Marie, Princess of Liechtenstein (born Countess Marie-Aglaë Bonaventura Theresia Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau; 14 April 1940 – 21 August 2021) was Princess consort of Liechtenstein as the wife of Prince Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein.

By birth, she was a member of the House of Kinsky.

Biography

Princess Marie was born on 14 April 1940 in Prague as the daughter of Count Ferdinand Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau (1907–1969) and his wife Countess Henriette Caroline of Ledebur-Wicheln (1910–2002) in the Nazi-run Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (now the Czech Republic). Her paternal grandparents were Count Ferdinand Vincenz Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau and Princess Aglae von Auersperg. Her maternal grandparents were Count Eugen Rudolf Maria von Ledebur-Wicheln and Countess Eleonore Larisch von Moennich, great-granddaughter of Barbu Dimitrie Știrbei, Prince of Wallachia.

In 1945, her family fled to Germany where Marie began her education in Ering am Inn from 1946 to 1949. Then she attended Lioba Sisters' boarding school at the Wald Monastery in Baden-Württemberg for eight years. In 1957, she spent an extended period of time in England to improve her English, and graduated from her boarding school in 1958. She then attended the Academy for Applied Arts at the University of Munich, graduating in 1961. Following some time in Paris to improve her French, she began working as an industrial designer for a printing house in Dachau, Germany until 1965.

Princess Marie married Prince Hans-Adam II, her second cousin once removed, at St. Florin's in Vaduz on 30 July 1967.

They had four children: 

• Hereditary Prince Alois (b. Zürich, 11 June 1968), 
• Prince Maximilian (b. St Gallen, 16 May 1969), 
• Prince Constantin (b. St Gallen, 15 March 1972), and
• Princess Tatjana (b. St Gallen, 10 April 1973).

Princess Marie was involved in many organizations within Liechtenstein, with her focus being on education, culture and the arts. 

Princess Marie served as president of the Liechtenstein Red Cross from 1985 to 2015. She was also a patron of the Red Cross and the Verein für Heilpädagogische Hilfe, a foundation for people in Liechtenstein with special needs.

In 1976, Princess Marie became a member of Liechtensteinische Gesellschaft für Umweltschutz (LGU), Liechtenstein's society for environmental protection. 

She was the president of Society for Orthopaedic Aid from 1983 to 2005 and a patron since 2005. She was also a patron of Verband Liechtensteinischer Familienhilfen, a family support organisation. Princess Marie was a member of the historical society of Liechtenstein.

Death

On 18 August 2021, Princess Marie suffered a stroke. She died three days later in a hospital in Grabs, Switzerland, at the age of 81.

Honours

•  Liechtenstein: Grand Star of the Order of Merit of the Principality of Liechtenstein
•  Liechtenstein: Recipient of the 70th Birthday Medal of Prince Franz Joseph II

•  Austria: Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria

See also

• Princely Family of Liechtenstein