Wedding of Archduke Otto von Habsburg and Princess Regina of Saxe-Meiningen

Royal and Noble Guests and Relatives celebrated the Wedding of Archduke Otto von Habsburg and Princess Regina of Saxe-Meiningen at the Église de Saint-François-des-Cordeliers in Nancy on this day in 1951, 75 years ago!

Archduke Otto von Habsburg, son of Emperor Charles I of Austria and Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma, married Princess Regina of Saxe-Mainingen, daughter of Prince Georg of Saxe-Meiningen and Countess Klara Marie von Korff genannt Schmising-Kerssenbrock, at the Église de Saint-François-des-Cordeliers in Nancy, following a Civil Ceremony at the Nancy Town Hall.

The ceremony was conducted with the most lavish royal pomp and ceremony, but only symbolically, as they were both deprived of their rank and fortune and living far from their homeland. By 1951, the Habsburg dynasty’s real political influence had long since been lost, yet tens of thousands of people from all over the former Austro-Hungarian Empire came to witness the marriage of Otto von Habsburg and Princess Regina.

After the ceremony, the newlyweds walked through the streets followed by one of the largest gathering of Austrian Royalists since the First World War.

As they stepped out of the gates of the Town Hall, the rainy weather turned unexpectedly clear, and the Archduke and Archduchess marched in sunshine to the Minorité Church of Les Cordeliers. Shouts of “Hooray!”, “Hoch!”, “Zivio!”, “Nazdar!” and “Vive les princes!” greeted them.

Archduchess Regina wore Empress Zita’s Diamond Tiara and Empress Zita’s Order of the Starry Cross.

The veil was made in the 18th century for Maria Theresa’s daughter, Maria Christina, on the occasion of her marriage to Elector Albert von Sachsen-Teschen, and the lace veil was embroidered with the coats of arms of both families. The relic was discovered by Otto von Habsburg’s uncle, Prince Xavier of Bourbon-Parmae, in his castle in Bost, and was presented to Regina as a token of his affection. Her tiara was a wedding present from Queen Zita, who received it from Franz Joseph and wore it first on her wedding day in 1911. The special jewellery featured a band of five diamond-encrusted hearts interlaced with scrolls and leaves.

Led by Empress Zita (wearing her Jet Tiara), Royal Guests and Relatives included the Count and Countess of Paris, Princess Maria Francesca of Savoy, and Prince Michel of Bourbon-Parma among twenty-one Archdukes and seventeen Princes.

On the eve of the Wedding, Archduke Otto von Habsburg and Princess Regina of Saxe-Meiningen attended a splendid Gala Performance at the Opéra de Nancy et de Lorraine.

Archduke Otto and Archduchess Regina had seven children and remained happily married until her death in 2010, with the Archduke passing away the following year.