Prince Alexander of Saxe-Gessaphe

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Prince Alexander of Saxe-Gessaphe, German: Alexander Prinz von Sachsen-Gessaphe (born 12 February 1954 in Munich), is the adopted heir of Maria Emanuel, Margrave of Meissen, and a businessman with Lebanese, Mexican and German roots.

He stands in a rivalry to become the Head of the Royal House of Saxony, and pretender to the thrones of Kings of Saxony, Poland and Lithuania. He belongs to Roman catholic creed. His paternal forefathers have been maronite catholic Lebanese.

He was born Alexander de Afif as eldest son of Roberto de Afif, Dr.Jur (mentioned as nobleman of Gessaphe, Lebanon) and Princess Anna of Saxony. Alexander grew up in Mexico and in Germany. He studied business management. Alexander lived 30 years with his family in Mexico City, and he has an import-export company there. Since 1989 he has resided in Saxony, Germany.

He married Princess Gisela of Bavaria (b. 10 September 1964), firstly secularly at Mexico City 3 April 1987 and then religiously at Andechs 29 August 1987. Their children are:

• Prince Georg Philipp of Saxe-Gessaphe (b. Mexico City 24 May 1988), hereditary prince
• Prince Maurice Gabriel Robert of Saxe-Gessaphe (b. Mexico City 14 Sep 1989)
• Prince Paul Clemens of Saxe-Gessaphe (b. Mexico City 23 Mar 1993)
• Princess Maria Teresita Anna Louise Caroline Lucardis of Saxe-Gessaphe (born Dresden 7 July 1999).

His marriage with Gisela enhanced his dynastical potential in eyes of monarchist circles and of his maternal uncle the childless Margrave. Because Alexander's first cousin the young Prince Johannes of Saxe-Coburg (1969-87) was killed in 1987 in a skiing accident, the Margrave was left without his clearly eligible cognatic heir. In May 1997 (after several years of contemplations and preparations), the Margrave of Meissen decided to make Alexander de Afif his heir, and adopted him two years later which gave him the legal surname of Prinz von Sachsen. Thus was created the family of Saxe-Gessaphe, a cognatic offshoot of the House of Wettin - Alexander took the name "Prinz von Sachsen-Gessaphe". Alexander, his sons and brothers are known as Princes of Sachsen-Gessaphe.

Since February 2003 Alexander has worked in attracting investors worldwide to Free State of Saxony. In Summer 2004 he received German citizenship. Since then, he has also been an advisor of Georg Milbrandt, Minister-President of Free State of Saxony.

House of Saxe-Gessaphe Born: February 12 1954; Died: Living
Preceded by '	Line of succession to the Saxon throne (Saxe-Gessaphe line)	Succeeded by Prince Georg Philipp of Saxe-Gessaphe