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Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein

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Not to be confused with Prince Alois of Liechtenstein (1869–1955).

Alois
Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein
Count of Rietberg
Alois in 2018
Regent of Liechtenstein
Regency15 August 2004 – present
MonarchHans-Adam II
Prime Ministers
See list
Born (1968-06-11) 11 June 1968 (age 56)
Zürich, Switzerland
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1993)​
Issue
Detail
Names
Alois Philipp Maria
HouseLiechtenstein
FatherHans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein
MotherCountess Marie Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau
ReligionCatholic
SignatureAlois's signature
Princely family of Liechtenstein

The Prince

Extended princely family
Descendants of Prince Aloys
  • Prince Andreas
    Princess Silvia
  • Prince Gregor
  • Princess Maria-Pia
  • Princess Katharina
  • Princess Brigitta

Princess Marie Christine

  • Princess Maria Assunta
  • Princess Isabelle, countess zu Erbach-Fürstenau
  • Prince Christoph
  • Princess Marie Helene
  • Princess Georgina, Countess von Waldburg zu Zeil und Trauchburg
  • Princess Michaela

Princess Amalie

  • Princess Maria Elisabeth
  • Prince Hubertus
  • Princess Marie Therese

Alois, Hereditary Prince and Regent of Liechtenstein, Count of Rietberg (Alois Philipp Maria; born 11 June 1968), is the eldest son of Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein, and Countess Marie Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau. The heir apparent to the throne of Liechtenstein, Alois has also been regent of the country (Stellvertreter des Fürsten) since 15 August 2004. He is married to Duchess Sophie in Bavaria,[1] who is a member of the House of Wittelsbach, and second in line for the Jacobite succession.[2]

Life and career

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Alois attended the Liechtenstein Grammar School in Ebenholz (Vaduz) and then the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom. He served in the Coldstream Guards in Hong Kong and London for six months before entering the University of Salzburg, from which he earned a master's degree in jurisprudence in 1993.[1]

Until 1996, Alois worked at a firm of chartered accountants in London. In May of that year, he returned to Vaduz and became active in managing the princely families' finances.[1]

In the 2003 Liechtenstein constitutional referendum, Hans-Adam II retained his sweeping powers (the right to veto laws and elect judges).[3] On Liechtenstein Day in 2004, Hans-Adam II formally turned the power of making day-to-day governmental decisions over to Alois, preparing for the transition to a new generation. Hans-Adam II remains head of state.[1]

On 27 November 2005, Liechtenstein voters rejected an initiative that would prohibit abortion and birth control in the principality. The initiative was supported by Roman Catholic Archbishop Wolfgang Haas. Alois was initially sympathetic to the proposal, but he became neutral during the run-up to the vote. Instead, a government-sponsored counter proposal was ratified.[4]

In 2011, Alois threatened to exercise his princely veto if voters approved a forthcoming referendum to legalize abortion in the principality.[5] Such a veto was not necessary, as the voters rejected the proposal.[6]

Following the prince's threat, an initiative called "Damit deine Stimme zählt" ("So that your voice counts") was launched to change the constitution of Liechtenstein to prevent the prince from vetoing legislation approved in referendums. The referendum was held on 1 July 2012, and 76% of voters upheld the prince's power to veto referendum results.[7]

On 11 August 2022, Prince Alois said that same-sex marriage is "not a major problem".[8]

Marriage and issue

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On 3 July 1993 at St. Florin's Cathedral in Vaduz, Alois married Duchess Sophie in Bavaria, now also Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein and Countess of Rietberg.

They have four children:[1]

Honours

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See also: List of honours of the Liechtensteiner princely family by country

National

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Foreign

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Arms

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Coat of arms of Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein
Coronet
Ducal hat of Liechtenstein
Escutcheon
Quarterly: I Or, an eagle displayed Sable crowned and armed Or charged with a crescent treflée, issuing from the middle thereof a cross pattée Argent (Silesia); II barry of eight Or and Sable, a crown of rue bendways throughout Vert (Kuenring); III per pale Gules and Argent (Duchy of Troppau); IV Or, a harpy displayed Sable the human parts Argent crowned and armed Or (Cirksena); on a point entée Azure, a bugle-horn stringed Or (Duchy of Jägerndorf); en surtout, an inescutcheon per fess or and Gules (House of Liechtenstein).[18]

Ancestry

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Hereditary Prince Alois". Fuerstenhaus.li. Archived from the original on 21 June 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  2. ^ Giles Hattersley (16 October 2011). "Sorry, Wills, Franz gets the crown". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  3. ^ Liechtenstein prince wins powers BBC News Online, 16 March 2003. Retrieved 29 December 2006.
  4. ^ Rosenbaum, Harry (28 November 2005). "Voters defeat restrictive initiative". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 7 July 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  5. ^ "Liechtenstein prince threatens to veto referendum". HuffPost. 7 July 2013. Archived from the original on 7 July 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  6. ^ Zeldin, Wendy (27 September 2011). "Liechtenstein: No to Legalized Abortion". Global Legal Monitor. Archived from the original on 22 February 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  7. ^ "Liechtenstein, 1. Juli 2012 : Vermindertes Vetorecht des Fürsten" (in German). Sudd.ch. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  8. ^ Böhler, Silvia (11 August 2022). ""Die 'Ehe für alle' an sich dürfte kein grösseres Problem sein"". Volksblatt (in German). Archived from the original on 21 February 2023.
  9. ^ William Bortrick. "HSH Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein. The Royal Family of Liechtenstein. House of Liechtenstein". Burke's Peerage. Archived from the original on 15 June 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  10. ^ "H.S.H. Hereditary Prince Alois". Liechtenstein Princely House Official Website. 30 March 2021. Archived from the original on 17 July 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022. Princess Marie Caroline, born 17 October 1996
  11. ^ "Marie Caroline Liechtenstein". Parsons Paris. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  12. ^ "Die jungen Royals aus Liechtenstein: Marie Caroline & ihre Brüder" [The young Royals from Liechtenstein: Marie Caroline & her brothers]. adelswelt.de. 16 August 2022. Archived from the original on 16 September 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  13. ^ Coronation of Willem Alexander of the Netherlands
  14. ^ Parliamentary question, page=1381
  15. ^ eliechtensteinensia
  16. ^ Vanitatis
  17. ^ Sovereign Military Order of Malta
  18. ^ "The Emblems". The Princely House of Liechtenstein. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  19. ^ "H.S.H. Hereditary Prince Alois". The Princely House of Liechtenstein. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
[edit]
Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein
Born: 11 June 1968
Liechtensteiner royalty
Preceded by Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein
13 November 1989 – present 		Incumbent
Heir:
Prince Joseph Wenzel
Lines of succession
First Line of succession to the Liechtensteiner throne Succeeded by
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