Isabella von Thurn und Valsássina-Como-Vercelli
Princess Ludwig Rudolph of Hanover (born Countess Isabella Maria von Thurn und Valsássina-Como-Vercelli, 12 December 1962 – 29 November 1988) was an Austrian model, socialite, and noblewoman. She was a princess of the House of Hanover through her marriage to Prince Ludwig Rudolph of Hanover. She died of a drug overdose in 1988, which reportedly led to her husband's suicide later that day.
Isabella | |||||
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Princess Ludwig Rudolph of Hanover | |||||
Born | German: Isabella Maria Gräfin von Thurn und Valsássina-Como-Vercelli 12 December 1962 | ||||
Died | 29 November 1988 25) Gmunden, Austria | (aged||||
Burial | 2 December 1988 Grunau im Almtal, Austria | ||||
Spouse | |||||
Issue | Prince Otto Heinrich of Hanover | ||||
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House | Thurn and Taxis | ||||
Father | Count Ariprand Raimund von Thurn und Valsássina-Como-Vercelli | ||||
Mother | Princess Maria Perpetua Euphemia von Auersperg |
Biography
Isabella was born on 12 December 1962. She was the daughter of Count Ariprand Raimund von Thurn und Valsássina-Como-Vercelli and Princess Maria Perpetua Euphemia von Auersperg, both members of the defunct Austrian nobility. By birth she was a member of the Thurn und Valsassina family, a cadet branch of the Princely House of Thurn und Taxis that were made Imperial counts of the Holy Roman Empire in 1541 by Charles V. She worked as a fashion model before getting married. She spent her childhood between Burg Bleiburg and Castle Hagenegg, which were owned by her family.
Marriage and family
She married Prince Ludwig Rudolph of Hanover on 4 October 1987 at her family's castle in Bleiburg.[1] The couple had one son, Prince Otto Heinrich Ariprand Georg Johannes Ernst August Vinzenz Egmont Franz of Hanover, who was born on 13 Feb 1988 in Gmunden.[2]
Death
On 29 November 1988 the princess was found dead in her bedroom at her home in Gmunden after a drug overdose.[3][4] Authorities announced her death was likely caused from a cocaine overdose.[5] Later that day her husband shot himself.[6] They were buried together in Grunau im Almtal, Austria.
References
- Gómez, Juan (26 April 2012). "Un Hannover con mucho arte" – via elpais.com.
- "Death Turns Out the Lights at a Noble Couple's Last Soiree". PEOPLE.com.
- "Prince Commits Suicide After Wife's Drug Death". AP NEWS.
- "OVERDOSE, SUICIDE CLAIM ARISTOCRATIC PAIR EUROPEAN NOBLES MOURN FAIRY-TALE COUPLE DESTROYED BY COCAINE INVOLVEMENT". DeseretNews.com. 3 December 1988.
- Opfell, Olgs S. (2001). Royalty Who Wait: The 21 Heads of Formerly Regnant Houses of Europe. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 46. ISBN 0-7864-0901-0.
- Reuters (29 November 1988). "German Prince Kills Himself After Wife Dies of Overdose" – via NYTimes.com.