His father had been gentleman in waiting and friend to the Emperor, his great- uncle, the field-marshal, had organized the war against Prussia, and he himself, as a boy, had played with the Archduke Michael.

他的父亲是皇帝的绅士和朋友，他的叔祖父是元帅，曾组织过对普鲁士的战争，而他自己，作为一个孩子，曾与米歇尔大公一起玩过。