In the 80s, she was a regular in the press. Young, beautiful and with a rebellious look that captured the spirit of the times, but also made headlines. For was it not a very unchristian style?
Yes, Stephanie of Monaco was to show her own swimsuit collection and release a record in the same decade, and her sister Caroline had just divorced, with something as rare as the Pope’s approval.
But Gloria? With punk style, asymmetrical clothes and an appetite for celebrity parties?
– Brilliant on so many levels
Tongue curl
When 20-year-old Gloria married a real prince in 1980, she had worked as a waitress. Not that she was a woman of the people. In no way. Gloria was noble, and at birth was given the title Gräfin von Schönburg zu Glauchau und Waldenburg, i.e. Countess.
But as if her own name wasn’t enough to keep track of, Gloria found herself a man who caused even more tongue twisters. When the 70s turned into the Yapp era, Gloria was at a Supertramp concert in Munich, and there she met 56-year-old Prince Johannes Baptista de Jesus Maria Louis Miguel Friedrich Bonifazius Lamoral von Thurn und Taxis.
Tel!
HEIGHTS: Gloria von Thurn und Taxis with her husband Johannes during an award ceremony in Munich in 1985. Five years later, Gloria became a widow. PHOTO: NTB Show more
Prince Johannes was a full 36 years older than Gloria, and heir to one of Europe’s largest inhabited castles, in Regensburg in Bavaria. The family owned Europe’s largest forest, fifty medium-sized industrial enterprises, as well as breweries and sawmills, and the eye-catching palace, had over five hundred rooms.
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And when the couple got married, the Thurn und Taxi castle had also gained an eye-catching princess.
After the wedding, Gloria swept into social life as a kind of royal Debbie Harry, and was not content only with soirees in Germany and Europe. Soon she was in New York, partying with Andy Warhol, politicians and rock stars in the international starry sky.
Many called her the “Punk Princess”, thanks to her eye-catching hairstyles and hair ornaments, and Gloria spent large sums on parties and outfits. Another tag was according to New York Times “princess TNT”, after some explosive years in company life, where the rock aristocrat also built up a considerable art collection.
LET’S PARTY: Gloria Von Thurn Und Taxis at a party led by two young men. PHOTO: NTB Show more
Eccentric
Her husband Johannes was also known for his eccentric lifestyle. according to New York Times he was bisexual and the family had built its fortune over generations by running the postal service for the German-Roman Empire, from the 16th century until the Napoleonic Wars.
Gloria and Johannes had three children, two daughters and a son.
– Going gray early has been a relief
ON TOUR. Gloria’s husband Johannes von Thurn und Taxis and their son Albert in 1986. PHOTO: Saint Tro Press/REX Show more
But then, in 1990, Johannes died, and Gloria became head of the majestic castle. The mother of three was just as likely to become heir to a huge debt, of several hundred million, writes New York Times. In addition, she had to pay millions in inheritance tax after her husband’s death.
Gloria obviously saw the need to take control, and trained in finance. She wrote books about child rearing, and for many years was frequently seen in German television programmes.
BOOK: Gloria has written books about raising children, but also about her own life, which in recent years has taken a conservative direction. PHOTO: NTB Show more
Saving tips
Another saving measure she took to deal with the large debt was to open the castle to the public, and after her husband’s death she auctioned off large quantities of silverware, exclusive wines and art. Through this, she must have managed to save the family fortune.
– It was God’s grace that made me see that I had to give something back, in Gloria.
And it is precisely God who has gained a bigger and bigger place in Gloria’s life. After her husband’s death, she has turned to the faith to a greater extent, and her friend, former Pope Benedict XVI, once held mass at the castle. When an archbishop accused Benedict’s successor Pope Francis of covering up sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, Gloria is said to have called the archbishop “a whistleblower”.
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According to New York Times it is speculated whether Gloria harbors a conservative branch of Catholicism, and has associated “oppositional cardinals, bitter bishops and populists such as Stephen K. Bannon”. Some claim she has become a rallying point for conservative Catholics. Gloria herself denies running a secret society, and has called the castle “an open house”, where visitors “can meet a transvestite or a nun”.
According to the New York Times, she has been told by Pope Francis that she is “doing her best”:
– But he he just doesn’t sing my favorite songs.
ANOTHER DANCE: When Gloria attended the Regensburg festival in 2017, she caused a stir in her powerful necklace. PHOTO: People Picture/Moosburger/REX/NTB Show more
The style
Gloria has also become more conservative when it comes to clothing after her husband’s death. Dressy outfits have been replaced with suits and blouses, and in 2018 the New York Times detailed her designer clothes, with everything from Hermes shoes to jackets from Yves Saint Laurent.
NEW STYLE: Gloria von Thurn und Taxis in 2023 during the celebration of the 90th birthday of Duke Francis of Bavaria in Munich. PHOTO: People Picture/Willi Schneider/Shutterstock NTB ) Show more
She has continued to hang out with the New York fife, and when she attended Hillary Clinton’s birthday in 2016 in connection with the election, she called Hillary “a great woman”.
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In recent years, Gloria has been seen less often on TV. In 2004, she was on stage during the festivities at the family castle, in a theatrical role. She protects the tradition in cultural life as well, and has been seen several times at Oktoberfest.
HURRA: Gloria at Oktoberfest in Munich in 2014. PHOTO: Willi Schneider/REX/NTB Show more
Gloria has children Princess Maria Theresia, Princess Elisabeth and Prince Albert. The latter has taken over as head of the castle, and it may seem that Gloria’s savings have paid off. According to Forbes, Albert Maria Lamoral Miguel Johannes Gabriel Prinz von Thurn and Taxis (Phew!) were on the 2005 list of the world’s youngest billionaires, with a fortune of two billion dollars. He is also a keen Formula 1 driver.
THREE NUTS FOR GLORIA: Princess Gloria with her daughters Elisabeth and Maria Theresia at a concert at the festival in Bayreuth in 1999. PHOTO: Michael Dalder REUTERS/NTB Show more
The youngest daughter Elisabeth is a journalist and has a wide range of work, from fashion manager at Vogue to writer for The Vatican Magazine. While working with fashion in Vogue, she received strong criticism in 2015, when she posted a photo on Instagram of a homeless person sitting in a sleeping bag on the sidewalk reading Vogue.
2023-11-05 07:15:28
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