Line of succession to the German throne
Encyclopedia
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. The Law of Succession used is Agnatic Primogeniture
.
The Head of the House of Hohenzollern is styled His Imperial and Royal Highness
The Prince of Prussia and is the titular German Emperor, King of Prussia. The House is smaller now than it was in 1918 because after the monarchy was deposed, many princes married morganatically (below social rank) and lost their place in the line of succession. For example, the two eldest sons of Louis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia
married morganatically.
Members of this family compose the Prussian Royal Family. There was no German Imperial Family as the only individuals with German imperial titles were the emperor, his consort, empresses dowager, the crown prince and the crown princess. There were no Princes of Germany, only princes of Prussia.
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
and Kingdom of Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
were abolished in 1918. The current head - and first in line of succession - of the former ruling 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...
is Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia. The Law of Succession used is Agnatic Primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
.
The Head of the House of Hohenzollern is styled His Imperial and Royal Highness
Imperial and Royal Highness
Imperial and Royal Highness is a style possessed by someone who either through birth or marriage holds two individual styles, Imperial Highness and Royal Highness....
The Prince of Prussia and is the titular German Emperor, King of Prussia. The House is smaller now than it was in 1918 because after the monarchy was deposed, many princes married morganatically (below social rank) and lost their place in the line of succession. For example, the two eldest sons of Louis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia
Louis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia
-Children:* Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia , married firstly Waltraud Freytag on 22 August 1967 in Plön, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany; secondly Ehrengard von Reden on 23 April 1976; thirdly Sibylle Kretschmer. He renounced his succession rights on 18 September 1967...
married morganatically.
Members of this family compose the Prussian Royal Family. There was no German Imperial Family as the only individuals with German imperial titles were the emperor, his consort, empresses dowager, the crown prince and the crown princess. There were no Princes of Germany, only princes of Prussia.
- HRH Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia is the current head of the House of Hohenzollern.
- HRH Prince Christian-Sigismund of PrussiaPrince Christian-Sigismund of PrussiaPrince Christian-Sigismund of Prussia is the heir presumptive and uncle to Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia, head of the House of Hohenzollern. He is a son of Louis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia and Grand Duchess Kira Kirillovna of Russia...
(born 1946), son of Louis Ferdinand, Prince of PrussiaLouis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia-Children:* Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia , married firstly Waltraud Freytag on 22 August 1967 in Plön, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany; secondly Ehrengard von Reden on 23 April 1976; thirdly Sibylle Kretschmer. He renounced his succession rights on 18 September 1967... - HRH Prince Christian Ludwig of PrussiaPrince Christian Ludwig of PrussiaPrince Christian Ludwig Michael Friedrich Ferdinand of Prussia is the second in line for the headship of the House of Hohenzollern. He is the son of Prince Christian-Sigismund of Prussia...
(born 1986), son of the Prince Christian-Sigismund. - HRH Prince Wilhelm-Karl of Prussia (born 1955), eldest son of Prince Wilhelm Karl of Prussia; grandson of Prince Oskar of PrussiaPrince Oskar of PrussiaPrince Oskar of Prussia was the fifth son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein.-Education:...
; and is a great-grandson of Wilhelm II. - HRH Prince Oskar of PrussiaOskar, Prince of PrussiaPrince Oskar of Prussia is a member of the House of Hohenzollern and the thirty-seventh Herrenmeister of the Johanniterorden, having succeeded his father in the position in 1999...
(born 1959), second son of Prince Wilhelm Karl of Prussia; grandson of Prince Oskar of PrussiaPrince Oskar of PrussiaPrince Oskar of Prussia was the fifth son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein.-Education:...
; and is a great-grandson of Wilhelm II. - HRH Prince Oskar of Prussia (born 1993), eldest son of Prince OskarOskar, Prince of PrussiaPrince Oskar of Prussia is a member of the House of Hohenzollern and the thirty-seventh Herrenmeister of the Johanniterorden, having succeeded his father in the position in 1999...
(b. 1959). - HRH Prince Albert of Prussia (born 1998), youngest son of Prince OskarOskar, Prince of PrussiaPrince Oskar of Prussia is a member of the House of Hohenzollern and the thirty-seventh Herrenmeister of the Johanniterorden, having succeeded his father in the position in 1999...
