Carl, Prince of Wied


Carl, Prince of Wied was the second son of Frederick William, 7th Prince of Wied. In 2000, he succeeded his father and became the titular 8th Prince of Wied.

Early life

Carl was born at Neuwied, West Germany, the second child of Frederick William, Prince of Wied and his first wife, Princess Guda of Waldeck and Pyrmont.
Through his father, he was a descendant of the kings William II of Württemberg, William I of the Netherlands and Frederick William III of Prussia. Through his mother, he descended from the sovereign rulers George Victor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Peter II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg.
Although his full name was Friedrich August Maximilian Wilhelm Carl, he was primarily known by the last of these, "Carl".

Marriage and issue

Carl was married on 26 April 1998 in Birstein to Princess Isabelle of Isenburg, third child and second daughter of Franz Alexander, Prince of Isenburg, head of the mediatized House of Isenburg and his wife, Countess Christine von Saurma-Jeltsch. Isabelle is a sister of Sophie, Princess of Prussia and Archduchess Katharina of Austria-Este.
Carl and Isabelle had four children:
With his family, Carl lived in Neuwied castle, while other members of his family live in Burg Runkel.

Prince of Wied

Less than six weeks after the death of his father in August 2000, Carl's elder brother, Prince Alexander, renounced his prerogatives as first-born son, whereupon the dynastic legacy devolved upon Carl. Carl was also in the line of succession to the British throne as a descendant of Princess Augusta of Great Britain, daughter of Frederick, Prince of Wales.

Death

Carl died suddenly and unexpectedly following a heart attack in the early hours of 12 March 2015, in the Marienhaus hospital in Neuwied. He was succeeded by his 15-year-old son, Maximilian.

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