Prince Karl Franz of Prussia
Encyclopedia
Prince Karl Franz of Prussia (15 December 1916 - 23 January 1975) was the only child of Prince Joachim of Prussia
and his wife Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt
. His father was the youngest son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor, himself a grandson of Queen Victoria, which made Prince Karl a great-great-grandson of the British queen.
by his wife Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt
. Karl Franz was the Emperor's fourth grandchild to be born since World War I
began; he was consequently very young when Hohenzollern fortunes fell. His grandfather abdicated in 1918, and his father Prince Joachim committed suicide in 1920. At the time of his grandfather's abdication, Prince Karl Franz was twelfth in line of succession to the German and Prussian thrones
.
After his father's suicide, Karl Franz was taken into custody by his paternal uncle Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia
. As the legal head of the House of Hohenzollern
, he claimed this right because Emperor Wilhelm had issued an edict placing Hohenzollern powers in Eitel's hands. This was later declared to have been illegal, and his mother was given full custody of him in 1921. She was given this right despite the fact that she had run away from her husband and that there had been numerous servants testifying against her. Eitel's defense had also stated that Marie-Auguste was not a fit person for Karl Franz's guardianship. Marie-Auguste went to court however and made a plea that she was heartbroken, which may have helped win the case for her.
In 1922, Marie-Auguste sued ex-Emperor Wilhelm for financial support that had been promised in her and Joachim's marriage contract. Wilhelm's attorney argued that the House of Hohenzollern
laws were no longer valid, and therefore there was no obligation to support her.
In 1926, his mother remarried to Johannes-Michael Freiherr von Loën. They were divorced in 1935.
In World War II
, Karl Franz served as a lieutenant in an armored car division, and at one point was stationed on the Polish front. He was awarded the Iron Cross.
. She was a daughter of Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz, who had been the second wife of Karl's Franz grandfather Emperor Wilhelm II since 1922 (Henriette was thus Kaiser
Wilhelm's stepdaughter). Held at Wilhelm's private residence without much ceremony, he and Hermine attended the ceremony, as did a few other guests. The Mayor of Doorn
performed the ceremony.
They had three children:
They divorced 5 September 1946.
Prince Joachim of Prussia
Prince Joachim Franz Humbert of Prussia was the youngest son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor, by his first wife, Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein.-Candidate for thrones:...
and his wife Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt
Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt
Princess Marie Auguste of Anhalt was the daughter of Eduard, Duke of Anhalt and his wife Princess Luise of Saxe-Altenburg.-Early life and family:...
. His father was the youngest son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor, himself a grandson of Queen Victoria, which made Prince Karl a great-great-grandson of the British queen.
Early life
Prince Karl Franz was born on 15 December 1916 in Potsdam. He was the only child born to Prince Joachim of PrussiaPrince Joachim of Prussia
Prince Joachim Franz Humbert of Prussia was the youngest son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor, by his first wife, Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein.-Candidate for thrones:...
by his wife Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt
Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt
Princess Marie Auguste of Anhalt was the daughter of Eduard, Duke of Anhalt and his wife Princess Luise of Saxe-Altenburg.-Early life and family:...
. Karl Franz was the Emperor's fourth grandchild to be born since World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
began; he was consequently very young when Hohenzollern fortunes fell. His grandfather abdicated in 1918, and his father Prince Joachim committed suicide in 1920. At the time of his grandfather's abdication, Prince Karl Franz was twelfth in line of succession to the German and Prussian thrones
Line of succession to the German throne
The German Empire and Kingdom of Prussia were abolished in 1918. The current head - and first in line of succession - of the former ruling House of Hohenzollern is Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia...
.
After his father's suicide, Karl Franz was taken into custody by his paternal uncle Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia
Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia
Prince Eitel Friedrich was the second son of Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany by his first wife, Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein...
. As the legal head of the House of Hohenzollern
House of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...
