Habsburg Descendent Named Uniworld Godmother
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection has announced a royal godmother for its third Super Ship, S.S. Maria Theresa, debuting this spring.
A direct descendent of the great Maria Theresa of the powerful Habsburg-Lothringen dynasty, Princess Anita von Hohenberg – great-granddaughter of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Duchess Sophie von Hohenberg – will christen her ancestor’s namesake ship on March 26 in Amsterdam.
Princess Anita comes from a long line of Habsburgs, one of Europe’s oldest sovereign families, dating back to the 15th century.
“It’s a great honour for me to represent the Habsburg family in Amsterdam and to christen Uniworld’s new Super Ship, S.S. Maria Theresa, in honour of the great Maria Theresa,” said Princess Anita von Hohenberg. “My family and I are also very thankful to welcome so many people from all over the world to the Artstetten Castle. We have had so many amicable encounters with Uniworld guests during our hosted receptions. It’s a great pleasure to get to know them and share more about Austria and European history and life in the European Union today.”
Princess Anita oversees a number of important exhibitions at the castle, including “To Rule All & To Lose All: Kaiser Karl – the Challenge of Peace,” which marked the 100-year anniversary of her great-grandparents’ tragic and historic deaths.
“We are absolutely ecstatic to have Princess Anita von Hohenberg as the godmother of our newest Super Ship, S.S. Maria Theresa,” said Guy Young, president of Uniworld. “There is no one more deserving of this honor than the direct descendent of Maria Theresa herself, who ruled for 40 years over an extraordinary and far-reaching empire.”
The S.S. Maria Theresa will cruise the Danube River through the heart of Maria Theresa’s vast former empire on Uniworld’s European Jewels voyage from Budapest to Amsterdam. It will also serve the line’s popular Tulips & Windmills, European Holiday Markets, and Grand Christmas & New Year’s Cruise itineraries.
