Marie, Princess of Liechtenstein has died at the age of 81

Marie, Princess of Liechtenstein died earlier today at the age of 81. She had been hospitalised since Wednesday after suffering a stroke.

Her family was with her when she passed away in the hospital in Grabs and the announcement stated that Princess passed away peacefully and with great trust in God after receiving the holy sacraments. Church bells rang across the small principality between 8.15 and 8.30 P.M.

The 81-year-old Princess was the wife of the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II. Their son, Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein, has been regent of Liechtenstein since 2004. Marie and Hans-Adam have a total of four children together and they also have 15 grandchildren. Liechtenstein bars women from inheriting the throne and so their only daughter Tatjana is not in the line of succession.

Marie was born on 14 April 1940 in Prague as the fourth of seven children of Count Ferdinand Carl Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau and his wife Countess Henriette, née Countess of Ledebur-Wicheln. Her engagement to the Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein – her second cousin once removed – was announced in 1965. They were married on 30 July 1967 at St. Florin’s in Vaduz.

She served as president of the Liechtenstein Red Cross from 1985 to 2015. Read more about her life here.

No further announcements have been made.