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| Prince Josef Wenzel |
Today, His Serene Highness Prince Josef Wenzel of Liechtenstein celebrates his twenty-fifth birthday.
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| Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein and Duchess Sophie in Bavaria |
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| The princely wedding in 1993. |
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| The arrival of Prince Josef Wenzel in 1995. |
On Wednesday, 24 May 1995, Josef Wenzel Maximilian Maria was born at London, where his parents were living at the time. Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein and Duchess Sophie in Bavaria had married in 1993; they were in the British capital for Alois to continue his work in finance and for Sophie to complete her master's in history and English literature. Josef Wenzel was the couple's first child. He was followed by a sister and two brothers: Princess Marie-Caroline (b.1996), Prince Georg (b.1999), and Prince Nikolaus (b.2000).
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| Princess Marie Caroline and Prince Josef Wenzel of Liechtenstein on their country's National Day in 2007. Photograph (c) Seeger-Press/Minka Reddig |
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| Prince Nikolaus, Prince Josef Wenzel, and Princess Marie Caroline on their country's National Day in 2019. |
As part of his education, in 2011 Prince Josef Wenzel began attending Malvern College, an independent coeducational day and boarding school in Malvern, Worcestershire, England. During that time, he completed an internship in the United States Senate. After finishing his course of studies at Malvern in 2014, Josef Wenzel decided that he would likely pursue legal studies and then obtain an MBA.
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| Prince Josef Wenzel, future Fürst of Liechtenstein |
When asked how to describe Liechtenstein to someone else in as few words as possible, the second in line to the Liechtensteiner throne summed up his country best: "A small jewel in the Alps." Josef Wenzel is the eldest grandson of Fürst Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein (b.1945) and Fürstin Marie (b.1940; née Gräfin Kinsky von Wchnitz und Tettau) and of Duke Max Emanuel in Bavaria (b.1937) and Duchess Elizabeth (b.1940; née Gräfin Douglas). Through his mother Sophie, Josef Wenzel is the eventual successor to the Jacobite claim to the British throne.
We wish the Prince many happy returns of the day!
Sources:
Luxarazzi - Interview with Prince Joseph Wenzel of Liechtenstein
Luxarazzi - Three Generations: Interview with Prince Wenzel
The Heirs of Europe - Liechtenstein