Heiress, Princess, Servant
By Johanna Duncan
This is a story you ought to know. It is about a princess on the way to sainthood; but more than that, it is about a woman whose trust in God had no bounds.
Princess Zita was born into the Austrian aristocracy in 1892 and according to historians, she enjoyed a beautiful childhood. She was number 17th of 24 children and she attended boarding schools and after the death of her father she continued her education with her sisters at a convent; where they would often serve the poor by cooking meals, making clothes, and teaching. Three of her sisters became nuns and according to rumors, Zita considered it as well. About her family she said,
“We grew up internationally. My father thought of himself first and foremost as a Frenchman, and spent a few weeks every year with the elder children at Chambord, his main property on the Loire. I once asked him how we should describe ourselves. He replied, "We are French princes who reigned in Italy." In fact, of the twenty-four children only three including me, were actually born in Italy. [1]:2”
In 1909 Zita met Karl, a distant cousin who she had met once when they were children. In her own words, this is how it went,
“We were of course glad to meet again and became close friends. On my side feelings developed gradually over the next two years. He seemed to have made his mind up much more quickly, however, and became even more keen when, in the autumn of 1910, rumours spread about that I had got engaged to a distant Spanish relative, Don Jaime, the Duke of Madrid. On hearing this, the Archduke came down post haste from his regiment at Brandeis and sought out his grandmother, Archduchess Maria Theresa, who was also my aunt and the natural confidante in such matters. He asked if the rumor was true and when told it was not, he replied, "Well, I had better hurry in any case or she will get engaged to someone else." [1]:8
It pays off to have those aunts.
They married in 1911 in the Schwarzau castle.
Traditional tales would suggest that happily ever after followed; but just five years later, their cousin the Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated. Zita and Karl were his heirs and they were crowned Emperors as the Great War started. Karl dedicated his political work to prevent World War I and historians now believe that his work could have prevented the war. For that and his heroic virtue, Karl is now recognized as the Blessed Karl of Austria. (More about him here!)
There was happiness, but their struggles were overwhelming. Zita would often advise her husband on political matters and her main concern were social issues. She was a great fit for the role given the years she spent as a teenager serving the poor, and would often show up unannounced at hospitals and other charities so she could see how the places actually operated, and not just how they were presented to royal patrons.
In 1919 Karl, Zita, and their seven children left their country in exile for fear that they would suffer the same fate as the monarchs of Russia. They seeked refuge in Madeira, an island off the coast of Portugal, after spending six months couch-surfing among their European relatives looking for a place where they would be welcomed, but in most of the European territory they were considered a threat from the old world.
Zita and Karl had eight children but Karl only met seven of them. On his deathbed, Karl called up pregnant Zita and their oldest son Otto, so his son could “witness how a Catholic and an Emperor conducts himself when dying.” Zita was just 29 years old and from that day on, she spent the next 67 years of her life dedicated to her vocation as wife, mother, and empress in the midst of great grief and uncertainty. She died surrounded by her loved ones at the old age of 96.
Zita was brave and outspoken. She is the embodiment of confidence on God and His plan for each one of us. While she suffered terribly and faced great losses; Zita was rarely paralyzed by fear and she constantly shared her heart by deeply caring. She struggled to make ends meet and provide for her family as the family lost their land and property in Europe; she struggled to find peace and safety for her children, and moved from the United States to Canada, so her younger kids could attend school in French, their first language. While she did not have a throne and the comfort of aristocratic life to leave as an inheritance, she made sure her children had what she believed they truly needed -a Catholic education and formation in their faith. She also remained a monarch at heart; even after her own home country had rejected her and forced her into exile, she appealed for Austria’s independence and neutrality directly to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. And lastly, she promoted the cause for her husband’s canonization.
Through her resiliency she thrived during the 20th century. Her material losses were spiritual gains. She lived an exemplary life focused on her vocation and a deep love for God above all else.
