011. This event was about connecting religions with conservation efforts.
Her Health
In 1985, Marie-Christine was in the hospital for "nervous exhaustion." In 2002, she received treatment for skin cancer. In May 2021, it was reported that she had blood clots after having COVID-19. She also had lung issues when she was a child. In late 2024, she fell at her Kensington Palace apartment. She broke both of her wrists.
Titles and Honours
Her Titles and Styles
Since her marriage to Prince Michael, Marie-Christine has been known as Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent. This title is used because Prince Michael was the only grandson of King George V who was not given a special royal title when he married.
Her Honours
February 6, 2012: Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
- Other Honours
- Honorary Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners
- Honorary Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Weavers
- Honorary Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths
- Fellow of the Linnean Society of London (FLS)
Her Children
| Name | Birth | Marriage | Issue | |
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| Lord Frederick Windsor | 6 April 1979 | 12 September 2009 | Sophie Winkleman | Maud Windsor Isabella Windsor |
| Lady Gabriella Kingston | 23 April 1981 | 18 May 2019 | Thomas Kingston (Died 25 February 2024) |
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See also
In Spanish: María Cristina de Reibnitz para niños
