Johannes, 11th Prince of Thurn and Taxis (Johannes Baptista de Jesus Maria Louis Miguel Friedrich Bonifazius Lamoral; 5 June 1926 – 14 December 1990) was a German businessman and head of the House of Thurn und Taxis from 1982 until his death.
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Early life
Johannes was born at Schloss Höfling in Regensburg, Germany, to Karl August, 10th Prince of Thurn and Taxis, and Infanta Maria Anna de Braganza. He had two older sisters and one younger brother.
Marriage and family
In the 1970s Johannes threw avant-garde parties and, because he was bisexual, he was often seen in gay discos. Before he was married, his "permanent companion" was Princess Henriette von Auersperg (1933-2019).
On 31 May 1980 he married the much younger Countess Gloria of Schönburg-Glauchau (born 1960), who was also bisexual. The pair were fourth cousins twice removed, both descended from Karl Alexander, 5th Prince of Thurn and Taxis. The Schönburg-Glauchaus were a countly branch of the mediatised princely House of Schönburg, which still possessed large estates in Germany after World War I, but became refugees in Africa under the Nazi regime and fell on hard times. The couple attracted massive media attention into the mid 1980s, with a haut bohème lifestyle locating them among the jet set and the Princess Gloria's over-the-top appearance (characterized by bright hair color and flashy clothes) prompted Vanity Fair to describe her as "Princess TNT, the dynamite socialite", a sobriquet that stayed with her a long time. The couple had three children:
Maria Theresia Ludowika Klothilde Helene Alexandra (born 28 November 1980 in Regensburg). On 13 September 2014, she married Hugo Wilson, a British artist, in Tutzing, Germany. They have two daughters.
Elisabeth Margarethe Maria Anna Beatriz (born 24 March 1982 in Regensburg).
Albert (II.) Maria Lamoral Miguel Johannes Gabriel (born 24 June 1983 in Regensburg).
Upon the death of his father in 1982, Johannes became the head of the Thurn and Taxis family. He died on 14 December 1990 after two unsuccessful heart transplants within two days, in Munich-Großhadern. With a legacy of U.S. $500 million in debts, his widow was forced to simplify her way of life to master the fiscal responsibilities of probating his estate and securing what remained of her husband's fortune.
Honours
Dynastic honours
Dynastic orders of non-reigning families:
House of Thurn und Taxis: Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Parfaite Amitié
Saxon Royal Family: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Rue Crown
Portuguese Royal Family: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa
National and foreign honours
Commander of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Sovereign Military Order of Malta: Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, 3rd First Class