Figure 1.--This is Elisabeth with her big brother Otto. She looks to be about 7-8 years old. This would mean about 1929-30. This was about the time the family moved from Spain to Belgium. I can't make out the photographer's imprint.

Elisabeth was the baby of the Austrian royal family. She was born posthumously after her father died (1922). King Alfonso XIII of Spain offered to provide a home for the family in Spain. As a result, Elizabeth was born in the Royal Palace of El Pardo in Madrid (May 1922). Her father had chosen her name before he died. She was named after Empress Elisabeth, the wife of Emperor Franz Joseph. King Alfonso secured the Palacio Uribarren for the family. The family moved to Steenokkerzeel, a small Belgian town outside Brussels (1929). The fled the NAZIs and settled in Quebec, Canada (1940). The family spoke German at home, but their education gave considerable attention to foreign languages. Elizabeth and the other younger children were still learning English, but spoke excellent French. They spent the War there before retuning to Europe after the War. Elisabeth married Prince Heinrich of Liechtenstein in Lignières, France (1949). The groom's father was Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein and Princess Theresia Maria of Oettingen-Oettingen. He was also a cousin of the Franz Joseph II, the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein.

Created: 2:40 AM 5/21/2011
Last updated: 2:41 AM 5/21/2011