Adorable Story #71: Gloria, Princess of Thurn and Taxis
Meet the "Punk Princess"
Gloria, Princess of Thurn and Taxis, born into the noble House of Schönburg-Glauchau, became a prominent figure in European aristocracy after marrying Johannes, 11th Prince of Thurn and Taxis, in 1980. Known for her flamboyant style and dynamic presence, she earned the nicknames “Punk Princess” and “Princess TNT.”
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Early Life and Background
Gloria, Princess of Thurn and Taxis, was born as Mariae Gloria Ferdinanda Joachima Josephine Wilhelmine Huberta von Schönburg-Glauchau on February 23, 1960, in Stuttgart, Germany.
She hails from the noble House of Schönburg-Glauchau, a lineage with deep roots in European aristocracy.
Her Parents
Gloria’s father, Count Joachim von Schönburg-Glauchau, was born on February 4, 1929, in Glauchau, Germany. He was a member of the Schönburg-Glauchau line and he was known for his intellectual pursuits and his dedication to preserving the family’s heritage.
Gloria’s mother, Countess Beatrix Széchenyi de Sárvár-Felsővidék, was born on January 30, 1930, in Budapest, Hungary. She was a descendant of the prominent Hungarian noble Széchenyi family, with a lineage that included influential figures in Hungarian history.
Beatrix brought a rich cultural heritage to the family, blending Hungarian and German aristocratic traditions.
Post-War Financial Situation and Residence
The end of World War II brought significant upheaval to many European noble families, including the Schönburg-Glauchau family.
Their ancestral home in Glauchau, located in what became East Germany, was expropriated by the Soviet Red Army and forced the family to flee to West Germany.
After the end of World War II, all her family’s ancestral homes — castles Wechselburg, Hinterglauchau, Forderglauchau, Rochsburg, Alt-Penig and Neu-Penig — had been seized by the Soviet government of Saxony.
After fleeing East Germany, the Schönburg-Glauchau family initially settled in Tüßling, Bavaria (very close to the Austrian border), where they lived in relative modesty compared to their former status.
Count Joachim had to take on various jobs to support his family, including working as a journalist and farmer.
Despite these challenges, the family maintained their noble identity and traditions, albeit with materially reduced financial means.
Countess Beatrix also played a crucial role in managing the household and ensuring that their children received a proper education.
In the 60s, when she was a child, Gloria and her family moved to Africa, living in Togo and Somalia, where her father worked as an author and a journalist.
Gloria moved back to Germany with her family in 1970 and was enrolled at the Konrad-Adenauer-Gymnasium in Meckenheim, and subsequently studying at Kloster Wald, a girl’s boarding school in a Benedictine convent.
As a teenager Gloria worked as a waitress at a ski resort in St Moritz, Switzerland.
Marriage and Family
Gloria’s life took a transformative turn when she married Johannes, 11th Prince of Thurn and Taxis, on May 31, 1980.
Johannes was 34 years her senior, and their union was a subject of much fascination and media attention at the time since the pair were fourth cousins twice removed, as both descended from Karl Alexander, 5th Prince of Thurn and Taxis.
Johannes, 11th Prince of Thurn and Taxis
Early Life and Background
Johannes Baptista de Jesus Maria, 11th Prince of Thurn and Taxis, was born on June 5, 1926, in Regensburg, Germany.
He hailed from one of Europe’s wealthiest and most prestigious noble families, the House of Thurn and Taxis, which had amassed significant wealth through their postal monopoly and extensive real estate holdings.
The Thurn and Taxis Postal Monopoly
Origins and Early History
The origins of the Thurn and Taxis postal monopoly date back to the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The family, originally known as Tasso (Italian for “badger”), were Italian nobles who established a courier service for the Holy Roman Empire.
Under the leadership of Franz von Taxis, they were appointed by Emperor Maximilian I to create a reliable postal system that could connect the vast territories of the empire.
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