WITH an esteemed military career, a successful consultancy business, and a reel of presenting gigs under his belt, the Queen’s cousin Prince Michael is a royal with his fingers in a few pies.
He and his wife Princess Michael lead a low-key lifestyle and a profile of her life, Princess Michael: The Controversial Royal, will be on Saturday October 9, 9pm on Channel 5 – but what exactly do we know about his spouse?
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Who is Princess Michael of Kent?
Princess Michael of Kent, 75 – who was often called Princess Pushy – is married to the Queen’s paternal cousin Prince Michael of Kent.
She is a member of the British Royal Family of German, Austrian, and Hungarian descent, who was born in Karlsbad, Germany, which is now located in Czechia.
Born in 1945, her father – who was a Nazi party member – divorced from her mother a year later and she moved to Australia in 1950, where she was educated.
She then headed to London to study History of Fine and Decorative Art.
Princess Michael was an interior designer before becoming an author, who penned a number of books on European royalty.
Prince Michael is a paternal first cousin of the Queen and the grandson of King George V and Queen Mary.
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When did she marry Prince Michael of Kent?
Princess Michael has been married twice.
She first married English banker Thomas Troubridge in 1971 – but the couple then separated in 1973, and civilly divorced in 1977.
The union was ecclesiastically annulled by Pope Paul VI in May 1978.
She married Prince Michael of Kent just one month after the annulment at a civil ceremony in Vienna, Austria on June 30, 1978.
He forfeited his line to the throne by marrying her because she was a Roman Catholic, but was later reinstated through the Succession to the Crown Act 2013.
After gaining permission from Pope John Paul II, the pair married in a Roman Catholic ceremony on June 29, 1983.
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Why is she called Princess Michael?
Princess Michael was born Baroness Marie Christine Anna Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz.
Upon her marriage, she was given the title of Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent – the female equivalent to her husband’s title.
Prince Michael is the only grandson of a King with a HRH title who is a second son, so there are no other princesses with their husband’s name.
She is now the only Princess in the royal family that has her husband’s name in line with the tradition – as all of the other princesses were born into the royal house.
How many children does she have?
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent have two children together.
Lord Frederick “Freddie” Windsor, 42, was the couple’s first child, born April 6, 1979, at St Mary’s Hospital in London.
He married Sophie Winkleman in 2009 and they have two daughters, Maud and Isabella.
Lady Gabriella Kingston, 39, was born April 23, 1981, again at St Mary’s Hospital in London.
She married Thomas Kingston on May 18, 2019.
They do not have the title of Prince and Princess due to King George V’s ruling that only the sons of a brother of the king would be granted the titles.
What books has she written?
Princess Michael is author of three non-fiction books, Crowned In A Far Country: Eight Royal Brides (Weidenfeld), and Cupid And The King – Five Royal Paramours (Harper Collins) and in 2004 released The Serpent And The Moon, a true story of love and betrayal in a royal family.
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She has written three novels, The Queen Of Four Kingdoms, Agnès Sorel: Mistress of Beauty and Quicksilver.
And she has also penned a number of personal articles for the Orient Express magazine.