Princess Marie von und zu Liechtenstein is dead. The wife of Prince Hans-Adam II died on Saturday at the age of 81 in a hospital in Grabs, Switzerland, as the principality announced in a statement. The princess's state of health steadily deteriorated after her stroke on Wednesday. She fell asleep “in the presence of the family and after receiving the holy sacraments, peacefully and with great trust in God”, according to the principality. The princess was considered to be very socially committed and art-loving. Recently, she had rarely made public appearances.
According to the court, Princess Marie was born in Prague as the fourth of seven children. Her parents had to flee to Germany when she was a child. There she went to school until she graduated from high school. After a language stay in England, she graduated from the Academy for Commercial Graphics at the University of Munich. In 1967 she married Prince Hans-Adam II. The couple have a total of four children. She chaired the Liechtenstein Red Cross for three decades.
The 160 square kilometer Principality of Liechtenstein between Austria and Switzerland, with around 39,000 inhabitants, is one of the smallest countries in the world and very prosperous. The country is a constitutional hereditary monarchy. The prince can, among other things, dissolve the government and parliament and override referendums. Prince Hans-Adam II (76) transferred the business of government to his son, Hereditary Prince Alois, who is married to Duchess Sophie in Bavaria in 2004.