Europe's abolished monarchy and where its royal members are today

The Hungarian monarchy was formally abolished 77 years ago, but some descendants of the infamous Habsburg family still live and work in Europe to this day.

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Between the 15th to 20th centuries, the Habsburgs — a German-Austrian royal family — were one of the major European dynasties. They ruled over Austria from 1282 to 1918, controlled Hungary and Bohemia between 1526 and 1918, and governed Spain and the Spanish empire for almost two centuries, from 1504 to 1506 and 1516 to 1700. But the dissolution and subsequent abolishment of the monarchy on February 1, 1946, led to the exile of their last Emperor and still affects the Habsburg descendants to this day.

Who are the Habsburgs

The House of Habsburg can be traced back to tenth-century Switzerland, where the Castle Habsburg — which gave the family its name — was among their earliest possessions.

During the European Renaissance, the House of Habsburg became known for its appreciation and patronage of the arts and literature. Notable members include Charles V of Spain, the nephew of Henry VIII’s first wife Catherine of Aragon; Maire Antoinette, the last Queen of France before the revolution; Ferdinand II of Spain, who financed Christopher Columbus’ journey to the Americas and Maximilian I of Mexico, the only Emperor of the Second Mexican Empire.

The Habsburgs had become the dominant political party and were notorious for their ability to gain power over numerous territories. The peak of Habsburg power came during Emperor Charles V’s rule in the 16th century; he ruled over an empire extending across Europe — from Spain and the Netherlands to Austria — and even overseas to parts of the Americas. However, having struggled to keep his empire together, he eventually abdicated and his brother Ferdinand I became his successor.

But, their ruling dynasty came to an end in November 1918 when they were deposed from both Austria and Hungary following defeat in World War One.

Karl von Habsburg, Sophie Habsburg and Prince Lorenz of Belgium

(L-R) Karl von Habsburg, Sophie Habsburg and Prince Lorenz of Belgium (Image: Getty Images)

Emperor Charles I

Charles I was the last of the Habsburg emperors (Image: Getty)

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Charles I of Austria, the last Habsburg ruler who also reigned as Charles IV of Hungary, issued a proclamation recognising Austria's right to determine the future of the state and renouncing any role in state affairs, issuing a separate proclamation for Hungary two days later — proclamations which marked the end of the Habsburg dynasty.

He soon went into exile in Switzerland and despite trying to regain power twice, failed to take back control. In 1921, he and his family were relocated to Madeira, an island off the coast of Portugal.

While their rule came to an end, the Habsburgs lineage continued, with many scattered across Europe to this day.

Karl von Habsburg

As the grandson of the last Austro-Hungarian emperor, Karl von Habsburg is a claimant to the defunct throne.

However, as an Austrian resident, he does not use his ancestral titles. His father, Otto von Habsburg, the last Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary, renounced all claims to the Austrian throne in 1961 — a necessary legal condition to being permitted to return to Austria.

Von Habsburg Family on Holiday in Croatia

Otto and Karl von Habsburg in April 1995 (Image: Getty)

In 1919, a law was introduced that abolished all Austrian and Hungarian noble, royal and imperial titles; then, in 1955, the anti-Habsburg laws — which stripped the family of their sovereign rights and banished all Habsburgs from Austrian territory — were made mandatory international and constitutional components of the Austrian State Treaty.

Karl has in the past been frank about his family history, telling Austria's largest newspaper, Kronen Zeitung, in 2018: “I don't refer to titles, I'm not that vain. People use these titles out of respect for history and the role of my family in history.”

In January 2007, Otto relinquished his position as head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, automatically devolving his power to Karl, and as head of the Habsburg family, Karl carries out several official commitments to things like cultural, historical and political events, as well as commitments to orders of chivalry, associations or military units.

His career has seen military service, politics, and a stint in the entertainment industry, having trained as a pilot, been elected to the European Parliament for the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and he’s even co-hosted a television game show.

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Karl resides in Austria and has led a career in politics (Image: Getty)

Karl married Baroness Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza, the only daughter of Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon, a European industrialist, and his third wife, the fashion model Fiona Frances Elaine Campbell-Walter in 1993.

During their 10 years of marriage, the couple had three children together: Eleanore, 30, Ferdinand, 27, and Gloria, 23. However, they separated in 2003 and ultimately divorced in 2017. Karl remarried in the Spring of 2022.

Prince Lorenz of Belgium

Historically titled Archduke of Austria-Este, Prince Lorenz of Belgium was the second child and eldest son of Robert, Archduke of Austria-Este, and his wife, Archduchess Margaret.

