Today, Princess Barbara of Yugoslavia, a remarkable figure in European royal circles, celebrates her eightieth birthday. Born on July 9, 1942, at Mährisch-Sternberg, she is the fourth child and second daughter of Prince Franz Joseph II of Liechtenstein and Princess Marie. Her life has been marked by a rich tapestry of experiences, from her early years in the royal family to her later endeavors in various fields, including education and entrepreneurship.
Princess Barbara's journey has been characterized by a strong sense of family and a deep connection to her heritage. Her marriage to Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia, a union that produced a single child, Prince Dushan Paul, has been a significant aspect of her life. The family's residence in Paris and Prince Dushan's education at McGill University in Montreal further highlight the international scope of Princess Barbara's experiences. Her professional pursuits, including internships at UNESCO and L'Oréal, as well as her entrepreneurial ventures, demonstrate her adaptability and resilience1.
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Princess Barbara. | (These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!) |
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Today, Princess Barbara of Yugoslavia celebrates her eightieth birthday! Earlier this week, the princess marked this special occasion in Vienna with her son Prince Dushan and her daughter-in-law Princess Valerie.
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From the left: Prince Albrecht, Princess Karoline, Princess Barbara, and Prince Eugen of Liechtenstein. (These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!)
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From the left: Prince Albrecht, Prince Eugen, their cousin Prince Monica (in first communion dress),
their grandmother Princess Marie (Marizza), and Princess Barbara of Liechtenstein.
(These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!) |
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Princess Marie Eleonore, Prince Albrecht, Princess Karoline holding Princess Barbara,
and Prince Eugen of Liechtenstein.
(These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!) |
Born on 9 July 1942 at Mährisch-Sternberg, Princess Barbara Eleonora Marie of Liechtenstein was the fourth child and second daughter of Prince Johannes of Liechtenstein (1910-1975) and Princess Karoline (1912-1996; née Countess von Ledebur-Wicheln), who wed in 1936. Princess Barbara joined three older siblings: Princess Marie Eleonore (1937-2002), Prince Eugen (b.1939; married Countess Maria Theresia von Goëß), and Prince Albrecht (1940-2017; married 1st Tamara Nyman; married 2nd Mylena Tullio).
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| Princess Barbara, early 1970s. (These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!) |
The princess attended schools in Paris, Rome, and Vienna. In the early 1970s, Princess Barbara was a special consultant for Eve of Roma. In an interview with the Associated Press at the time while on a visit to the United States, the princess reflected: "
My life had to be different. My parents were strict and always reminded me that people would look more at me than at other people. It is true. In the United States, I am asked incredible questions, such as how it feels to be a princess. I always answer that I am so used to it that I don't think about it." Princess Barbara gave some sage advise to women regarding the application of their makeup: "
This is what I am going to tell girls: You cannot smear makeup on your face and expect to look pretty. One must experiment, sitting before a mirror with the cosmetics and makeup remover. They should put on faces until they get the look that flatters them. Makeup should never glare. It should be subtle. Girls may not know this if they make up their faces only for special occasions. Foundation creams, lipstick, eye shadows may be used to improve shortcomings of features as well as to enhance good features. And this should be the aim in grooming. For example, hair styles can do a lot toward giving the face a good frame. My head is sort of flat in the back, so I wear this hairdo slightly teased on top and at the back to give my head a more rounded look."
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Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia and Princess Barbara of Liechtenstein at their civil wedding
in Paris, November 1973. To Princess Barbara's left are her uncle Prince Emanuel, her brother Prince Eugen and their father Prince Johannes of Liechtenstein Jr., who is holding a walking stick.
(These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!) |
On 2 November 1973 at Paris, Princess Barbara of Liechtenstein married Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia (1924-2016), the eldest son of Prince Regent Paul of Yugoslavia and Princess Olga (née Princess of Greece). Prince Alexander was previously married to Princess Maria Pia of Savoy, daughter of King Umberto II of Italy and Queen Marie-José (née Princess of Belgium), from 1955 until 1967. Prince Alexander and Princess Barbara of Yugoslavia celebrated their religious marriage on 28 October 1995 at the Church of St George in Oplenac.
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| Alexander, Barbara, and Dushan in Paris, 1985. |
Prince Alexander and Princess Barbara welcomed the arrival of their only child, Prince Dushan Paul of Yugoslavia, on 25 September 1977 at St.Gallen. The family resided in Paris. Prince Dusan pursued his studies at McGill University in Montreal, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations. He decided thereafter to spend a year in Belgrade where he studied the language and travelled all around Serbia to reconnect with his heritage and roots. Prince Dusan’s first internship was at UNESCO, and then he worked within L’Oréal’s Travel-Retail division and Eurosport in marketing and communications. Following he joined an entrepreneurial project in the air cargo sector, where he worked on creating a cargo hub in South America.
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| Through Barbara's lenses: Fürst Franz Joseph II of Liechtenstein and Prince Alexander. |
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| Through Barbara's lenses: the Countess of Barcelona, Prince Alexander, Prince Michael, and Infanta Beatriz, Princess Torlonia. |
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| Through Barbara's lenses: Catherine Oxenburg, Prince Dimitri, Princess Olga, Prince Michael, Prince Dushan, and Prince Alexander. |
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| Through Barbara's lenses: Prince Michael, Prince Dushan, and Prince Alexander. |
Princess Barbara is a passionate photographer. Having traveled all over the world, her snaps of various places and people have filled many albums. The princess also captured unique snapshots of many of her relatives and members of the Gotha.
