William Rudolf Lobkowicz

William Rudolf Lobkowicz grew up in Prague, Czech Republic. After graduating from the International School of Prague, he attended Harvard University, receiving his BA in History in 2018.
 
 William’s passion for history is rooted in his own ancestry—his 700-year-old Bohemian noble family whose successive generations have played an influential role in European politics and society, especially as patrons of the arts. The family’s art collections and properties were confiscated twice: first in 1939 by the Nazis and again after 1948 by the Communists, forcing the Lobkowiczes to flee their homeland. After the Velvet Revolution of 1989, the family returned to then Czechoslovakia and undertook the restitution process to reclaim, reassemble, and restore their lost cultural heritage, permanently opening it to the public for the first time in history.
 
The family founded House of Lobkowicz which oversees five cultural heritage sites offering event design and hospitality management services, cultural tourism experiences, and the Lobkowicz Collections—one of Europe’s oldest and finest private art collections. These sites include the Lobkowicz Palace in Prague Castle, Nelahozeves Castle, the Antonín Dvořák Birth House, Roudnice Castle, and Střekov Castle.

Since returning to Prague, William has led House of Lobkowicz’s digital innovation efforts, including digitization, online education, virtual programming, and the use of blockchain technology in the arts. He is passionate about exploring how digital tools can support and expand the scope of possibilities for the family’s collections, broad educational initiatives, and non-profit activities. As Chief Marketing Officer, William has also spearheaded marketing and brand building for House of Lobkowicz, as well as implemented numerous projects across its heritage sites.

In 2021, he launched Non-Fungible Castle, an educational and community building platform bridging art and technology. This initiative pushed the frontiers of how blockchain technology can offer new ways to experience, restore, and preserve culture through a platform called Proof of Patronage which has funded numerous works of art in the Lobkowicz Collections. William was selected for the 2021 Czech Forbes 30 under 30 and has been a featured speaker at the French Ministry of Culture, Prague Art Week, Deloitte, and more, presenting his initiatives around incorporating blockchain technology into cultural heritage practices.

 [IL1]Update hyperlink https://www.lobkowicz.cz/en/digital-explorations