Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Prince Andreas of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duke of Saxony (Andreas Michael Friedrich Hans Armin Siegfried Hubertus; born 21 March 1943) is a German landowner and nobleman who has been the head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha since 1998. He is the grandson of Charles Edward, the last ruling duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. He is thus a great-great grandson of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by direct male line, and was a third cousin of Queen Elizabeth II.
Early Life
Prince Andreas was born at Schloss Casel in Lower Lausatia 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.
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.
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 of the ducal house upon his father's death on 23 January 1998.
In 2006, Prince Andreas created the Ducal Saxe-Coburg and Gotha House Order, which is based on the extinct Ducal Saxe-Coburg Ernestine House Order. Prince Andreas 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 Halsingland and Gastrikland.
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.
Marriage and Issue
In Hamburg civilly on 18 June and religiously on 31 July 1971, Prince Andreas married Carin Dabelstein (b. Hamburg, 16 July 1946), daughter of Adolf Wilhelm Martin Dabelstein, manufacturer and merchant, and wife Irma Maria Margarete Callsen. The marriage, although unequal, is not morganatic, as it was authorized by Andreas's father.
They have three children, who inherit the ducal styles and titles:
-Princess Stephanie Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (b. Hamburg, 31 January 1972), married Jan Stal in 2018
-Hubertus Michael, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (b. Hamburg, 16 September 1975), heir apparent to the headship. Married to Kelly Jeanne Rondesvedt civilly on 21 May 2009 in Coburg and religiously on 23 May 2009 at Callenberg Castle. Together they have three children:
-Princess Katharina Victoria Elizabeth Cheryl of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (b. Munich 30 April 2014)
-Prince Philipp Hubertus Andreas Christian of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (b. Munich 15 July 2015)
-Princess Madeleine Aurelia Viktoria Carin of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (b. Munich 22 February 2017)
-Prince Alexander Philip of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (b. Coburg 4 May 1977)
House: Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Title
21 March 1943-21 March 1988 His Highness Prince Andreas of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
21 March 1988-present His Highness The Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Honor
-House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha: Co-Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Ducal Saxe-Coburg and Gotha House Order
