William Lobkowicz

Prince William Lobkowicz or simply William Lobkowicz (born 7 September 1961) is a nobleman from the House of Lobkowicz of American origin with Bohemian (Czech) roots. He grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, but moved to then Czechoslovakia in 1990 to claim his family's vast ancestral belongings, the restoration, preservation and display of which have become his profession and passion.

Gillian Somerville, wife of Maximilian Lobkowicz, later moved with their three sons, Martin (born 1928), Dominik and Oliver from London to Boston. William is the fourth child and third son of Martin Lobkowicz by his Kentucky-born wife, Margaret Juett. Although junior members of the House of Lobkowicz were also once entitled to the prefix of "Prince" and the style of Serene Highness, William prefers to use the title only where professionally useful.

William Lobkowicz first visited Czechoslovakia in 1976 when he was 14. Lobkowicz went to Harvard University as an undergraduate where he majored in European history.

After his studies, Lobkowicz became a successful businessman in Massachusetts. He has three children by his wife of Romanian noble origin: William Rudolf, Ileana, and Sophia.

Shortly after the fall of the Communist government in Czechoslovakia end of 1989, William Lobkowicz moved to the country of his ancestors to claim the family's former lands and castles. Lobkowicz's initial work focused on having the property legally restored to the family, a project which took much money and time.

Lobkowicz has since focused on the restoration, maintenance and upkeep of the castles now under his ownership. Of the more than ten castles and palaces once possessed by the House of Lobkowicz, William Lobkowicz now oversees four of them, including the ancestral Lobkowicz Palace (formerly Pernštejn Palace) at Prague Castle Complex, with some of the remainder having been sold off to finance the restoration as well as long-term maintenance of the other four. Additional financing has been obtained by converting some of the family properties to hotels and restaurants. The Lobkowicz Palace includes a restaurant, and guided English-speaking tours are offered.

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