Robert was chosen to preserve the once-sovereign Duchy of Modena which had belonged to the House of Este. Upon his father’s death in 1955, Lorenz succeeded him in that role.

Prince Lorenz and Princess Astrid of Belgium with their children

Prince Lorenz (C) with his wife and their five children (Image: Getty Images)

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In his time he has worked for banks around Europe, mostly at the senior board level in high-profile finance institutes, including the BNP Paribas Bank in Paris.

Today, he is the director of UCB, a global pharmaceutical manufacturer, a company thought to bring in almost €5billion (£4.4billion) a year.

In 1984, Lorenz married Princess Astrid of Belgium, the only daughter of the then-Prince and Princess of Liège, later King Albert II and Queen Paola, who is fifth in line to the Belgian throne.

The couple has five children: Prince Amedeo, Princess Maria Laura, Prince Joachim, Princess Luisa Maria, and Princess Laetitia Maria.

Archduke Sigismund, Grand Duke of Tuscany

Head of the Tuscan branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, Archduke Sigismund is known as the Grand Duke of Tuscany. He succeeded his father, the great-grandson of Ferdinand IV — the last reigning Grand Duke of Tuscany, in 1993.

Ferdinand IV of Habsburg-Lorraine, engraving

Ferdinand IV of Habsburg-Lorraine, the last Grand Duke of Tuscany (Image: Getty)

In spite of his historical title, Sigismund has led a relatively normal life. Having trained in computer science, he worked as a software engineer banker.

In 1999, he married Elyssa Edmonstone, the only daughter of Sir Archibald Bruce Edmonstone, of Duntreath, 7th Baronet by his second wife Juliet Elizabeth Deakin.

Archduchess Elyssa is a great-great-granddaughter of Marshall Field and a third cousin of Queen Consort Camilla. One of the Edmonstone family’s best-known members was the royal mistress Alice Keppel, Camilla’s great-grandmother.

Sigismund and Elyssa divorced in 2013. They have three children: Archduke Leopold, Grand Prince of Tuscany, Archduchess Tatyana and Archduke Maximilian.

Sophie Habsburg 

Born in Paris to Archduke Ferdinand Karl Marx of Austria and Countess Helene of Törring-Jettenbach, Sophie, too, hails from the historic House of Habsburg. Her grandfather was the brother of Charles I and her great aunt, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, was married to Prince George, Duke of Kent.

Fabrizia Ruffo Di Calabria and Francisco de Borja Benjumea Wedding In Como Lake - June 09, 2012

Sophie Habsburg has led a successful career in the fashion industry (Image: Getty)

She had a successful career in modelling, appearing in De Beers and Valentino commercials, as well as being featured on the cover of the first issue of Vogue Spain.

Sophie moved to Spain in the Eighties and made a name for herself as an ‘It Girl’. Speaking of that time with Tatler last month, she said: “I suppose in Europe and Spain I became some sort of public figure kind of thing. When they opened Spanish Vogue, they asked me to be the first cover which was very nice.”

However, her later success came from design: in designing and decorating jewellery, Sophie took a fresh turn in the world of fashion when she began working on handbags.

Her loyal clients include members of European royalty: Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Lady Gabriella Windsor and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.

The bags are designed and made in Rome, and as she explained: “I have this wonderful new shop underneath my house. It’s three floors!”

Royal Ascot 2018 - Day 3

Sophie's loyal clients include the likes of Sophie, Countess of Wessex (Image: Getty)

There, she lives with her husband Prince Mariano Hugo of Windisch-Graetz, a member of the House of Windisch-Graetz, and their children.

The couple had three children together: Prince Maximilian Hugo, Prince Alexis Ferdinand and Princess Larissa Maria Grazia Helen Leontina Maria Luisa.

However, in 2010, tragedy struck the Habsburg household when Alexis died in a car accident. Sophie reflected, revealing her business came as a result of her grief: “I lost my son in a car accident. All my girlfriends were very sweet and they pushed me to stay active. They said, ‘You have to go to the fair in Paris, you have to start the real business, you have to do this, you have to do that!’ So I was pushed into it. But I’m incredibly thankful today.”

While historically styled as Her Royal and Imperial Highness Sophie Habsburg, the designer does not often rely on her ancestral titles.

Speaking about her heritage, she said: “I don’t think one really thinks about it unless one gets in front of an uncomfortable obstacle, but you have huge respect for what you’ve been given. You get it from a young age that you don’t go [Prince] Harry’s way.

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