Quick Facts
Biography
Archduchess Ilona of Austria (German: Erzherzogin Ilona von Österreich; 20 April 1927 – 12 January 2011) was a member of the Hungarian Palatine branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. She was married and later divorced from the late head of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Georg Alexander, Duke of Mecklenburg.
Family and marriage
Archduchess Ilona (Helene) of Austria was born in Budapest, Hungary the second daughter and child of Archduke Joseph Francis of Austria and his wife Princess Anna of Saxony. Her father was the son of Archduke Joseph August of Austria who was one of the heads of the provisional government of Hungary following the removal of King Charles IV. Her mother was a daughter of the last king of Saxony, Frederick Augustus III.
Ilona married Duke Georg Alexander of Mecklenburg civilly on 20 February 1946 and religiously on 30 April 1946 in Sigmaringen, Württemberg-Hohenzollern during the allied occupation of Germany. Her husband was the eldest child and heir of George, Duke of Mecklenburg, head of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and his first wife Irina Mikhailovna Raievskya.
On 6 July 1963, following the death of her father in law her husband became the new head of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Ilona and Georg Alexander had three daughters and a son before divorcing on 12 December 1974.
Ilona died in the morning of 12 January 2011 in Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, aged 83.
Children
| Name | Birth | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Duchess Elisabeth Christine | 22 March 1947 | Married Alhard, Baron von dem Bussche-Ippenburg (born 30 June 1947) civilly on 15 November 1974 in Lüdenscheid and religiously on 3 May 1975 at Hohenzollern Castle. Had two daughters and one son, Ricarda, Josina and Gabriel before divorcing on 15 December 1997. |
| Duchess Marie Catherine | 14 November 1949 | Married Wolfgang von Wasielewski (born 15 December 1951) civilly on 17 March 1978 at Bonn and religiously on 15 July at Biengen. Has two children, Natalia and Alexander. |
| Duchess Irene | 18 April 1952 | Married Constantin Harmsen (born 28 April 1954) civilly on 22 September 1979 at Mexico City and religiously at Biengen on 26 July 1980. Has two sons, Maximilian and Moritz. |
| Duke Borwin | 10 June 1956 | Married Alice Wagner (born 2 August 1959) in Hinterzarten civilly on 24 December 1985 and religiously on 19 July 1986. Has three children, Olga, Alexander and Michael, and is the current head of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. |
Titles, styles and honours
Titles
- 1927 – 1946: Her Imperial and Royal Highness Archduchess Ilona of Austria
- 1946 - 1963: Her Imperial and Royal Highness Archduchess Ilona of Austria, The Hereditary Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
- 1963 - 1974: Her Imperial and Royal Highness Archduchess Ilona of Austria, The Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
- 1974 – 2011: Her Imperial and Royal Highness Archduchess Ilona of Austria, Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Honours
National dynastic honours
House of Habsburg: Dame of the Imperial and Royal Order of the Starry Cross, 1st Class
House of Mecklenburg: Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Royal House Order of the Wendish Crown
Foreign honours
Italy
Sovereign Military Order of Malta: Knight Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, 3rd First Class
Ancestry
| Ancestors of Archduchess Ilona of Austria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||