Mariano Hugo, Prince of Windisch-Graetz

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Mariano Hugo
Prince of Windisch-Graetz[1]
2019 Mariano Hugo zu Windisch-Graetz.jpg
Head of the House of Windisch-Graetz
Tenure1976 – present
Predecessor
Heir apparent
Born (1955-07-27) 27 July 1955 (age 66)
Trieste, Italy
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1990)​
Issue
Prince Alexis
Princess Larissa
HouseWindisch-Graetz
Father
MotherDonna Maria Luisa Serra di Gerace
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationAmbassador
Styles of
The Prince of Windisch-Graetz
Wappen Windisch-Grätz.svg
Reference styleHis Serene Highness[1]
Spoken styleYour Serene Highness
Alternative styleHis Excellency

Mariano Hugo, Prince of Windisch-Graetz (German: Mariano Hugo Fürst zu Windisch-Graetz, Italian: Principe Mariano Ugo di Windisch-Graetz; born 27 July 1955) is the current head of the Austria-Italian[1][2] House of Windisch-Graetz. He is currently a member of the Grand Magisterium of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. A former ambassador of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta to Slovakia, he is also currently the Order's ambassador to Slovenia.[3]

Upbringing and family[]

Windisch-Graetz was born at Trieste[1] as the elder son of and Donna Maria Luisa "Marilise" Serra di Gerace.[1] His mother was the legitimatised daughter of Gian Battista Serra, 12th Prince of Gerace and Donna Maria Grazia Carafa d'Andria.[2] He has two sisters and one brother: Christiana "Irma" married with Don Augusto Ruffo di Calabria (nephew of Queen Paola of Belgium), Maximiliane married with Prince Heinrich zu Fürstenberg and Manfred married with Maria Vittoria Lepri di Rota.[4][5][6]

Windisch-Graetz was educated firstly in Rome at the school of the De La Salle Brothers. In 1975 he graduated from University College of Buckingham with a degree in Philosophy, Economics and Political Science.[7]

When his father died in 1976, Windisch-Graetz succeeded as head of a cadet branch of the House of Windisch-Graetz,[1][8] a mediatised house whose members historically bore the style of Serene Highness.[1]

On 11 February 1990 in Salzburg, Austria, Windisch-Graetz married Archduchess Sophie of Austria, daughter of Archduke Ferdinand Karl Max of Austria and Countess Helene zu Toerring-Jettenbach (de),[1][8] daughter of Princess Elizabeth of Greece and Denmark. The couple have had two sons and one daughter:[9]

  • (born 4 August 1990 in Salzburg);
  • Prince Alexis Ferdinand (born 7 December 1991 in Rome - died 9 February 2010 in Sant'Angelo d'Alife);
  • Princess Larissa Maria Grazia Helen Leontina Maria Luisa (born 11 November 1996 in Rome).[1]

Windisch-Graetz and his family reside in Italy when he is not abroad on diplomatic appointment, maintaining a home in Rome and "Il Palazzo" in Sant'Angelo d'Alife.[1]

Activities and appointments[]

Ambassador Mariano Hugo of Windisch-Graetz gives a speech.

The business activities of Windisch-Graetz include the food production industry, notably biscuits and mozzarella cheese, and entrepreneurial finance.[2] In the early 1990s, he was a major shareholder in the Banco di Napoli and a holding company, Sogesco, of which he owned 82%, was capitalised at 10 billion lire.[10]

On 19 December 1987, Pope John Paul II appointed Windisch-Graetz a Gentleman of His Holiness,[11] a role which entails meeting visiting heads of state and ambassadors and escorting them to meet the pope.[12] He is also a Knight of Honour and Devotion in Obedience of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.[1]

In 2003, Windisch-Graetz was appointed Ambassador of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta to the Republic of Slovakia;[13] this appointment was renewed in 2006, until December 2009. In March 2009, he was appointed Ambassador of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta to the Republic of Slovenia.[14]

On 9 June, 2021, Windisch-Graetz was appointed to the Grand Magisterium of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. The appointment was made by the Grand Master of the Order, Fernando Cardinal Filoni. Windisch-Graetz is a Knight Grand Officer of the Order since 1980.

Honours and awards[]

References[]

Serra di Gerace family tree
  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürstliche Häuser XIX, "Windisch-Graetz" (Limburg an der Lahn: C.A. Starke, 2011), 431, 434–436.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c Les Manuscrits du CEDRE V, Le Royaume d'Italie I. Cercle d'Etudes des Dynasties Royales Europėennes (CEDRE), Paris, 1992, ISSN 0993-3964 pp. 196–197
  3. ^ Embassy of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta to the Republic of Slovenia
  4. ^ "Genealogia di Mariano Hugo von Windisch-Graetz". Geneanet (in Italian). Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Family tree of Manfred zu Windisch-Graetz". Geneanet. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  6. ^ "TV: DOMANI SU CANALE ITALIA 'COPIA&INCOLLA'". www1.adnkronos.com. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  7. ^ www.indiatimes.com
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b Willis, Daniel. The Descendants of Louis XIII, Chapter 6: The Imperial Family of Austria (Clearfield Co., 1999), 508–509.
  9. ^ M.Hugo Windisch-Graetz (PDF).
  10. ^ "Grandi Battaglie tra ricchezza e nobilta", (in Italian), Corriere della Sera, 19 February 1994 (accessed 29 April 2011)
  11. ^ Annuario Pontificio 2011 (Città del Vaticano: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2011), 2320.
  12. ^ Hyginus Eugene Cardinale, The Holy See and the International Order (Gerrards Cross: Colin SMythe, 1976), 208.
  13. ^ Grand Master Greets the President of the Republic of Slovakia Archived 6 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ Presentation of the Letters of Credentials
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b Leadership of the Savoy Orders Archived 25 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
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