Her Imperial & Royal Highness Archduchess Ilona of Austria, Duchess of Mecklenburg passed away this morning at her home in Freiburg aged 83. A member of the Hungarian palatine branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, which was the most junior branch of the family, Archduchess Ilona was born on 20 April 1927 in Budapest the daughter of Archduke Joseph Franz and Archduchess Anna of Austria, born Princess of Saxony. The second of eight children Archduchess Ilona was a granddaughter of the last king of Saxony, Friedrich August III.
The Archduchess married the late head of the grand ducal house, the Duke Georg Alexander of Mecklenburg on 30 April 1946. They were the parents of the Duchesses Elisabeth Christina, Marie Katharina, Irene and Duke Borwin who all survive her along with ten grandchildren and one great granddaughter. The Archduchess was a Dame Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and and a Dame of the Habsburg House Order for women, the Star Cross Order.