Princess Michael of Kent Turns 69

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Princess Michael of Kent celebrated her 69th birthday on January 15th.

Born Baroness Marie Christine von Reibnitz towards the closing stages of World War II near the family estates at Karlsbad in the modern Czech Republic, the Princess has an older brother, Baron Frederick von Reibnitz who was born in 1942. Following the expulsion of the German population from that area, later that year, the family emigrated to Mozambique and her parents marriage later broke up. Marie Christine with her mother and her brother later moved and settled in Australia.

While back in Europe, Baroness Marie Christine met and later married English banker, Thomas Troubridge, at the Chelsea Old Church in September 1971. The couple separated in 1973 and were divorced in 1977. The marriage was also formally annulled by the Roman Catholic Church in May 1978.

On June 30th, 1978, Marie Christine married Prince Michael of Kent in a civil ceremony in Vienna, Austria. Following her marriage to the first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, Marie Christine assumed the style and title of HRH Princess Michael of Kent. As per the rules of the day, Prince Michael of Kent, an Anglican, lost his place in the British line of succession by marrying a Roman Catholic (Marie Christine).

The couple have two children, Lord Frederick Windsor, born on the 6th of April 1979, and Lady Gabriella Windsor, born on the 23rd of April 1981. Both children have been raised as Anglicans and thus retained their places in the British line of succession. Prince and Princess Michael of Kent later married at a Roman Catholic ceremony on the 29th of June 1983 at the Archbishop’s House in London.

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