Olympia, Princess Napoléon

Olympia
Princess Napoléon
BornOlympia Elena Maria Gräfin von und zu Arco-Zinneberg
(1988-01-04) 4 January 1988 (age 36)
Munich, Bavaria, West Germany
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2019)​
IssuePrince Louis Bonaparte
Names
Olympia Elene Marie
HouseArco (by birth)
Napoléon (by marriage)
FatherCount Riprand von und zu Arco-Zinneberg
MotherArchduchess Maria Beatrice of Austria-Este

Olympia Bonaparte, Princess Napoléon (Olympia Elene Marie; née Countess Olympia von und zu Arco-Zinneberg, born 4 January 1988), is the consort of Jean-Christophe, Prince Napoléon, the disputed head of the House of Bonaparte and, in the view of Bonapartists, the pretender to the abolished French imperial throne.

Early life and family

Countess Olympia Elene Marie von und zu Arco-Zinneberg was born on 4 January 1988 in Munich to Count Riprand von und zu Arco-Zinneberg (1955-2021) and his wife, Archduchess Maria Beatrice of Austria-Este.[1] Through her father she is a great-great-granddaughter of Ludwig III and Maria Theresa of Austria-Este, the last king and queen of Bavaria. Through her mother she is the granddaughter of Robert, Archduke of Austria-Este and Princess Margherita of Savoy-Aosta. She is a great-granddaughter of Charles I and Zita of Bourbon-Parma, the last emperor and empress of Austria.[2] Olympia is also the great-great-great-great-grandniece of Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma, the second wife of Napoleon I.[3]

Coat of arms of The Princess Napoléon

Personal life

Olympia graduated from Yale University with a bachelor's degree in political science and from Columbia University in 2015 with a Master of Arts degree in art history.[4][5][6] She played on the women's college club ice hockey teams of both Yale and Columbia.[7] She currently works in London as the creator and chief curator of a photography collection.[5]

She met Jean-Christophe, Prince Napoléon during a semester studying abroad in Paris.[3][8] They became engaged in May 2019. Her engagement ring includes a diamond from the tiara of Eugénie de Montijo, the last Empress of the French and wife of Napoleon III.[9]

Olympia and Jean-Christophe first held a civil marriage on 17 October 2019 at the town hall of Neuilly-sur-Seine. They then held a religious Catholic ceremony on 19 October 2019, celebrated by Antoine de Romanet at the Cathedral of Saint-Louis des Invalides, followed by a reception at the Château de Fontainebleau.[10][11] The wedding festivities were attended by members of European royal and noble families including Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg; Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg; Stéphanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg; Princess Maria Laura of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este; Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece; Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece and Denmark; Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark; Nina Flohr; Prince Félix of Luxembourg; Princess Claire of Luxembourg; Prince Christian of Hanover; Princess Christian of Hanover; Princess Beatrice of York; and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.[12][13] Their wedding marked the first time in over two hundred years that a marriage between the House of Habsburg and the House of Bonaparte had taken place.[9] The Princess gave birth to a son, Louis Charles Riprand Victor Jérôme Marie, on 7 December 2022 in Paris.[14]

Ancestry

References

  1. ^ SOULIMANI, SOUAD (20 October 2019). "Aux Invalides, un mariage princier entre les Bonaparte et les Habsbourg perpétue l'aventure européenne". Le Figaro.fr.
  2. ^ Paris, Adam Sage (8 May 2019). "Bonaparte and bride remake history" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  3. ^ a b Davis, Dominic-Madori (20 October 2019). "One of Napoleon's heirs just married an Austrian countess, who is descended from Napoleon's second wife. Check out the lavish reception in the medieval palace where the French emperor himself once lived". Business Insider.
  4. ^ Saunders, Emmeline (19 October 2019). "Princess Beatrice leads famous guests at Napoleon's descendant's royal wedding". mirror.
  5. ^ a b "The Imperial Family - Maison Napoléon Bonaparte". Maison Napoléon Bonaparte. 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  6. ^ "MA in Art History: Alumni/ae | Department of Art History & Archaeology". Columbia University Department of Art History & Archaeology. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Columbia University - 2014 - 2015 Regular Season - Roster". DVCHC. 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  8. ^ "Napoleon Bonaparte Descendant Prince Napoléon Marries Austrian Countess in Royal Wedding". Yahoo. 21 October 2019.
  9. ^ a b Wahi, Sukriti (20 October 2019). "This French prince married an Austrian countess in an elegant Parisian wedding". Harper's Bazaar. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020.
  10. ^ Xidias, Angelica (21 October 2019). "French and Austrian royalty married in a chic Parisian wedding attended by Princess Beatrice and her fiancé". Vogue.com.au.
  11. ^ "France's Prince Napoléon marries Countess Olympia in breathtaking Paris wedding". Independent.ie. 22 October 2019.
  12. ^ "Princess Beatrice and Fiancé Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi Attend Paris Wedding of French and Austrian Royalty". PEOPLE.com.
  13. ^ "This Weekend's Royal Wedding Had Some Surprising Historical Significance". Vanity Fair. 21 October 2019.
  14. ^ de Natal, Frederic. "L'Empire à un Aiglon". Monarchies et Dynasties du Monde. Retrieved 12 December 2022.