Princess Marie Louise of Bulgaria

Princess Marie Louise of Bulgaria (Bulgarian: Княгиня Мария Луиза Българска; born 13 January 1933) also known as Marie Louise Borisova Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, is the daughter of Tsar Boris III and Tsaritsa Ioanna and the older sister of Simeon II of Bulgaria.[1] Her baptism in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church caused controversy at the time because her mother had promised to raise her children as Catholics.[2] After the change in house laws into absolute primogeniture by her brother King Simeon II, Princess Marie Louise became the head of the house of House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry.[3]

Princess Marie Louise
Princess Marie Louise in Bulgarian costume
Born (1933-01-13) 13 January 1933 (age 91)
Vrana Palace, Sofia, Kingdom of Bulgaria
Spouse
(m. 1957; div. 1968)
Bronisław Chrobok
(m. 1969)
IssuePrince Boris
Prince Hermann Friedrich
Princess Alexandra
Prince Pawel
HouseSaxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry
FatherBoris III of Bulgaria
MotherGiovanna of Italy

Biography edit

Her godfather was Aleksandar Malinov.[4]

She was enrolled at the Medical Nurse College of the Spanish Red Cross Society, which she graduated with honours.

After the abolition of the monarchy in 1946, Princess Maria Louise left the country with her mother and brother. They first lived in Egypt and then moved to Spain.[5]

Marriage and issue edit

She married Prince Karl of Leiningen (2 January 1928– 28 September 1990) in a civil ceremony on 14 February 1957 in Amorbach and in a religious ceremony on 20 February 1957 in Cannes.[citation needed]

The couple had two sons:[1]

  • Prince Boris of Leiningen (17 April 1960) married firstly Milena Manov on 14 February 1987; divorced 9 July 1994, with issue. He wed secondly Cheryl Ann Riegler 11 September 1999, with issue
  • Prince Hermann Friedrich of Leiningen (16 April 1963) married Deborah Cully 16 May 1987, with issue

Karl and Marie Louise divorced on 4 December 1968.[citation needed]

On 16 November 1969, she married Bronisław Tomasz Andrzej Chrobok (born 27 August 1934 in Katowice, Poland), in Toronto, Canada. Subsequently they lived in New Jersey, United States[citation needed] and have a daughter and a son:

  • Princess Alexandra-Nadejda of Koháry[6] (born 14 September 1970),[1] married Jorge Champalimaud Raposo de Magalhães (born 16 September 1970, scion of two Portuguese industrial families, grandnephew of António Champalimaud) on 8 September 2001.[citation needed] They have three children.[citation needed]
  • Prince Pawel Alastair Antoni of Koháry (born 3 May 1972),[1] married Ariana Oliver Mas in 2014. They have two children.[citation needed]

Princess of Koháry edit

The title "Princess of Koháry" was nominally ceded to Princess Maria-Louise and the descendants of her second marriage, by her brother King Simeon II, in September 2015.[3]

Professional life edit

Princess Maria-Louise is a member of the Board of Trustees of the American University in Bulgaria.[7]

On 13 May 2012, at the 18th commencement ceremony, Princess Maria-Louise received an honorary doctoral degree in Humane Letters from the American University in Bulgaria.[8]

In 2001, she visited and toured the church of St John of Rila the Wonderworker in Chicago's Portage Park community area.

Titles, styles, honours and awards edit

Styles of
Princess Maria Louisa
Reference styleHer Royal Highness
Spoken styleYour Royal Highness

Titles edit

  • 13 January 1933 – 11 June 2012: Her Royal Highness Princess Maria Louisa of Bulgaria, Princess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry, Duchess in Saxony
  • 11 June 2012 – present: Her Royal Highness Princess Maria Louisa of Bulgaria, Princess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry, Duchess in Saxony, The 9th Princess of Koháry

Honours edit

Dynastic edit

Foreign edit

Ancestors edit

[citation needed]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh (editor). Burke's Guide to the Royal Family, Burke's Peerage, London, 1973, pp. 245–246, 296. ISBN 0-220-66222-3
  2. ^ "Protest Baptism of Marie Louise". Spokane Daily Chronicle. AP. 16 January 1933. p. 1. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  3. ^ a b НИЕ СИМЕОН II-
  4. ^ Kingsimeon Archived 31 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine/
  5. ^ "King Simeon". Archived from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  6. ^ "Техни Величества Цар Симеон и Царица Маргарита посетиха гр. Асизи и се поклониха на гроба на Царица Иоанна | Н.В. Цар Симеон II".
  7. ^ "University Council". Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
  8. ^ Honorary Degree Recipients
  9. ^ "H.R.H. Princess Maria Luisa of Bulgaria Presented with the Dame Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion".