Eugène, 11th Prince of Ligne

Eugène
Prince of Ligne
Eugène in October 1947
Reign	23 June 1937 – 26 June 1960
Predecessor	Ernest
Successor	Baudouin
Born	10 August 1893 Breuilpont
Died	26 June 1960 (aged 66) Château de Belœil
Spouse	Philippine de Noailles
Issue	Baudouin, 12th Prince of Ligne Princess Isabelle de Ligne Archduchess Yolande of Austria Antoine, 13th Prince of Ligne
Full name Eugène Frederic Marie Lamoral de Ligne
House	House of Ligne
Father	Ernest, 10th Prince de Ligne
Mother	Diane de Cossé-Brissac
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Eugene de Ligne, 11th Prince de Ligne (Eugène II, prince de Ligne) (10 August 1893 - 26 June 1960) was the eldest son of Ernest, 10th Prince de Ligne and Diane de Cossé-Brissac.^[1] He also held the titles of Prince of Epinoy and Prince of Amblise and was Knight of the Golden Fleece.^[1]

Biography

After having carried out studies of philosophy and letters, Eugène completed in 1920 the diplomatic examination with distinction. He was sent to Bucharest, Paris, Madrid, London and Washington, D.C.

Eugène married Philippine de Noailles on 28 February 1917. She was a daughter of François Joseph Eugène Napoléon de Noailles. They had two sons and two daughters:

• Baudouin, Prince of Ligne (1918–1985)
• Princess Isabelle de Ligne (1921–2000)
• Princess Yolande Marie Jeanne Charlotte de Ligne (born 6 May 1923) married Archduke Carl Ludwig of Austria
• Antoine, Prince of Ligne (1925–2005)

Following the death of his father in 1937, Eugène became 11th prince de Ligne. During the invasion of Belgium by the Germans in 1940, Eugène joined, (near Antwerp), the motorized group at the vanguard. When Belgium was demobilized, he and his wife worked to provision the country and transformed the castle of Belœil for Jewish children. After the Second World War, he was named ambassador of Belgium to India (1947 to 1951),^[2] and to Spain (1951 to 1958).

References

1. "Future Princess A U.S. Girl", The Washington Post, 6 January 1917
2. Website of Indian Embassy in Brussels