Johann Leopold, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Encyclopedia
Johann Leopold, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Johann Leopold William Albert Ferdinand Victor; 2 August 1906 – 4 May 1972) was the eldest son of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
and Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. From his birth until his father's abdication, he was known as Hereditary Prince Johann Leopold.
, the fourth and last son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and his wife, Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont
John Leopold had four younger siblings: Sibylla
, Hubertus
, Caroline Mathilde
and Friedrich Josias.
He was heir-apparent, from his birth, until the forced abdication of his father on 18 November 1918, to Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
. The abdication was a result of the German Revolution.
Notwithstanding his morganatic marriages and his father's loss of his United Kingdom title of Duke of Albany
under the Titles Deprivation Act 1917
, John remained heir to the title and was eligible to apply for its reinstatement, though he did not do so.
Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was the fourth and last reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, two duchies in Germany , and the head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha from 1900 until his death in 1954...
and Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. From his birth until his father's abdication, he was known as Hereditary Prince Johann Leopold.
Early life
His paternal grandparents were Prince Leopold, Duke of AlbanyPrince Leopold, Duke of Albany
The Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany was the eighth child and fourth son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Leopold was later created Duke of Albany, Earl of Clarence, and Baron Arklow...
, the fourth and last son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and his wife, Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont
John Leopold had four younger siblings: Sibylla
Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Princess Sibylla of Sweden, Duchess of Västerbotten , was the wife of Prince Gustav Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, and is the mother of the current King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf.-Early life:She was the daughter of Charles Edward,...
, Hubertus
Prince Hubertus of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1909–1943)
Prince Hubertus of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was a member of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the second eldest son of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his wife, Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein....
, Caroline Mathilde
Princess Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Princess Caroline Matilda of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha -Early life:...
and Friedrich Josias.
He was heir-apparent, from his birth, until the forced abdication of his father on 18 November 1918, to Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha or Saxe-Coburg-Gotha served as the collective name of two duchies, Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Gotha, in Germany. They were located in what today are the states of Bavaria and Thuringia, respectively, and the two were in personal union between 1826 and 1918...
. The abdication was a result of the German Revolution.
Marriage
Johann Leopold's first wife was Feodora Freiherrin von der Horst, whom he married morganatically on 9 March 1932. The prince was forced to cede his own succession rights at the time of the marriage. The couple had three children and were divorced on 27 February 1962. His second wife was Maria Theresia Reindl, whom he married morganatically on 3 May 1963. They had no children.Titles and styles
- 2 August 1906 – 4 May 1972: His Highness The Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Notwithstanding his morganatic marriages and his father's loss of his United Kingdom title of Duke of Albany
Duke of Albany
Duke of Albany is a peerage title that has occasionally been bestowed on the younger sons in the Scottish, and later the British, royal family, particularly in the Houses of Stuart and Hanover....
under the Titles Deprivation Act 1917
Titles Deprivation Act 1917
The Titles Deprivation Act 1917 is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which authorised enemies of the United Kingdom during the First World War to be deprived of their British peerages and royal titles. -Background:...
, John remained heir to the title and was eligible to apply for its reinstatement, though he did not do so.
Issue
The Prince had three children by his first wife, all barred from the succession of the duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha| Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| By Feodora von der Horst | |||
| Caroline Mathilde Adelheid Sibylla Marianne Erika Wettin | 5 April 1933; Hirschberg | married, 5 December 1953, Michael Nielsen (12 August 1923 – 20 September 1975); had issue - Margarethe-Brigitte (b. 30 September 1954) and Renate Christine (b. 4 February 1957) | |
| Ernst Leopold Eduard Wilhelm Josias Wettin | 14 January 1935; Hirschberg | 27 June 1996; Bad Wiessee (suicide) | married (1), 4 February 1961, Ingeborg Henig; divorced 1963; had issue (one son, Hubertus Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha) (2), 29 May 1963, Gertraude Monika Pfeiffer; divorced 1985; had issue (one daughter, Viktoria, and three sons: Ernst-Josias, Karl-Eduard and Ferdinand-Christian) (3), 20 January 1986, Sabine Biller, with whom he committed suicide; had issue (one daughter, Alice, born before the marriage of her parents) |
| Peter Albert Friedrich Josias Wettin | 12 June 1939; Dresden | married, 12 May 1964, Roswitha Henriette Breuer; had issue (two sons, Peter and Malte) | |