Ernst Leopold Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha

Ernst Leopold Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha (Ernst Leopold Eduard Wilhelm Josias; 14 January 1935 – 27 June 1996) was the elder son of Johann Leopold, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Baroness Feodora von der Horst.

Early life

Ernst Leopold was born at Hirschberg, Germany. His paternal grandparents were Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the only son of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany (youngest son of Queen Victoria), and his wife, Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.

Ernst Leopold had two siblings: Princess Caroline Mathilde and Prince Peter Albert.

His father was heir-apparent to the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha until the forced abdication of his grandfather on 18 November 1918, to Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, result of the German Revolution. As the marriage of his parents was considered morganatic he lost any rights to the succession of the ducal throne.

Marriage and Family

Ernst Leopold married, Ingeborg Henig (b. 16 August 1937 in Nordhausen), daughter of Richard Henig and Luise Duckwitz, on 4 February 1961 in Herrenberg. They divorced on 26 March 1963.^[1] They had one child:

• Hubertus Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha (b. 8 December 1961 in Herrenberg)

He married, secondly, Gertraude Monika Pfeiffer (b. 1 July 1938 in Cottbus), daughter of Hermann Horst Pfeiffer and Gertrud Marianne Jardin, on 29 May 1963, at Regensburg, Germany. They divorced on 20 September 1985.^[1] They had five children:

• Viktoria Prinzessin von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha (b. 7 September 1963 in Regensburg), married firstly Peter Schmidt (b. 15 June 1954 in Burgen-Büdesheim) on 15 June 1986 in Rheda-Wiedenbrück. They divorced in 1999 and she married secondly Gerd Armbrust (b. 16 Dec 1954 in Visselhövede) on 24 December 1999 in Visselhövede. She has one son by her first marriage:^[2]
  • Falk Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha (b. 28 Jun 1990 in Celle)

• Ernst-Josias Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha (13 May 1965 in Landshut – 4 September 2009), married Birgit Meissner (b. 22 February 1965 in Munich) on 5 July 1996 in Munich and has one daughter:^[2]
  • Sophie Prinzessin von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha (b. 22 August 2000 in Munich)

• Carl-Eduard Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha (b. 7 July 1966 in Regensburg), married Miriam Kolo (b. 7 February 1968 in Munich) on 31 July 1998 in Carloforte, Italy, and has two daughters:^[2]
  • Emilia Prinzessin von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha (b. 24 March 1999 in Munich)
  • Johanna Prinzessin von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha (b. 16 August 2004)

• Ferdinand-Christian Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha (b. 13 Dec 1968 in Regensburg), married Erika Ostheimer (b. 5 April 1956 in Garmisch) on 14 May 1999 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and they have one son born before their marriage:^[3]
  • Nicolaus Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha (b. 12 October 1987 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen)

• Alice-Sybilla Prinzessin von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha (b. 6 Aug 1974 in Regensburg),^[4] married Gerold Reiser (b. 12 December 1956) on 8 July 2001 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and they have two sons born before their marriage:^[5]
  • Matthias Reiser (b. 19 April 1999 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen)
  • Carolin Reiser (b. 19 August 2000 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen)

He married, thirdly, Sabine Margarete Biller (25 June 1941 – 27 June 1996 in Kreuth), daughter of Alfred Carl Biller, on 20 January 1986 in Grünwald.^[6] They had no children.

Duke of Albany

He became the heir of the Dukedom of Albany at the death of his father in 1972. He was entitled to apply for reinstatement of the Dukedom, which his grandfather lost under the Titles Deprivation Act 1917, though he never did so.

Death

Ernst Leopold died in June 1996 in Bad Wiessee, Germany at age 61, by committing suicide along with his wife Sabine Biller.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 14 January 1935 – 27 June 1996: Prince Ernst Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
  • in German: Ernst Leopold Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha

Ancestry

References