Archduke Rudolf of Austria (1950-) and Family

[whitebear]

I'm looking for information on Archduke Rudolf of Austria, born 1950, son of Archduke Carl Ludwig and grandson of Emperor Charles I. I believe he presently lives in Belgium and is an avid hunter. He might be coming to visit me and I would like to know more about him and any protocol I might need to know. Thank you in advance.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Archduke Rudolf married Baroness Hélène de Villenfagne de Vogelsanck in Brussels, Belgium on July 3, 1976. He had worked at invest managers AAA Gestion.

 

[Marc23]

His wife Hélène is, among many others, descendant of Rubens, the famous painter.

 

[maria-olivia]

They have a lot of Children....

 

[MAfan]

Archduke Rudolf and Archduchess Marie-Hélène are parents of eight childre: six sons (Carl-Christian, Johannes, Thomas, Franz-Ludwig, Michael and Joseph) and two daughters (Priscilla and Marie-des-Neiges).
Currently only the eldest son is married and himself father of four daughters.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Priscilla is the odd name, especially when her sister has such a beautiful traditional name (Marie-des-Neiges).

 

[maria-olivia]

I notice that their Boys have German Surnames.

 

[Marc23]

I notice that their Boys have German Surnames.

What do you mean by German surnames?

Their official "surname" is Habsburg-Lothringen if I am not mistaken which is, of course, German...

 

[Marengo]

Priscilla is the odd name, especially when her sister has such a beautiful traditional name (Marie-des-Neiges).

St. Priscilla was a martyr from 1st century Rome. Not older than Mary or snow (Neiges) perhaps, but certainly not a new name. The wife of emperor Dioclatian was also a Prisc(ill)a. And there is of course a legendary Queen of the desert with that name .

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Never too old to learn. I have never heard about a Saint Priscilla. I will look to the Saints' Calendar and see if I can find information. Thanks.

Found it: there is a Basilica di Santa Prisca in Rome. Priscilla is a diminutive of Prisca.

 

[Cris M]

Archduke Rudolf is the godfather of Countess Guillaume de Dampierre, nee Princess Alix de Ligne. He's a first cousin of the Countess' father, Michel, 14th Prince de Ligne. Her godmother is Princess Isabel of Brazil, her maternal aunt.

 

[maria-olivia]

Marc 23 ,German Names , sorry for that ! I often do this mistake .

 

[Marengo]

Are they incorporated in the Belgian nobility as prince von Habsburg-Lotharingen or de Habsbourg-Lorraine? I suspect the latter. The first names of the sons are German sounding indeed, though among the baptism names there are more French sounding ones too.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

The parents of Marie-Hélène are Guy, Baron of Villenfagne de Vogelsanck and Marie Rennée de Crombrugghe de Lorringhe.

 

[Marc23]

Marc 23 ,German Names , sorry for that ! I often do this mistake .

Maybe they had an "agreement" that first names of the boys will be chosen by father and first names of the girls by mother.

Just a guess

 

[Shikha Pal]

Is Archduchess Marie Hélène a French aristocrat?

A brief interview with Archduke Rudolf and his son, Archduke Michael, in French about Empress Zita of Austria in 2015.


https://youtu.be/KAakQAUHT1A

According to my knowledge, Archduke Rudolf's children are very active in religious work.

 

[Marengo]

Archduchess Hélène is Belgian. She was born in Schaesbeek, near Brussels. The head of the family resides Castle Vogelsanck in Zolder, Belgian Limbourg.

Her anscestors all come from the Belgian aristocracy; her siblings all married Belgian nobles too.

Guy de Villenfagne de Vogelsanck - Baudouin de Crombrugghe de Looringhe - Geneanet

 

[Shikha Pal]

how is Archduchess Marie-Hélène related to the head of the family?

 

[Marengo]

The head of the family is baron Gauthier, who is married to Jkvr. Priscilla le Hardÿ de Beaulieu.

They both descend from baron Jean de Villenfagne de Vogelsanck (1888-1976) and Jkvr. Elisabeth van de Werve d'Immerseel (1892-1990):

Jean -> Henri (b. 1916) m. Css Louise-Marie de Lichtervelde -> Claude (b. 1942), m. Jkvr. Isabel 't Kint de Roodenbeke -> Gauthier (b.1968)

Jean -> Guy, (b. 1927) m. Bss Marina de Crombrugghe de Looringhe -> Marie-Hélène (b. 1954)

 

[Shikha Pal]

Thanks for the info ?

 

[Sancia]

The head of the family is baron Gauthier, who is married to Jkvr. Priscilla le Hardÿ de Beaulieu.

They both descend from baron Jean de Villenfagne de Vogelsanck (1888-1976) and Jkvr. Elisabeth van de Werve d'Immerseel (1892-1990):

Jean -> Henri (b. 1916) m. Css Louise-Marie de Lichtervelde -> Claude (b. 1942), m. Jkvr. Isabel 't Kint de Roodenbeke -> Gauthier (b.1968)

Jean -> Guy, (b. 1927) m. Bss Marina de Crombrugghe de Looringhe -> Marie-Hélène (b. 1954)

As Gauthier's father, Claude, is still alive, shouldn't he be the head of the family ?

 

[maria-olivia]

His Mother , born Princess Yolande de Ligne is still alive . How old is she ?

 

[Countessmeout]

His Mother , born Princess Yolande de Ligne is still alive . How old is she ?

93, will be 94 in a few weeks

 

[Shikha Pal]

Isn't she the paternal aunt of Prince Michel de Ligne?

 

[Countessmeout]

Isn't she the paternal aunt of Prince Michel de Ligne?

Yes, Yolande was born Princess Yolande de ligne, third child and second daughter of Eugene, 11th Prince de ligne. Michaels father was her younger brother.

 

[Shikha Pal]

Yes, Yolande was born Princess Yolande de ligne, third child and second daughter of Eugene, 11th Prince de ligne. Michaels father was her younger brother.

Archduke Rudolf is the godfather of Prince Michel's daughter, Princess Alix, Countess of Dampierre, thats what one of the Facebook pages of the Brazilian Royal family says so.

 

[Stefanie]

Do Franz Ludwig and Mathilde have a child?
They married in 2018.

 

[Linda_26]

Very sad news:
Archduchess Estelle of Austria, née Lapra de Saint-Romain, has died on 4 March 2025, aged 46.
Born in January 1979, she was married since 2007 to Archduke Carl Christian (b.1977, eldest child of Archduke Rudolf and his wife Marie-Hélène, née de Villenfagne de Vogelsanck), and they had five children: Zita (2008), Anezka (2010), Anna (2012), Paola (2015), and Pier Giorgio (2021):
L'archiduchesse Estelle d'Autriche est décédée à 46 ans, laissant cinq jeunes enfants derrière elle

 

[Stefanie]

According to "Royal Musings" Archduke Rudolf of Austria' s daughter in law, Estelle de Saint Romain, died March 4th at the age of 46. She was married to his eldest son, Archduke Carl-Christian with whom she had five children, the youngest only 4 or 5 years old.
The funeral Service will be on March 11th in France.

 

[Marengo]

How terribly sad, and with so many young children.