Michael, Prince of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

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Head of the House of
Michael
Head of the House of
Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Tenure14 October 1988 – present
PredecessorHereditary Grand Duke Charles Augustus
Heir presumptivePrince Wilhelm Ernst
Born (1946-11-15) 15 November 1946 (age 77)
Bamberg, Germany
SpousesRenate Henkel (div.)
Dagmar Hennings
IssueLeonie Mercedes Augusta Silva Elisabeth Margarethe
Names
Michael Benedikt Georg Jobst Carl Alexander Bernhard Claus Friedrich
HouseSaxe-Weimar-Eisenach
FatherCharles Augustus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
MotherBaroness Elisabeth von Wangenheim-Winterstein
ReligionLutheranism

Michael, Prince of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach[1] (German: Michael Prinz von Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach; born 15 November 1946) is the current head of the Grand Ducal House of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, as well as the most senior agnate of the entire House of Wettin.[2]

Prince of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

Prince Michael was born in Bamberg, Bavaria, the only son of Hereditary Grand Duke Charles Augustus of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and Baroness Elisabeth von Wangenheim-Winterstein (1912–2010).[3] Among his godparents were Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and the Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia imposter, Anna Anderson, who was living with his aunt Princess Luise of Saxe-Meiningen.[4]

When his father died on 14 October 1988, Prince Michael succeeded him as Head of the House of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. On 13 February 1991, he inherited the leadership in the House of Saxe-Altenburg,[citation needed] as that line became extinct, and since 23 July 2012 he regards the Albertine royal Saxon line to be extinct.[5] However, Prince Michael has also stated that he "[does not] believe in historical carnival" and that "Germany should have done it like Austria long ago and abolished all titles."[6]

In 2004, he withdrew his claim for restitution of numerous properties, archives (partly including those of Schiller and Goethe) as well as priceless artwork in a settlement with the Free State of Thuringia and acquired some forest estates in exchange.[7]

Since Prince Michael has no sons, the current heir to the headship of the grand ducal house is his elder (by age) first cousin, Prince Wilhelm Ernst (b. 10 August 1946), whose only son Prince Georg-Constantin (13 April 1977 – 9 June 2018), a banker who was married but without issue, was killed in a horse riding accident on 9 June 2018 while riding with Jean Christophe Iseux von Pfetten.[8] Therefore, the Grand Ducal House of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach will most likely become extinct in the male line.

Marriages

Prince Michael married Renate Henkel (b. Heidelberg, 17 September 1947), daughter of industrialist Konrad Henkel and wife Jutta von Hülsen and sister of Christoph Henkel, in a civil ceremony on 9 June 1970 at Hamburg-Eimsbüttel, and religiously on 4 July 1970 at Linnep bei Breitscheid.[3] The marriage was childless and dissolved by divorce at Düsseldorf on 9 March 1974.

He was married secondly to Dagmar Hennings (b. Niederpöcking, 24 June 1948), daughter of Henrich Hennings and wife Margarethe Schacht, in London on 15 November 1980. They have one daughter:

  • Leonie Mercedes Augusta Silva Elisabeth Margarethe of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (b. Frankfurt, 30 October 1986).

Ancestry

Ancestors of Michael, Prince of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
8. Charles Augustus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
4. William Ernest, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
9. Princess Pauline of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
2. Charles Augustus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
10. Prince Friedrich Johann of Saxe-Meiningen
5. Princess Feodora of Saxe-Meiningen
11. Countess Adelaide of Lippe-Biesterfeld
1. Michael, Prince of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
12. Baron Otto von Wangenheim-Winterstein
6. Baron Othmar von Wangenheim-Winterstein
13. Emma Marie von Henning auf Schönhoff
3. Baroness Elisabeth von Wangenheim-Winterstein
14. Baron Maximilian von Trützschler zum Falkenstein
7. Baroness Mathilde von Trützschler zum Falkenstein
15. Baroness Isidore von Uckermann-Bendeleben

References

  1. ^ In 1919 royalty and nobility were mandated to lose their privileges in Germany, hereditary titles were to be legally borne thereafter only as part of the surname, according to Article 109 of the Weimar Constitution. Styles such as majesty and highness were not retained. Archived 2015-07-24 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Willis, Daniel A., The Descendants of King George I of Great Britain, Clearfield Company, 2002, pp. 457-458.
  3. ^ a b Montgomery-Massinberd, Hugh (1972). Burke's Guide to the Royal Family. London: Burke's Peerage, Ltd. p. 266. ISBN 0-220-66222-3.
  4. ^ Mundy, Carlos & Stravlo, Marie. The Lost Romanov Icon and the Enigma of Anastasia. Page XXII.
  5. ^ Erbfolgestreit bei den Wettinern
  6. ^ Locke, Stefan (9 April 2014). "Das war's mit dem Adel!". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  7. ^ McLean, Scott; Schmidt, Nadine (30 December 2022). "Germany's ex-royals want their riches back, but past ties to Hitler stand in the way". CNN. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  8. ^ "Baron tells how he tried to save life of German prince who died in freak horse riding accident". Telegraph. 10 January 2019. Retrieved 2020-01-24.
Michael, Prince of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Cadet branch of the House of Wettin
Born: 15 November 1946
Titles in pretence
Preceded by
Charles Augustus
— TITULAR —
Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
14 October 1988 – present
Reason for succession failure:
Grand Duchy abolished in 1918
Incumbent
Heir:
Prince Wilhelm Ernst of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Head of the House of Wettin
14 October 1988 – present
  • v
  • t
  • e
The generations are numbered from the ascension of Karl August as Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach in 1809 and later Grand Duke in 1815.
1st generation2nd generation3rd generation
4th generation
5th generation
  • Hereditary Grand Duke Charles Augustus
6th generation
  • Michael, Prince of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
  • 1''lost his title due to an unequal marriage
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