Traute, Princess of Lippe | |
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Born | Traute Becker 19 February 1925 Hänigsen, Lower Saxony, German Reich |
Died | 25 February 2023 Detmold, North Rhine–Westphalia, Germany | (aged 98)
Spouse | Armin, Prince of Lippe |
Children | Stephan, Prince of Lippe |
Traute, Princess of Lippe (German: Traute Prinzessin zur Lippe [ˈtʁaʊ̯tə pʁɪnˈt͜sɛsɪn t͜sʊʁ ˈlɪpə]; born Traute Becker, 16 February 1925 – 25 February 2023) was a German princess, philanthropist, and biologist. She was a patron of the visual arts, the Princess Pauline Foundation, the City of Detmold, and the District of Lippe.[1] She was the bearer of the Federal Cross of Merit. She was awarded a Crown Cross in gold from the Diakonisches Werk in recognition of her social work.[2]
Born in Hänigsen, Uetze, Lower Saxony, Traute was the daughter of Charlotte Meyer and Gustave Becker.[3] She earned a doctorate in biology.[4] Traute married Armin, Prince of Lippe, in Göttingen, where they first met, on 27 March 1953.[4][5] He was head of the Princely House of Lippe.[6]
In 1959, Traute gave birth to their son Stephan, Prince of Lippe.[1][7][6] She was regularly seen walking around Detmold with Prince Armin and their Scottish terrier dog until Armin died in 2015.[7][2] They were married for 62 years,[5] and had five grandchildren.[6]
Princess Traute of Lippe was a board member of the Princess Pauline Foundation from 1979 to 2000 and served as chairman from 1983 to 1995.[2] She was a founding member of the Lippische Gesellschaft für Kunst, along with Prince Armin, and served as its honorary chairman from 2016.[8][1] In 2015, she also took over patronage of the MS-Kontaktkreis, a multiple sclerosis support group, following the death of Prince Armin and hosted its annual visit to Detmold Castle.[9]
Princess Traute died at Detmold Castle on 25 February 2023, at the age of 98.[2][1]