Regina, Crown Princess of Austria

Regina von Habsburg (née Princess Regina Helene Elisabeth Margarete of Saxe-Meiningen; 6 January 1925 – 3 February 2010), also known by the traditional royal title of Archduchess Regina of Austria, was a German-born Austrian social worker.

Early years

Regina was born in Würzburg. She was the youngest of four children born to Prince Georg of Saxe-Meiningen and his wife, Countess Klara Marie von Korff genannt Schmising-Kerssenbrock (1895–1992).

A sister, Princess Marie Elisabeth, died an infant in 1923. The elder brother, Prince Anton Ulrich, was killed in action during the Second World War, whereas the younger, Friedrich Alfred, became a Carthusian monk.

Although the Saxe-Meiningen dynasty was Protestant, Regina was raised in the Roman Catholic faith of her mother. She grew up in the Veste Heldburg which overlooks the Heldburger Land in south Thuringia. Her father, a judge in Meiningen and Hildburghausen, joined the Nazi Party in 1933 and died a captive at the Soviet camp for prisoners of war at Cherepovets in 1946. Unusually among the heirs to deposed monarchies, Otto did not use royal titles or pursue his claim. Instead, he had a political career in the European Parliament, the success of which he attributed to Regina's support.

Later life Regina and Otto lying in repose in the Capuchin Church, Vienna, draped with the Habsburg standard. The guards of honour are dressed in Austro-Hungarian uniforms.

On 2 December 2005 Regina had a stroke Her remains, except for her heart, were moved to Mariazell and then to the Kaisergruft in Vienna at the time of her husband's funeral on 16 July 2011.

Children Regina and Otto had two sons and five daughters: Andrea von Habsburg (born 30 May 1953), married Imperial Count Karl Eugen von Neipperg and had issue; one of them, Dominik, married Marie-Anna, Princess of Salm-Salm, a descendant of Friedrich, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont and his wife Princess Bathildis of Schaumburg-Lippe Monika von Habsburg (born 13 September 1954), married Don Luis María Gonzaga de Casanova-Cárdenas y Barón, 13th Duke of Santángelo Michaela von Habsburg (born 13 September 1954), married firstly Eric Alba-Teran d'Antin and secondly Count Hubertus von Kageneck Gabriela von Habsburg (born 14 October 1956), married Christian Meister, divorced in 1997 and then annulled Walburga von Habsburg (born 5 October 1958), married Count Archibald Douglas Karl von Habsburg (born 11 January 1961), married Baroness Francesca Anne Dolores Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon et Impérfalva, civilly divorced in 2017 Georg von Habsburg (born 16 December 1964), married Duchess Eilika of Oldenburg

Honours House of Saxe-Meiningen: Dame, Special Class of the Royal Decoration of Honour of the Saxe-Ernestine House of Habsburg: Grand Mistress Dame of the Imperial and Royal Order of the Starry Cross House of Habsburg: Grand Mistress Dame Grand Cordon of the Imperial and Royal Order of Elisabeth Dame Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Order of Saint John