Diane, Dowager Duchess of Württemberg (née Princess Diane of Orléans; born 24 March 1940) is a French-German painter, sculptor, writer and philanthropist. She is the widow of Carl, Duke of Württemberg, head of the House of Württemberg. She is the fourth daughter and sixth child of Henri, Count of Paris, Orléanist pretender to the throne of France, and his wife, Princess Isabelle of Orléans-Braganza.

Early life

Diane was born in Petrópolis, Brazil, the fourth daughter and sixth child of the Orléanist claimant to the French throne, Henri, Count of Paris, and his wife, Princess Isabelle of Orléans-Braganza. At the time of her birth, as a claimant to the throne, her father was banned from living in France. Thus, she was born in her mother's native Brazil. In 1950, the ban was lifted and the family moved to France. Diane attended the Académie Julian in Paris.

Career and patronages

The Duchess became interested in silk painting at the age of 14. She received formal training at the Académie Julian. She worked in a variety of techniques such as silk screen printing, oil painting, stuccowork, glass and wood painting. In 1971, following an illness caused by using lead-based paints, Diane began sculpting. She signs her works as DxDiane. The letter D placed before Diane signifies Dimanche de Pâques, the day of her birth. She is a patron of the Smolny Institute of Liberal Arts and Science. In 1979, the Duchess established an eponymous foundation, "Diane Herzogin von Württemberg, Prinzessin von Frankreich-Stiftung," to aid disadvantaged children.

Marriage and issue

In 1956, on a cruise organized by Queen Frederica of Greece, Diane met Duke Carl of Württemberg, son and heir of Philipp Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg, and his wife, Archduchess Rosa of Austria. In 1957, her brother, Henri, married Carl's sister, Marie-Thérèse. On 21 July 1960, Diane married Carl at Altshausen. The wedding celebrations lasted three days. Diane wore a Dior gown designed by Yves Saint Laurent. In 1975, Carl succeeded his father as head of the House of Württemberg. They have six children and sixteen grandchildren:

Honours and awards

Honours

National honours

Foreign honours

Awards

Works