by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2014
Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia
Prince Nikolaus Ferdinand Maria Josef Raphael of Liechtenstein was born October 24, 1947, in Zurich, Switzerland, the third son of the four sons and the third of the five children of Prince Franz Josef II of Liechtenstein and Countess Georgina von Wilczek.
Prince Nikolaus has four siblings:
- Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein (born 1945), married Countess Marie Aglaë von Wchinitz und Tettau, had three sons and one daughter
- Prince Philipp of Liechtenstein (born 1946), married Isabelle de l’Arbre de Malander, had three sons
- Princess Nora of Liechtenstein (born 1950), married Vicente Sartorius y Cabeza de Vaca, 3rd Marqués de Mariño, had one daughter
- Prince Wenzel of Liechtenstein (1962 – 1991), unmarried
Nikolaus was raised at Vaduz Castle and began his primary education nearby. He then attended the Schottengymnasium (Scots College) in Vienna. Following high school in Zuoz, Switzerland, he studied law at the University of Vienna, graduating in 1972.
The Prince worked for the International Red Cross in Geneva, and later as a consultant in Liechtenstein’s Office of International Relations. From 1979-1989, he served as Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe. In 1986, he was appointed the first non-resident Ambassador to the Holy See, a position he held until July 2017. In addition, he served as Ambassador to Switzerland from 1989-1996, and Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union from 1996-2010.
On March 20, 1982, Prince Nikolaus married Princess Margaretha of Luxembourg, at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. She is the daughter of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium, as well as the younger sister of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg. So far, their marriage is the last between two reigning royal houses in Europe. They had four children:
- Prince Leopold (born and died 1984)
- Princess Maria-Anunciata (born 1985), married Emanuele Musini
- Princess Marie-Astrid (born 1987), married Raphael Worthington
- Prince Josef-Emanuel (born 1989), married María Claudia Echavarría Suárez
Princess Margaretha and Prince Nikolaus with their children, 2010. photo: www.royaltyonline.blogspot.com
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