, he claimed this right because Emperor Wilhelm had issued an edict placing Hohenzollern powers in Eitel's hands. This was later declared to have been illegal, and his mother was given full custody of him in 1921. She was given this right despite the fact that she had run away from her husband and that there had been numerous servants testifying against her. Eitel's defense had also stated that Marie-Auguste was not a fit person for Karl Franz's guardianship. Marie-Auguste went to court however and made a plea that she was heartbroken, which may have helped win the case for her.
In 1922, Marie-Auguste sued ex-Emperor Wilhelm for financial support that had been promised in her and Joachim's marriage contract. Wilhelm's attorney argued that the House of Hohenzollern
House of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...
laws were no longer valid, and therefore there was no obligation to support her.
In 1926, his mother remarried to Johannes-Michael Freiherr von Loën. They were divorced in 1935.
In World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Karl Franz served as a lieutenant in an armored car division, and at one point was stationed on the Polish front. He was awarded the Iron Cross.
First
On 5 October 1940, Karl Franz married Princess Henriette Hermine Wanda Ida Luise of Schönaich-CarolathPrincess Henriette of Schönaich-Carolath
Princess Henriette of Schönaich-Carolath was the youngest daughter of Prince Johann Georg von Schoenaich-Carolath and Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz, second wife of Wilhelm II, German Emperor.-Early life:...
. She was a daughter of Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz, who had been the second wife of Karl's Franz grandfather Emperor Wilhelm II since 1922 (Henriette was thus Kaiser
Kaiser
Kaiser is the German title meaning "Emperor", with Kaiserin being the female equivalent, "Empress". Like the Russian Czar it is directly derived from the Latin Emperors' title of Caesar, which in turn is derived from the personal name of a branch of the gens Julia, to which Gaius Julius Caesar,...
Wilhelm's stepdaughter). Held at Wilhelm's private residence without much ceremony, he and Hermine attended the ceremony, as did a few other guests. The Mayor of Doorn
Doorn
Doorn is a town in the municipality of Utrechtse Heuvelrug in the central Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. On 1 January 2008 the town had 10,052 inhabitants.-History:...
performed the ceremony.
They had three children:
- Prince Franz Wilhelm Viktor Christoph Stephan of PrussiaPrince Franz Wilhelm of PrussiaPrince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia is a German businessman and member of the House of Hohenzollern, the former ruling imperial house of Germany and royal house of Prussia. From 1976 to 1986 he was known as Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich of Russia...
(born 3 September 1943), he married the pretender to the Russian throne Maria Vladimirovna of Russia. Their child is George Mikhailovich of RussiaGeorge Mikhailovich of RussiaGrand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia is the heir apparent to Maria Vladimirovna, Grand Duchess of Russia, a claimant to the disputed Headship of the Imperial Family of Russia...
, Prince of Prussia, born 13 March 1981 in Spain. - Prince Friedrich Christian Ludwig of Prussia (3 September 1943 – 26 September 1943)
- Prince Franz Friedrich Christian of Prussia (born 17 October 1944).
They divorced 5 September 1946.
Second
Karl Franz married secondly, morganatically, on 9 November 1946, to Luise Dora Hartmann (5 September 1909 Hamburg, Germany – 23 April 1961 Hamburg, Germany). The couple were childless and divorced in 1959.Third
Prince Karl married lastly, on 20 July 1959 in Lima, Peru, to Doña Eva Maria Herrera y Valdeavellano (10 June 1922 Lima, Peru – 6 March 1987 Lima, Peru). They were married until Prince Karl's death and had two daughters;- Alexandra Maria Augusta Juana Consuelo Prinzessin von Preussen (born 29 April 1960 Lima, Peru). She married Alberto Reboa on October 1995 in Lima, Peru. They have two children:
- Alberto Reboa von Preussen (b.1994)
- Alexandra Reboa von Preussen (b.1995)
- Désirée Anastasia Maria Benedicta Prinzessin von Preussen (born 13 July 1961 Lima, Peru). She married Juan Carlos Gamarra y Skeels on 25 May 1983 at Lima, Peru. They have two children:
- Juan Francisco Gamarra von Preussen (b.1987)
- Ines Gamarra von Preussen (b.1989).