In the winter of 1852, the young Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria met her in Berlin, fell in love, and wished to propose to her.

His mother, Archduchess Sophie of Austria, wrote to her sister Queen Elisabeth of Prussia referring to "the happiness that showed itself to him like a fleeting dream and made an impression on his heart -- alas -- much stronger and deeper than I had first thought.

Franz Joseph's mother asked, "whether there is any hope that this sad marriage, which they are imposing on this charming Anna and which leaves her no prospect of happiness whatsoever, could be prevented,"[1] but to no avail.

[5] Anna was the subject of one of the most famous paintings by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, in which she is depicted wearing a sweeping dress of tulle over pink silk.

She had already met Bishop Wilhelm Emmanuel von Ketteler during a stay in Mainz in 1866, who made a strong impression on her and sparked a lasting interest in the Roman Catholic Church in her.

As early as August 7, 1901, a personal police officer brought her the hand letter of Kaiser Wilhelm II, in which he, as head of the House of Hohenzollern, expelled her from the family because of her impending change of faith.

Since 1902, she maintained friendly contacts with the newly founded St. Bonifatius monastery in Hünfeld, to which she made several valuable donations, a green vestment of 20 parts, the portrait painting of the founder of the order Eugen von Mazenod made by Paul Beckert and after her death a silver altar cross with four candlesticks with a cross relic.

The Limburg bishop Augustinus Kilian held the pontifical requiem there in the presence of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and many members of royal families.