Bina Rothschild

Rothschild was born Countess Katharina Eleonore Veronika Irma Luise Henckel von Donnersmarck on 8 February 1902 in Berlin to Count Lazarus Herbert Patrik Valentin Henckel von Donnersmarck (1869–1940) and Countess Vera Maria Elisabeth Marequita Maximiliane Charlotte Luise von Kanitz (1875–1962). She was a member of the House Henckel of Donnersmarck, a rich Austro-German noble family that originated in modern-day Slovakia. Her maternal grandfather, Count Georg von Kanitz, was a prominent statesman in the German Empire.^{[citation needed]}

In 1925, she married Baron Erich Max Benedikt von Goldschmidt-Rothschild (1899–1987), the son of Baron Maximilian von Goldschmidt-Rothschild and his wife, Baroness Minna Karoline von Rothschild (1857–1903). Her husband was a member of the Goldschmidt and Rothschild banking dynasties. She gave birth to a son:

• Baron Patrick Maximilien von Goldschmidt-Rothschild, (b. 1928); married on 1 July 1967 in Los Angeles to Annika Roman (b. 1928). They have:
  • Baron Eric von Goldschmidt-Rothschild (b. 1 Mar 1970)
  • Baroness Kristina von Goldschmidt-Rothschild (b.29 Jul 1973)

Rothschild played the role of the Queen of Transylvania in the 1964 Lerner and Loewe musical film My Fair Lady, based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play Pygmalion. She was not trained as an actress, and was considered by Cecil Beaton, an artistic director for the film, to be the only non-actress suitable to play the role, stating that she had "impeccable deportment and breeding."

George Cukor, who directed the film, helped her prepare for the role. Beaton had originally wanted Cukor to cast Fritzi Massary for the role, but she demanded too much pay. The part then went to Rothschild, who was costumed with a triple-pronged tiara and three-tiered diamond necklace designed by Beaton.

She died on 6 October 1965, aged 63.^{[where?][citation needed]}