Franz met
Clara Elizabeth Prentice-Huntington, and reportedly "became infatuated with her." He met her again at the house of the U.S. Ambassador
McLane in Paris and then he followed her to
Aix-les-Bains. After their engagement was announced, Franz was described by
The New York Times on 21 August 1889, as follows: He is tall and fair, with stooping shoulders. No particular fault has ever been found with the Prince, except a chronic impecuniosity and a decided inclination to contract debts that there was no prospect of paying, except he should capture such a prize as he has caught. In short, he has exhibited what has been aptly termed by a favorite American comedian 'a wine taste on a beer income.' His obligations are set by London clubmen, by whom he was always considered a jolly good fellow, at about 4,000,000£ but had not enough money to cut much of a figure. He has been a patron of all the fashionable European watering places, and has been most assiduous in cultivating the acquaintance of rich American girls at
Monte Carlo,
Baden,
Homburg, and other resorts. He has figured conspicuously in several unsavory gambling episodes, one of which, about two years ago, attracted such widespread attention as to cause the Prince to retire for a time. His father and mother are extremely popular both at Berlin and Vienna, but the Prince is regarded as a black sheep and has severed his connection with both the Diplomatic Service and the army." The bride was given away by her father and the Prince was attended by his cousin, Count Hermann (Count Paul's son), and Prince
Hohenlohe as groomsmen. After their marriage, they lived at Hatzfeldt Castle at Schönstein-on-the-
Rhine before leasing Draycot House at
Draycot Cerne in
Wiltshire, England in 1896. Clara's father died in 1900, and Clara received a "fortune of more than $2,000,000", As they had no children, his princely rights and estates were inherited by his cousin, Count
Hermann von Hatzfeldt-Wildenburg (the only son of Count Paul von Hatzfeldt), who was the last Prince of Hatzfeldt-Wildenburg. His widow, who never remarried, died in England on 18 December 1928. ==Ancestry==