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| Prince Alexander, Princess Barbara, and Prince Michael of Kent. |
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| Princess Margaret, Prince Alexander, and Princess Barbara in London. |
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| Princess Barbara of Yugoslavia and Prince Michel of Bourbon-Parma; Prince Alexander is behind them. |
Prince Alexander and Princess Barbara remained close to their many family and friends.
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| Princess Barbara bids farewell to her beloved husband. Photo (c) Royal House of Serbia. |
After forty-two years of marriage, Princess Barbara was widowed when Prince Alexander, aged 91, died on 12 May 2016 in Paris. He was buried on 20 May 2016 at the Church of St George yard in Oplenac. The prince's funeral was officiated by Their Graces Bishop Jovan of Sumadija and Bishop Irinej of Australia and New Zealand. Among those in attendance were Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine, (the then) Hereditary Prince Peter (the godson of the late prince), Princess Linda and her son Prince Michael, Princess Barbara, Prince Michel, Prince Serge with his wife Princess Eleonora, Prince Dusan, Prince Eugen and Princess Maria Theresia of Liechtenstein, Prince Johannes of Liechtenstein, Princess Marie of Liechtenstein (by marriage Countess v.u.z. Trauttmansdorf-Weinsberg), Princess Sophie of Liechtesntein (by marriage Countess Hoyos), Count Hans-Veit zu Toerring-Jettenbach, Hereditary Count Ignaz zu Toerring-Jettenbach, and Mr. Tomislav Nikolic, President of Republic of Serbia. A funeral mass was held on 20 June 2016 at the Cathédrale Saint-Alexandre-Nevsky in Paris.
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| Prince Dushan and Princess Valerie after their civil wedding, 2018. Photo courtesy of Prince Dushan and (c) Terry Tsiolis. |
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| Princess Valerie, Prince Dushan, and Princess Barbara, 2019. Photo (c) Royal House of Serbia. |
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| The newlyweds and family: Princess Danica and Prince Philip, Princess Valerie and Prince Dushan, Princess Barbara, Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine. Photo (c) Royal House of Serbia. |
On 3 July 2018, Prince Dushan of Yugoslavia civilly married Valerie Anne De Muzio in New York City. Princess Valerie works in marketing and advertising in the Big Apple. The couple had first met in NYC in 2015. Prince Dushan and Princess Valerie of Yugoslavia celebrated their religious wedding on 25 May 2019 at the Church of St George in Oplenac. Prince Dushan's best man was his friend Mr. Alexander Sehnaoui, and Princess Valerie's was her dear friend Mr. Terry Tsiolis. A formal dinner reception was held at the White Palace, Beli Dvor, in Belgrade, that evening. Among the guests were Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine, Prince Philip and Princess Danica, Princess Barbara, Prince Michel, Archduchess Helen of Austria, Hereditary Count Ignaz zu Toerring-Jettenbach, Hereditary Countess Robinia zu Toerring-Jettenbach, Prince Tassilo von Metternich, Prince Alexander of Liechtenstein, Prince Rudolf and Princess Tilsin of Liechtenstein, Prince Eugen and Princess Maria Theresia of Liechtenstein, Prince Johannes and Princess Kinga of Liechtenstein, Princess Anna of Liechtenstein and Count Alexander Kottulinsky, Princess Marie of Liechtenstein and Count Ferdinand of Trauttsmansdorff-Weinsberg, and Prince Maximilian della Torre e Tasso and his sister Princess Costanza.
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| Princess Barbara and her mother Princess Karoline. |
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| Princess Barbara between her two brothers. |
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| Princess Barbara with her darling son Prince Dushan and much-loved husband Prince Alexander. |
Some years ago, Princess Barbara moved back to Liechtenstein, where she resides today.
We wish this lovely Princess all the best on her birthday!
As we conclude our tribute to Princess Barbara of Yugoslavia on her eightieth birthday, we would like to express our gratitude to her for the remarkable life she has led. Her journey, marked by significant milestones and experiences, has been a testament to her resilience and adaptability. From her early years in the royal family to her later endeavors in education and entrepreneurship, Princess Barbara has consistently demonstrated her commitment to her heritage and her family. Her marriage to Prince Alexander, which lasted for over four decades, was a significant aspect of her life, and her son Prince Dushan's various pursuits, including his work at UNESCO and L'Oréal, have been a source of pride for her.
As we bid farewell to this article, we would like to emphasize the importance of Princess Barbara's life and legacy. Her story serves as a reminder of the power of perseverance and dedication to one's family and community. We hope that her remarkable journey will continue to inspire future generations, and we wish her a happy eightieth birthday. May her life be a beacon of hope and a testament to the enduring spirit of those who have shaped the course of European history. Princess Barbara of Yugoslavia will always be remembered for her unwavering commitment to her family and her country, and we are honored to have had the opportunity to share her story with you. Happy Birthday to a truly remarkable woman!
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