A Cousinly Visit to Romania

Crown Princess Margarita and Prince Radu of Romania hosted at Bucharest's Elisabetta Palace three of their Tuscan cousins.

The guests were Archduchess Maria Magdalena of Austria-Tuscany and her husband Baron Hans von Holzhausen, and Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria-Tuscany. Both Maria Magdalena and Elisabeth are daughters of the late Princess Ileana of Romania, herself the youngest daughter of King Ferdinand I and Queen Marie.

The Tuscan cousins also happen to be among the owners of beautiful Castle Bran, a domain returned to the m by the Romanian authorities. Bran was the private property of Princess Ileana, but was expropriated as " Crown Property" by the Communists in 1948. After a long, and successful legal battle, Ileana's descendants succeeding in having their mother's real estate restored to them. Bran is now administered by Archduke Dominik, a brother of Maria Magdalena and Elisabeth.

The Tuscan archduchesses are first cousins of King Michael I of Romania, as was King Peter II of Yugoslavia...all being grandchildren of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie. King Michael's maternal first cousins include: the late Queen Alexandra of Yugoslavia (wife of King Peter II), Queen Sophie of Spain, King Constantine II of the Hellenes, and the Duke of Savoy, among others.

Our deep thanks to Prince Radu for sharing these wonderful images on his blog!

http://www.princeradublog.ro/jurnal/fiicele-principesei-ileana-la-palatul-elisabeta/

 Archduchess Elisabeth, Crown Princess Margarita and Archduchess Maria Magdalena.

Archduchess Maria Magdalena and Archduchess Elisabeth.

Baron Hans von Holzhausen, Crown Princess Margarita, Archduchess Elisabeth,
Archduchess Maria Magdalena and Prince Radu.

Prince Radu greeting Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria-Tuscany.

Planting a tree in the garden of the Elisabetta Palace.