Princess Theodora von Auersperg (May 28, 1962 - ) of Austria is a beauty connoisseur, entrepreneur and founder of the Princess Theodora line of beauty products [1]. Princess Theodora von Auersperg is the daughter of Prince Anton Franz von Auersperg, the youngest son of Prince Eduard von Auersperg and Countess Sophie Clam-Gallas.[2]
Based in Virginia Beach, VA, Theodora’s lineage can be traced back to the Auersperg family in Vienna, Austria. The Auersperg family traces its descent from Adolf I (von Ursperg), Lord of Auersberg (990-1060) taking their name from the castle of “Unter Auersprg” in Carniola. The title of Prince of the Holy Empire was extended to all descendants 1791. Members of the family bear the title of Prince or Princess von Auersperg with the attribute of Serene Highness (HSH). [3]
Today the Palais Auersperg, which was owned by the Auersperg family from 1777 –1944, is considered as one of the most important Baroque Palais in Vienna and carries on as a landmark hotel and venue for cultural and social events.[4]
Theodora is the daughter of her mother Dimitrinka Zwetanova Handjieva and Prince Anton Franz von Auersperg, the youngest son of Prince Eduard von Auersperg and Countess Sophie Clam-Gallas. Theodora was conceived through an extramarital affair, and the identity of her father was hidden from her until she was in her early 20s. She was officially acknowledged through legal adoption as his daughter and became Theodora Princess von Auersperg on her 28th Birthday in 1990. [5]
Nobility had been officially abolished by Austria’s government in the 1920s, though royal family members still used their titles and designations in polite society after World War II, so it was not as if the title came with any financial advantages or special privileges.[6]
Theodora started out in International Banking at Bank Austria and continued her professional career in marketing. On a business trip to New York in 1994 she met her husband Michel Pharaon and decided to stay in the United States. Theodora worked with renowned interior and furniture designer Mariette Himes Gomez in New York and moved on to work for the interior designer of the rich and famous, David Kleinberg. After the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, Theodora and her husband left New York and moved to Virginia Beach, VA where they have been owning and managing commercial real estate and a couple of fast food franchises.[7]
In 2009, she founded Princess Theodora’s line of beauty products, not tested on animals, and is currently in a mass market launch of the line in the United States.[8]
She is also the founder of the Princess Theodora von Auersperg Foudation, an animal rescue mission with the slogan ‘Save a Soul’. [9]
Lineage: Father: His Serene Highness Anton Franz Prince von Auersperg. Born: January 12, 1938 in Haindorf (former Cech Republic ) – died 2000 Full Name: Anton Franz Pankratz Maria Formosa Prince von Auersperg [10] His Father: Eduard Franz de Paula Vinzenz Prince von Auersperg – born August 1, 1893 at the castle Weitwoerth near Salzburg – died 1948. Son of: Dr. Eduard Prince von Auersperg – Lord of Weitwoerth - Mother: Princess Maria Schoenburg-Hartenstein [11] His Mother: Sophie Felicitas Maria Josefa Countess Clam-Gallas, born in Horn, Lower Austria – September 6, 1900 - 1980 – daughter of Franz Count Clam-Gallas – Lord of Friedland. Mother: Maria Countess Hoyos-Spitzenstein – Horn, Lower Austria Direct lineage to the Principality of Liechtenstein (mutual grand, grandparents with the current monarch of Liechtenstein) and therefore direct lineage to the Austrian Roman Empire (Empress Cita and Emperor Franz). Direct lineage to the British Royal House and several European Royal Houses. Direct lineage to Hetti Krupp (von Bohlen Halbach) – German Steel Industry – a cousin of his.[12]
Anton von Auersperg was married from 1966-68 to Erika von Scheven – born Aug. 22 1946 in Northeim, Hannover, daughter of Otto von Scheven and Margarete de Douai. From this marriage he had another daughter - Stephanie Eva-Maria Margarete Sophie – born August 3, 1967 – married Sept. 3, 1994 to Philipp Count von Waldenstein Wartenberg (born in Munich – July 13, 1965).[13]
Theodora was officially acknowledged through legal adoption as his daughter and became Theodora Princess von Auersperg on her 28th Birthday in 1990.[14]
Theodora was born on May 28, 1962 in Sofia, Bulgaria as Theodora Hristov and was raised there until the age of 8 - her parents as per birth certificate (Dimitrinka Zwetanova Handjieva and Hristo Simeonov Hristov – born July 05, 1924 - 2000) moved to Vienna, Austria in 1970.[15]
References
edit- ^ http://http://www.princesstheodora.com/inner-princess/meet-princess-theodora
- ^ http://www.geni.com/people/Franz-von-Auersperg/6000000016369191020
- ^ http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f78/princely-house-of-auersperg-29732.html
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palais_Auersperg
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Theodora_%28Hristov%29_von_Auersperg%27s_Adoption_Record.pdf&page=1
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austrian_nobility
- ^ http://www.princesstheodora.com/inner-princess/meet-princess-theodora
- ^ http://www.celebritydialogue.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=375%3Aprincess-theodora-all-about-aging-gracefully&catid=48%3Aany&Itemid=116
- ^ http://www.celebritydialogue.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=375%3Aprincess-theodora-all-about-aging-gracefully&catid=48%3Aany&Itemid=116
- ^ http://www.geni.com/people/Anton-von-Auersperg/6000000013440346917
- ^ http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f78/princely-house-of-auersperg-29732.html
- ^ http://www.angelfire.com/realm/gotha/news/2002_2.html
- ^ http://www.william1.co.uk/b45.htm
- ^ http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Theodora_%28Hristov%29_von_Auersperg%27s_Adoption_Record.pdf
- ^ http://http://www.princesstheodora.com/inner-princess/meet-princess-theodora