Archduchess Estelle of Austria Dead at 46
Originally appeared on E! Online
The Austrian aristocracy is mourning a tragic loss.
Archduchess Estelle de Saint-Romain of Austria, married to Archduke Carl Christian, has died, her family confirmed in a statement. She was 46.
The statement, published March 8 in Le Figaro’s Carnet du Jour, noted that Estelle’s husband, children, parents and in-laws were “deeply saddened to announce the passing” of the Archduchess on March 4.
The statement did not include details about Estelle’s cause of death—though Point De Vue cites cancer—but it did note her funeral was held on March 11 at the Franciscan Monastery of Cimiez in Nice, France.
Estelle is survived by her husband and their five children, Zita, 17, Anezka, 15, Anna, 12, Paola, 10 and Pier-Giorgia, 4, all of whom were in attendance at her funeral, per Point De Vue. According to the outlet, also in attendance were d Princess Astrid of Belgium, Ferdinand of Habsburg, Princess Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg, and the Duke of Castro.
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The priest leading the ceremony, Brother Antonio Basso, per Point De Vue, said “Estelle and her family came to Mass at the monastery” every Sunday.
The outlet also reports the monastery was decorated with white flowers for the occasion, and that each of the five children lit a candle in honor of their mother during the ceremony. The priest complimented Estelle’s “loving wisdom,” the outlet reports, before “Ave Maria” played to close the ceremony.
Estelle and Carl—the son of Archduke Rudolf of Austria and his wife Baroness Hélène de Villenfagne de Vogelsanck—married in 2007 in a ceremony attended by 300 guests, per The Daily Mail, including Princess Astrid of Belgium, Prince Jean Napoleon, Prince Gundakar of Liechtenstein and Princess Marie of Orléans.
While the Austrian monarchy was disestablished in 1918, the former royal family’s descendants have remained within the public eye.
The wedding had so many curious fans, Point De Vue reported at the time, that while traveling through the town square, the “princes, archdukes and other distinguished guests had great difficulty making their way through the onlookers.”
The private couple reportedly celebrated their honeymoon in Mexico following their nuptials.
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