(b. 1959). - HRH Prince Franz Wilhelm 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 1943), grandson of Prince Joachim of PrussiaPrince Joachim of PrussiaPrince 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:...
. - HIH Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia (born 1981), son of Prince Franz Wilhelm.
Line of succession in November 1918
- Emperor Wilhelm IIWilliam II, German EmperorWilhelm II was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, ruling the German Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918. He was a grandson of the British Queen Victoria and related to many monarchs and princes of Europe...
- HI&RH Crown Prince William
- HRH Prince Wilhelm
- HRH Prince Louis FerdinandLouis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia-Children:* Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia , married firstly Waltraud Freytag on 22 August 1967 in Plön, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany; secondly Ehrengard von Reden on 23 April 1976; thirdly Sibylle Kretschmer. He renounced his succession rights on 18 September 1967...
- HRH Prince HubertusPrince Hubertus of PrussiaPrince Hubertus Karl Wilhelm of Prussia was the third son of Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany and Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.-Marriage and issue:...
- HRH Prince FriedrichPrince Frederick of PrussiaPrince Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Christoph of Prussia , a.k.a. in England as "Mr. Friedrich von Preussen", was the son of Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany and Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.-Family:...
- HRH Prince Eitel FriedrichPrince Eitel Friedrich of PrussiaPrince Eitel Friedrich was the second son of Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany by his first wife, Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein...
- HRH Prince AdalbertPrince Adalbert of PrussiaPrince Adalbert of Prussia was a son of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany by his first wife, Princess Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein.-Marriage:He married Princess Adelheid "Adi" of Saxe-Meiningen on 3 August 1914 in...
- HRH Prince August WilhelmPrince August Wilhelm of PrussiaPrince August Wilhelm Heinrich Günther Viktor of Prussia , called "Auwi", was the fourth son of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany by his first wife, Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein....
- HRH Prince Alexander Ferdinand
- HRH Prince OskarPrince Oskar of PrussiaPrince Oskar of Prussia was the fifth son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein.-Education:...
- HRH Prince JoachimPrince Joachim of PrussiaPrince 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:...
- HRH Prince Karl FranzPrince Karl Franz of PrussiaPrince Karl Franz of Prussia was the only child of Prince Joachim of Prussia and his wife Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt...
- HRH Prince HeinrichPrince Heinrich of PrussiaPrince Henry of Prussia was a younger brother of German Emperor William II and a Prince of Prussia...
- HRH Prince WaldemarPrince Waldemar of Prussia (1889-1945)Prince Waldemar of Prussia was the eldest son of Prince Heinrich of Prussia and his wife, Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine.-Biography:-Marriage:...
- HRH Prince SigismundPrince Sigismund of Prussia (1896-1978)Prince Sigismund of Prussia , was the second son of Prince Heinrich of Prussia and his wife, Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine...
- HRH Prince Friedrich LeopoldPrince Friedrich Leopold of PrussiaJoachim Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Leopold Prinz von Preußen was a son of Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia and Princess Maria Anna of Anhalt-Dessau, married in 1854.- Family :On 24 June 1889 he married in Berlin Princess Louise Sophie of...
(1865-1931) - HRH Prince Friedrich SigismundPrince Friedrich Sigismund of Prussia (1891–1927)Prince Joachim Viktor Wilhelm Leopold Friedrich Sigismund of Prussia was a German WWI fighter pilot and member of the House of Hohenzollern...
- HRH Prince Friedrich Leopold (1895-1959)
- HRH Prince Friedrich Heinrich Albrecht of Prussia (1874–1940)
- HRH Prince Joachim Albert of PrussiaPrince Joachim Albert of PrussiaPrince Joachim of Prussia was a member of the House of Hohenzollern. He was the second eldest son of Prince Albert of Prussia and his wife Princess Marie of Saxe-Altenburg...
- HRH Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of PrussiaPrince Friedrich Wilhelm of PrussiaPrince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia was a member of the House of Hohenzollern, great-grandson of Frederick William III of Prussia.-Early life and education:...