Tragic Facts About Zita Of Bourbon-Parma, The Refugee Empress
Zita of Bourbon-Parma was the last Empress of Austria. Even though she didn't actually want the imperial crown in the first place, she would never officially relinquish her throne.
Even as she starved on dandelion salads and bounced between refugee camps—read: palaces and castles barely befitting her imperialness—she clung stubbornly to her bygone empire. These heartbreaking facts tell her grim tale.
1. She Inherited A Hollow Crown
Zita of Bourbon-Parma was born on May 9, 1892, to Robert I, Duke of Parma and Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal. Sounds pretty fancy right? Not exactly. Her father had lost his crown during the Italian Unification, so he was a duke without a duchy. Being a monarch in name only would be Zita’s real inheritance. But her fortunes would change before long...
2. She Was Saintly
Zita’s name is pretty unique—for all the royals running rampant all over Europe at the time, she could claim to be the first of her name.
Her parents had named her after the 13th-century Italian saint, Citha, to whom believers pray to help them find lost keys. Now, if only she could help Zita find the keys to the palace she got kicked out of.
3. She Had A Private Ride
Just because her father didn’t have a crown didn’t mean that she wasn’t living like a princess. Zita grew up in a lap of luxury that would very quickly turn into a trap of poverty. But in the meantime, the good times were rolling. Literally.
Zita used to ride a private sixteen-car train between her summer and winter residences. And she learned a thing or two along the way.
4. She Spoke In Tongues—Many Tongues
Whether because her private train took her all around Europe or because her education made her well-rounded, Zita grew up speaking multiple languages. Italian, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and English. In later years she recalled, “We grew up internationally.” But no words in any language would help her with what came next.
