Above: Duke Miguel Herzog von Braganza (1853-1927), 1907 (detail).

Source: Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library)

6. Mary Vetsera (continued)

Helene's strategy for climbing the social ladder was to groom Mary for marriage into a long-established noble family. Helene's target for her daughter's future husband was Duke Miguel of Braganza who numbered kings of Portugal among his ancestors. He was a widower in his thirties.

Duke Miguel was one of Rudolf's hunting companions. Rudolf's nickname for him was "Waterboy," a reference to Miguel's habit of wearing a red bandanna around his neck when on a hunt.

Waterboys were men or boys who brought water to cab stands for the cab horses in exchange for tips from cab drivers. The waterboys' unofficial badge was a red neckerchief.

Helene's four brothers (Mary's Baltazzi uncles) were all outstanding horsemen. They took Mary to horse races so often that she earned the nickname "Turf Angel." It was at Vienna's Freudenau race course, according to legend, that she met England's Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) who introduced her to his friend Rudolf.

This was the beginning of Mary's infatuation with the Crown Prince. "For a long time she then admired him from afar, seeking to attract his eye at the opera or when driving in the Prater...." (Judtmann 29).

Soon enough Mary would have her wish, and its fatal consequences, thanks to Countess Marie Larisch.