Who is Princess Michael, wife of Prince Michael of Kent?
WITH an esteemed military career, a successful consultancy business and a string of appearances under his belt, the Queen’s cousin Prince Michael is a royal with his fingers in a few pies.
He and his wife Princess Michael lead a low-key lifestyle and a profile of her life, Princess Michael: The Controversial Royal, airs on Saturday October 9 at 9pm on Channel 5 – but what exactly do we know about his wife?
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Who is Princess Michael of Kent?
Princess Michael of Kent, 75, often called Princess Pushy, has married the Queen’s cousin Prince Michael of Kent.
She is a member of the British Royal family of German, Austrian and Hungarian descent, born in Karlsbad, Germanywhich is now located in Czech Republic.
Born in 1945, her father – who was a member of the Nazi Party – divorced her mother a year later and she moved to Australia in 1950, where she received her education.
She then left for London to study the history of the visual and decorative arts.
Princess Michael was an interior designer before becoming an author and wrote a number of books about the European royal family.
Prince Michael is the Queen’s paternal cousin and the grandson of King George V and Queen Mary.
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When did she marry Prince Michael of Kent?
Princess Michael has been married twice.
She first married English banker Thomas Troubridge in 1971, but the couple subsequently separated in 1973 and divorced civilly in 1977.
The union was ecclesiastically dissolved by Pope Paul VI in May 1978.
She married Prince Michael of Kent just a month after the annulment in a civil ceremony in Vienna, Austria on June 30, 1978.
He forfeited his lineage by marrying her because she was Roman Catholic, but that later became the case restored by succession to the Crown Act 2013.
After receiving permission from Pope John Paul II, the couple married on June 29, 1983 in a Roman Catholic ceremony.
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Why is she called Princess Michael?
Princess Michael was born Baroness Marie Christine Anna Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz.
On her marriage she was given the title of Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent – the feminine equivalent of her husband’s title.
Prince Michael is the only grandson of a king with an HRH title who is a second son, so there are no other princesses with their husband’s name.
She is now the only princess in the royal family to bear her husband’s name in keeping with tradition – as all other princesses were born into the royal family.
How many children does she have?
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent have two children together.
Lord Frederick “Freddie” Windsor, 42, was the couple’s first child, born on April 6, 1979 at St Mary’s Hospital in London.
He married Sophie Winkleman in 2009 and they have two daughters, Maud and Isabella.
Dame Gabriella Kingston39, was born on April 23, 1981, again at St Mary’s Hospital in London.
She married Thomas Kingston on May 18, 2019.
This was announced on February 27, 2024 Thomas had died at the age of 45.
A statement on behalf of his loving wife and family said: “It is with the deepest sadness that we announce the death of Thomas Kingston, our beloved husband, son and brother.
“Tom was an exceptional man who lit up the lives of all who knew him. His death has been a great shock to the entire family and we ask that you respect our privacy as we mourn his passing.”
Gloucestershire Constabulary has said the ambulance service called about the death of Thomas Kingston.
Police said: “We were called by the ambulance service at 6.25pm on Sunday to a report of the death of a 45-year-old man at an address in the Cotswolds.
“The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.”
They do not have the title of Prince and Princess due to King George V’s ruling that only the sons of a brother of the king would receive the titles.
What books has she written?
Princess Michael is the author of three non-fiction books, Crowned In A Far Country: Eight Royal Brides (Weidenfeld), and Cupid And The King – Five Royal Paramours (Harper Collins) and in 2004 released The Serpent And The Moon, a true story of love and betrayal in a royal family.
She has written three novels, The Queen Of Four Kingdoms, Agnès Sorel: Mistress of Beauty and Quicksilver.
And she has also written a number of personal articles for Orient Express magazine.