Anton II, Prince Esterházy

Anton Esterházy (27 December 1936 – 22 September 2025) was a descendant of Nikolaus, Count Esterházy and was counted as the family's 13th princely member between 1944 and 1947. The family's historical centers included Eisenstadt (Kismarton) and Forchtenstein (Fraknó), later Eszterháza and Fertőd. By the 18th century the Esterházys were regarded among Europe's largest landowners; their private wealth was said to exceed that of the Habsburg monarchs.

Early life and education In 1944, he lost his father, the adventurer Prince Antal Esterházy, at the age of eight. At the end of the war he was forced to flee Hungary with his mother, Gabriella Apponyi. After years with the Piarists in Hungary, he continued his studies with the Jesuits in Austria; in 1951 he moved to Belgium and in 1955 completed secondary school in French. A native speaker of Hungarian, he also spoke German, English, and French fluently. Following his school-leaving examination he studied economics and engineering at the Catholic University of Leuven.

Within the Esterházy family, the title of "hereditary prince" followed the principle of primogeniture. The princely rank was introduced in 1687, and from 1712 it was fixed that the eldest male-line heir would always bear it. While the dignity of family head fell to Antal, control of the property passed, under a right of usufruct, to Prince Pál's widow, Melinda Esterházy, a ballerina of the Hungarian State Opera who, being twenty-five years younger than her husband, had become the prince's consort. Between 1994 and 2004 the Esterházy assets were organized into three private foundations. Operational management was handled by Esterhazy Betriebe GmbH, established in 1991, which became one of Austria's most modern companies under the leadership of Melinda's nephew, István Ottrubay.

Antal Esterházy objected that, beyond the title and representational duties, he exercised no real influence or proprietary rights. Owing to disagreements over asset management and the presentation of the family legacy, he withdrew from the leadership of the Esterházy Private Foundations; in 2004 he returned to the Fertőd palace complex only by invitation, as patron and honorary protector.

After the break, he spent one of the most defining periods of his life in Fertőd, at the Esterházy Palace, In 2013, he married Svetlana Bardadim.(source).

His only child is Pál-Antal (Paul-Anton Nikolaus Maximilian Prinz Esterházy von Galántha) (*1986), an entrepreneur and founder of the Estoras fragrance brand.

His grandson, Miklós Johann Cedric Maria, was born in 2023.

Prince Esterházy died on 22 September 2025, at the age of 88.

Prince Esterházy's funeral was held in Fertőd on October 5, 2025. On behalf of the Hungarian government and the Prime Minister, State Secretary Tristan Azbej delivered the eulogy, emphasizing that Esterházy “dedicated his life to preserving the spirit of Hungary’s cultural heritage—particularly that of the Fertőd Palace,” and that “his wisdom, humanity, and humility will remain an example to us all.”

Honours and awards Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary (civil division). Magyar Közlöny, 20 August 2015. Honorary Citizen of Fertőd. Honorary Citizen of Galánta. Ma7, August 2023. Cziráky Margit Prize (Bagatell Foundation lifetime achievement award). Volksgruppen+1, 2010. Honorary Citizen of Ozora.