| Alois | |||||
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| Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein Count of Rietberg | |||||
.jpg) Alois in 2024 | |||||
| Regent of Liechtenstein | |||||
| Regency | 15 August 2004 – present | ||||
| Monarch | Hans-Adam II | ||||
| Born | (1968-06-11)11 June 1968 (age 57) Zürich, Switzerland | ||||
| Spouse | |||||
| Issue | |||||
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| House | Liechtenstein | ||||
| Father | Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein | ||||
| Mother | Countess Marie Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau | ||||
| Signature |  | ||||
| Princely family of Liechtenstein |
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Descendants of Prince Franz Joseph II
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Descendants of Prince Aloys
Princess Marie Christine
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Extended princely family
Princess Josephine
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Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein (Alois Philipp Maria; born 11 June 1968) is the eldest son ofHans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein, andCountess Marie Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau, and theheir apparent to the throne ofLiechtenstein. Alois has beenregent of the country since 15 August 2004, while his father remains the head of state.[1]
He also holds the title ofCount of Rietberg. He is married toDuchess Sophie in Bavaria, who is a member of theHouse of Wittelsbach, and second in line for theJacobite succession.[2][3]
Alois attended theLiechtenstein Grammar School inVaduz and then theRoyal Military Academy Sandhurst in theUnited Kingdom. He was asecond lieutenant serving in theColdstream Guards inHong Kong andLondon for six months, resigning his commission in the Coldstream Guards on 8 August 1988.[4] He entered theUniversity of Salzburg, from which he earned amaster's degree injurisprudence in 1993. Until 1996, Alois worked at a firm of chartered accountants in London. In May of that year, he returned to Vaduz and became active in managing the princely family's finances.[1]
In the2003 Liechtenstein constitutional referendum, Alois and his father Hans-Adam II pushed for constitutional amendments that granted the prince sweeping powers (the right toveto laws and elect judges).[1][5] Hans-Adam had threatened to abdicate the throne and leave the country if it was not successful. However, it was accepted by voters.[5] The next year, on 15 August 2004, Hans-Adam made Alois his regent and turned over the powers of prince to him, though Hans-Adam remains the official head of state, much like his fatherFranz Joseph II had done for him in 1984.[1][6]
On 27 November 2005, Liechtenstein votersrejected an initiative that would prohibitabortion and birth control in the country. The initiative was supported byRoman Catholic ArchbishopWolfgang Haas. Alois was initially sympathetic to the proposal, but he became neutral during the run-up to the vote. Instead, a government-sponsored counter proposal was ratified.[7] In 2011, Alois announced he would veto any relaxing of the ban on abortion in Liechtenstein, which was an subject for referendum later that year.[8] Such a veto was not necessary, however, as the voters rejected the proposal.[9]
Following the prince's threat, an initiative called "Damit deine Stimme zählt" ("So that your voice counts") was launched to change theconstitution of Liechtenstein to prevent the prince from vetoing legislation approved in referendums.The referendum was held on 1 July 2012, and 76% of voters upheld the prince's power to veto referendum results.[10]
On 11 August 2022, Prince Alois said thatsame-sex marriage is "not a major problem".[11] In a speech made in August 2024, he supported Liechtenstein's accession to theInternational Monetary Fund.[12]
Alois is set to inherit an extensive art collection, much of which is displayed for the public at theLiechtenstein Museum in Vienna. As of July 2022, his father's net worth was estimated byBloomberg Billionaires Index around US$6.20 billion, making him the 380th richest person on earth.[13] However, he placed these assets in a family foundation, thePrince of Liechtenstein Foundation, from which each family member receives an equal annual allowance and which maintains the family's castles, cultural assets, collections and museums and last but not least, the costs of the princely court including even some salaries for princes who are ambassadors abroad, which are not a burden on the taxpayer.[citation needed]
On 3 July 1993 atSt. Florin's Cathedral in Vaduz, Alois marriedDuchess Sophie in Bavaria, now also Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein and Countess of Rietberg.
They have four children:[2]
Austria :Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash for Services to the Republic of Austria (08/06/2000).[20][21]
Netherlands :Recipient of the King Willem-Alexander Inauguration Medal (04/30/2013).
Sweden :Recipient of the King Carl XVI Gustaf's Jubilee Commemorative Medal for the 70th Birthday (04/30/2016).[22]
Sovereign Military Order of Malta :Grand Cross pro Merito Melitensi – civilian special class – (09/16/2011).[23] |
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| Ancestors of Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein[25] |
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Princess Marie Caroline, born 17 October 1996
Media related toAlois Philipp, Prince of Liechtenstein at Wikimedia CommonsAlois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein Born: 11 June 1968 | ||
| Liechtensteiner royalty | ||
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| Preceded by | Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein 13 November 1989 – present | Incumbent Heir: Prince Joseph Wenzel |
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| First | Line of succession to the Liechtensteiner throne | Succeeded by |
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