Shock as princess suddenly dies at the age of 31

Royal fans are in shock today after it was announced that an Austrian princess has passed away at the age of 31.

Princess Maria Petrovna Galitzine, who was a descendant of Emperor Karl I and Zita de Borbon-Parma, died on May 4th, just days before her 32nd birthday on May 11th.

Her husband, Rishi Singh, confirmed the news on Tuesday, with a spokesperson saying the princess had passed away from an aneurysm.

She leaves behind her two-year-old son, Maxim and her husband of three years, Rishi, who is the executive chef at Hotel Derek in Houston.

Princess Maria worked at Kuhl-Linscomb in Houston, Texas, as a bridal consultant after completing a degree from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

Maria and Rishi married in 2017 at her parent’s home in Texas in an intimate ceremony. She is one of six children and was very close to her parents, Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria and her husband Prince Piotr Galitzine.

Her mother, Princess Anna Maria Galitzine was born in Belgium and was the eldest child of Archduke Rudolf of Austria.

She met Maria’s dad, Piotr Galitzine, a descendent of the Russian aristocracy, at a bar in New York and they went on to marry in 1981.

Piotr is now the chairman and CEO of TMK IPISCO, a Russian-owned gas and pipe-making company based in Houston.

Maria was a great-granddaughter, and therefore one of the last descendants, of the monarch of Austria, Emperor Karl I and his wife Zita of Bourbon-Parma.

Speaking previously to Paper City magazine, Maria’s younger sister, Tatiana spoke about their childhood.

“At home, my father speaks Russian to us, the girls speak French to each other, and the boys speak German,” she said.

She said growing up they had a fierce loyalty towards Austria and Russia and cheered for them both in the Olympics.

They were also taught to be ‘cautious’ and not engage in any behaviour which would embarrass their family name.

Speaking to the Houston Chronicle just after her wedding in February 2018, Tatiana said their parents never publicised their royal status but they always knew what it meant to be royal.

"My life is completely normal unless we are invited to royal weddings. My mail sometimes says 'Princess Tatiana'. What was weird was when I went from 'Princess' to 'Mrs.' I had been a princess all my life,"she said.

At the end of March, another descendant of the Bourbon-Parma family, Princess Maria Teresa of Spain passed away from coronavirus.

The death was announced by Princess Maria’s younger brother Prince Sixtus Henry of Bourbon-Parma on Facebook.

Princess Maria was born in Paris, France on July 28, 1933, and did not leave any children.

Just a few days ago, it was announced that Princess Maria’s cousin, Diana de Borbón-Parma, also passed away from coronavirus.

According to Spanish magazine, Vanitatis, she died in Hamburg on May 7, due to complication from COVID-19.

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