ALIX, PRINCESS of Ligne & (née of) Luxembourg (1929 - 2019)

Last Monday, February 11 (2019), the Royal Court of Luxembourg announced the death of a Royal family member. Alix, Dowager Princess of Ligne, passed away earlier that day, at the age of 89. She was the youngest sister of the world's oldest living monarch, Jean, former Grand Duke of Luxembourg (98), and an aunt to the current reigning Grand Duke Henri (the only Sovereign Grand Duke worldwide). So here we are looking back to her life!

Alix Marie Anne Antoinette Charlotte Gabrielle was born on August 24, 1929 at Château de Berg (official residence of Luxembourgish royal family). She was the youngest of six children (& four daughters) of Charlotte, (then) Grand Duchess of Luxembourg and her husband, Prince Félix of Bourbon-Parma. Through her parents, Alix became - by birth - a Princess of Luxembourg, Princess of Nassau & Princess of Bourbon-Parma. Her older siblings were: Jean, Elisabeth, Marie-Adelaide, Marie-Gabrielle & Charles. The princess was christened at the same castle she was born, and had her first Holy Communion (celebrated) in 1938 (shared with that of her brother, Prince Charles).

Alix as a child (front line, second from left), pictured with her siblings

Princess Alix' early childhood was spent at Château de Berg with her family. She initially received a private education at home, while her siblings attended school in Belgium. When Germans invaded Luxembourg on May 10, 1940 (during Second World War), the Grand Ducal family fled to Belgium in the last moment. There they joined some of Alix' siblings (still attending school) and later decided to flee through France, Spain & Portugal to seek safety. However, they were still close to conflict zone, and moved to the US (all except the Grand Duchess). While searching for a secure home, Alix & her family finally moved to Canada (in fall of 1940), where they were granted political assylum and settled to Quebec province (near her aunt, Dowager Empress Zita of Austria). The princess and her sisters attended here a girl's Catholic school, before they resettled in the United Kingdom, where (her mother) Grand Duchess Charlotte had been for some time. They stayed there until the end of War. Princess Alix was the only one of her siblings who wasn't actively involved into Luxembourg's liberation (as she was then still 15 years old, too young to drive an ambulance, as some of her siblings did). The entire family returned home on April 14, 1945, flown on Gen. Eisenhower's private plane.

Alix was the first of her siblings to marry. She met her husband, Antoine, (future) 13th Prince of Ligne - a Belgian noble of multiple awards & decorations of Belgian & British Armies during WWII - in 1949, at the wedding of her cousin Archduke Carl Christian of Austria to Princess Yolande (Antoine's sister). Their engagement was announced on April 18, 1950, from bridegroom's residence, Château de Beloeil. They were married on August 18 that year, both civilly (in the Grand Ducal Palace) & religiously (at Notre Dame Cathedral) in Luxembourg. Princess Alix' royal wedding was the first major royal event in the Grand Duchy since the end of war, received a great public interest both domestically & abroad. Following her wedding Alix moved to her husband's residence, and took his titles, though retaining her initial ones, and remaining (herself) a distant member of Luxembourgish royal family. Together they welcomed seven children: Michel (b. 1951), Wauthier (b. 1952), Anne (b. 1954), Christine (b. 1955), Sophie (b. 1957), Antoine (b. 1959) & Yolande (b. 1964).

In 1957 Prince Antoine (Alix' husband) was involved in an adventure with Belgian metereological team during a 17-month expedition in Antarctica, when their plane was damaged, leaving them marooned near the King Baudouin Base. They were rescued by Russian scientists and he returned home in 1959. Antoine succeeded as the 13th Prince of Ligne in 1985 (the year when Grand Duchess Charlotte died). Officially as the Princess of Ligne, Alix spent her time supporting charities (eg for ill or disadvantaged children), expanding her interest in floriculture (through flower & plant exhibitions) and travelling in various places (including South America). In their 55-year-marriage, Alix and Antoine enjoyed to the weddings of their and births of 20 grandchildren. Prince Antoine died suddenly in August 2005, at the age of 80 (of a heart attack). Alix faced another tragedy in her family life four years later - her grandson, Pedro of Orleans-Braganca was killed in a plane crash (of Air France Flight 447 in 2009). In her later years the Princess' public appearances were significally reduced, and she was confined in a wheelchair. One of her last ones was at the wedding of her granddauhter (& namesake), Alix de Ligne to Guillaume of Dampierre in June 2016.

At her granddaughter (Alix)'s wedding.

Princess Alix died on 11 February 2019, six months shy of her 90th birthday, at the (Beloeil) castle she had lived since her marriage. No official cause of death was given. She was survived by her children, 19 grandchildren, ~10 great-grandchildren, and two of her siblings (Grand Duke Jean & Princess Marie-Gabrielle) with their families, as well. Her funeral is taking place on Saturday, 16 February (2019) at 11am, at Château de Beloeil (in Belgium). Another memorial service for the late Princess will be celebrated at Église Saint-Michel in Luxembourg on a later date.

HRH PRINCESS ALIX (24/8/1929 - 11/2/2019), DOWAGER PRINCESS OF LIGNE, née PRINCESS OF LUXEMBOURG, NASSAU & BOURBON-PARMA - extended member of Luxembourgish Royalty, sister of former Grand Duke Jean & aunt of Grand Duke Henri.

Further links of information:
http://royalcentral.co.uk/europe/luxembourg/princess-alix-of-luxembourg-has-died-115858
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alix,_Princess_of_Ligne
http://www.luxarazzi.com/2016/12/luxarazzi-101-princess-alix-of.html
http://www.luxarazzi.com/2019/02/princess-alix-of-luxembourg-passed-away.html
http://www.monarchie.lu/fr/actualites/evenements/2019/02/11022019-decesprincessealix/index.html