Margareta Fouché d'Otrante, (28 March 1909 – 25 August 2005) was the wife of Gustav Albrecht, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

Gustav Albrecht, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

Gustav Albrecht, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Gustav Albrecht, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Gustav Albrecht, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (Gustav Albrecht Alfred Franz Friedrich Otto Emil Ernst, 28 February 1907-1944 (declared legally dead 29 November 1969)...

, and the mother of Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

Richard Casimir Karl August Robert Konstantin, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg is the Prince and Head of the House of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. He is the son of Gustav Albrecht, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Margareta Fouché d'Otrante...

, who is the husband of Princess Benedikte of Denmark

Princess Benedikte of Denmark

Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, , , is the second daughter of King Frederick IX of Denmark and Ingrid of Sweden...

.

She was born in Elghammar, Sweden, the daughter of Charles Louis Fouché d'Otrante, 4th Duc d'Otrante (a descendant of Napoleonic French statesman Joseph Fouché

Joseph Fouché

Joseph Fouché, 1st Duc d'Otrante was a French statesman and Minister of Police under Napoleon Bonaparte. In English texts his title is often translated as Duke of Otranto.-Youth:Fouché was born in Le Pellerin, a small village near Nantes...

), by his first wife Hedvig Douglas (a descendant of Louis I, Grand Duke of Baden).

Her full title was Princess Margareta Fouché d'Otrante of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.
Her husband, Gustav Albrecht, was the head of the Princely House of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was a county , most of which is located in the present district of Siegen-Wittgenstein, Germany . Its seat was the town and palace in Berleburg...

. He went missing in action in 1944, and was declared legally dead in 1969.

From 1944 to 1955 she was the acting Head of the Princely family as Princess Dowager

Dowager

A dowager is a widow who holds a title or property, or dower, derived from her deceased husband. As an adjective, "Dowager" usually appears in association with monarchical and aristocratic titles....

.
After her husband Gustaf Albrecht was reported missing during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 she became guardian for her son, Prince Richard. The family went into exile in her native Sweden

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

, where she was born. Prince Richard later married Her Royal Highness Princess Benedikte of Denmark

Princess Benedikte of Denmark

Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, , , is the second daughter of King Frederick IX of Denmark and Ingrid of Sweden...

. Born as Duchess d'Otrante, she lived until 2005.

Sources and references

• Heraldica.org (Napoleonic heraldry)
• GigaCatholic