Royal Musings: 80th birthday for Prince Andreas of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

80th birthday for Prince Andreas of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

Happy birthday to HH Prince Andreas of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha who celebrates his 80th birthday today.

Prince Andreas Michael Friedrich Hans Armin Siegfried Hubertus was born on March 21, 1943, in Casel, Germany, the only child of HH Prince Friedrich Josias of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his first wife, Countess Viktoria Adelheid of Solms-Baruth.

In his own words: "

I was born 21 March 1943 at Schloss Casel in Lower Lusatia, Germany to Friedrich Josias, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Viktoria Luise of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha . After their divorce in 1946, I was left in the custody of my mother, who moved to her family home “Steinwaendt” in Austria. It was there that she met and married her second husband, Captain Richard Whitten, who was serving in the American army in Salzburg, Austria.

In 1949, the army transferred our new family to the United States, where I spent most of my childhood and teenage life. On 6 March 1954, at the age of 12, my father became head of the house and I became heir apparent to the headship of the ducal house. When I was 16 I began to make regular visits to Germany in preparation for my future role as head of the Ducal House Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. It was during these visits that I was introduced to the old hunting traditions that became my lifelong passion.

As a dual citizen, and of the age when young men serve their country, it was not a difficult choice for me to become a full German citizen. In 1965 I returned to Coburg, and the first thing I did was to enrol in a German language school. Soon after, I joined the Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion 6 based in Eutin, Schleswig-Holstein, where I served from 1966 to 1968.

After serving in the army, I trained at various foresting companies in Germany, notably working as an apprentice timber merchant with Mueller & Son in Hamburg from 1969 to early 1971. That same year, in Hamburg I joined the provisions department of MITSUI & Company, one of the oldest and largest financial empires in Japanese history, and one of the most diversified and comprehensive trading, investment, and service companies in the world. Working for MITSUI taught me how to run a successful business.."

https://prinzandreas.com/head-of-the-house/

Prince Andreas lives in Coburg with his wife of 52 years, Carin Dabelstein, who suffers from multiple sclerosis. Several years ago, Prince Andreas acknowledged he has Parkinson's disease.

He and his wife have three children, Princess Stephanie, Hereditary Prince Hubertus, and Prince Alexander.

The Hereditary Prince is married to an American, Kelly Rondestvedt. They live in Coburg with their three children Princess Katharina Victoria Elizabeth Cheryl (2014), Prince Philipp of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (2015), and Princess Madeleine Aurelia Viktoria Carin (2017).