Name Prince Wenzel | ||
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Siblings Princess Marie-Caroline Elisabeth Immaculata of Liechtenstein Cousins Duchess Anna Maximiliana Elizabeth Mariella Marie Similar People Alois - Hereditary Prince of, Sophie - Hereditary Princess, Marie - Princess of Liechtenstein, Franz Joseph II - Prince of, Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein | ||
Prince joseph wenzel of liechtenstein
Prince Joseph Wenzel of Liechtenstein, Count Rietberg (German: Joseph Wenzel Maximilian Maria von und zu Liechtenstein; born 24 May 1995) is the eldest child of Prince Alois of Liechtenstein, the regent and Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein, and his wife Princess Sophie of Bavaria, Duchess in Bavaria, he is also the eldest grandchild of the current ruling prince of Liechtenstein.
Contents
- Prince joseph wenzel of liechtenstein
- Biography
- The Princely House of Liechtenstein
- The Royal House of Stuart
- References
He is both second in the line of succession to the Liechtensteiner throne—through his father—and third in the Jacobite line of succession to the thrones of England, Scotland, Ireland and France—through his mother. He is the first Jacobite heir born in the British Isles since 1688 and shall be, upon his accession to the throne of Liechtenstein and upon the death of his mother, the first Jacobite heir since Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia to become the head of state of another country.
Biography
Prince Joseph Wenzel was born in 24 May 1995 at Portland Hospital in London, he is the eldest child of Prince Alois and his wife Duchess Sophie in Bavaria. He has three younger siblings: Princess Marie-Caroline (b. 1996), Prince Georg (b. 1999) and Prince Nikolaus (b. 2000). Joseph Wenzel is named in honour of his ancestor Josef Wenzel, Reigning Prince of Liechtenstein from 1712 to 1718 and from 1748 to 1772. He bears the name Maximilian in honour of his maternal grandfather Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria, and his paternal uncle and godfather, Prince Maximilian of Liechtenstein. In accordance with the custom of several Roman Catholic dynasties in Europe, including that of both his parents, he was given the name Maria in honour of the Virgin Mary.
In 2013 he was receiving his secondary education in England at Malvern College, where he was joined by his sister Marie-Caroline. After he graduated from Malvern in May 2014, Joseph Wenzel reportedly took a gap year, where he traveled to and gained work experiences in the United States and South America. Following in his father's footsteps, Prince Wenzel attended the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst in the United Kingdom, where he graduated in August 2017.
The Princely House of Liechtenstein
Since birth, Joseph Wenzel has borne the titles "Prince of Liechtenstein" and "Count Rietberg." He is second in line for the throne of Liechtenstein, preceded only by his father who has been Regent of Liechtenstein (Stellvertreter des Fürsten) since 15 August 2004.
However, Joseph Wenzel's grandfather Prince Hans-Adam II formally remains The Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein (Head of State of Liechtenstein) and head of the Princely House of Liechtenstein. When Prince Alois inherits that position, Joseph Wenzel will become the Hereditary Prince (Erbprinz), i.e., the heir-apparent to the throne of Liechtenstein.
The Royal House of Stuart
Joseph Wenzel is third in line and heir-apparent of his mother to the Jacobite succession to the British crown. Joseph Wenzel's grand-uncle Franz, Duke of Bavaria, is the current Jacobite heir-general, although he has made no claim to the British throne, nor have any of his ancestors in the Jacobite line of succession since the 18th century.
Prince Franz is elderly and has no children. Accordingly, on his death the position of Stuart heir is almost certain to fall to his younger brother Prince Max, if he is still alive, and after that to Max's eldest daughter Sophie, Joseph Wenzel's mother. The status of Jacobite heir-general will thus come to Joseph Wenzel himself in due course.
Having been born at Portland Hospital in London, Joseph Wenzel is the first potential Jacobite heir to have been born in Great Britain since James Francis Edward Stuart in 1688. Also, barring unforeseen circumstances, as prince of Liechtenstein he will eventually become a Head of State, a position not held by a Stuart heir-general since his great-great-great-grand uncle Francis V, Duke of Modena.