Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
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Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duke of Saxony (given names: Andreas Michael Friedrich Hans Armin Siegfried Hubertus; born 21 March 1943) has been the head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha since 1998. He is the grandson of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the last ruling duke. He is styled as His Highness.
Early life
Prince Andreas was born at Schloss Casel in Lower Lusatia to Friedrich Josias, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and the former Countess Viktoria-Luise of Solms-Baruth, his parents divorced in 1946. In 1949 he moved to New Orleans in the United States where he spent his childhood with his mother and her second husband, Richard Whitten.[1]
Prince Andreas became heir-apparent to the headship of the ducal house on 6 March 1954, when his father became the head. From the age of 16 he made regular visits to Germany in preparation for his future role as head of the ducal house, permanently returning in 1965. He completed his military service between 1966 and 1968 in the Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion 6 based in Eutin, Schleswig-Holstein.[2] After leaving the army he trained as a timber merchant in Hamburg from 1969 to 1971.
Head of the house
Prince Andreas succeeded to the Headship on his father's death on 23 January 1998.[3] Prince Andreas is not the heir to his grandfather's suspended British title Duke of Albany. Instead, Prince Hubertus of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha would inherit the dukedom as heir-male of the last Duke of Albany through his grandfather Johann Leopold, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.[4] Johann Leopold was the eldest son of the former Duke of Albany, but by marrying unequally had to renounce his dynastic rights to Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
In 2006, Prince Andreas created the Ducal Saxe-Coburg and Gotha House Order, which is based on the extinct Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order. Prince Andreas has both German and British nationality and is a first cousin of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. He is the godfather of the king's youngest daughter Princess Madeleine, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland.
Prince Andreas is the owner of Callenberg Castle in Coburg and Greinburg Castle in Grein, Austria. He manages the family estates including farms, forests and real estate.[5]
Marriage
In Hamburg on 31 July 1971, Andreas married Carin Dabelstein (b. Hamburg, 16 July 1946), daughter of Adolf Wilhelm Martin Dabelstein, Fabrikant, Kaufmann, and wife Irma Maria Margarete Callsen.[6] The marriage, although unequal, is not morganatic, and was authorized by Andreas's father. They have had three children, who inherit the ducal styles and titles:
- Princess Stephanie Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (b. Hamburg, 31 January 1972).
- Hubertus Michael, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (b. Hamburg, 16 September 1975), the heir-apparent to the Headship.
- Prince Alexander Philip of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (b. Coburg, 4 May 1977).
Honours
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House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha: Co-Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Ducal Saxe-Coburg and Gotha House Order[7][8][9]
Ancestry
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Notes
- ↑ Official family website
- ↑ Official family website
- ↑ Official family website
- ↑ HGSachsen-CG at heraldica.org
- ↑ Official family website
- ↑ Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels
- ↑ http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jAY7eybHi-Q/VFJ9P7tixMI/AAAAAAAAFKU/x-TLjCLD1wI/s1600/Andreas%2C%2BAlexandr%2C%2BStephanie%2BSAxe-Cobrug%2Band%2BGotha.JPG
- ↑ wearing medal of the order
- ↑ wearing the medal of the order on his birthday
External links
| Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Cadet branch of the House of Wettin Born: 21 March 1943 | ||
| Titles in pretence | ||
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| Preceded by Friedrich Josias |
— TITULAR — Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha 23 January 1998 – present Reason for succession failure: Duchy abolished in 1918 |
Incumbent Heir: Hubertus |
| Lines of succession | ||
| Preceded by Renate Bracker |
Line of succession to the British throne descended from Leopold, son of Victoria |
Succeeded by The Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha |
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