New strife in the Princely House of Leiningen

 

 @Svenja / Castleholic.com 

Is history about to repeat itself?  The latest issue of Bunte includes a fascinating article "Wieder droht in erbitterer Streit ums Erbe," which translates to "There is another inheritance dispute", in the Princely House of Leiningen.

Andreas, the 8th Prince of Leiningen, has announced that his younger son, Prince Hermann, will take over the family businesses, bypassing, the elder son, Hereditary Prince Ferdinand, who will remain the heir to the title.  The Prince has already "entrusted him with important administrative positions," according to Bunte.

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 The 41-year-old Ferdinand is married to Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia.  They have two daughters.  The Hereditary Princess is the Vice President of Deutsche Börse.

In 2011, the Hereditary Prince was named as Managing Director of Schloss Waldleiningen, a psychosomatic clinic, housed in one of the family properties.  He remained in the position until 2022 when his father removed him from the position.  Bunte reports Prince Andreas was concerned about Ferdinand's management.   

The magazine also states that a debt is the conflict between Andreas and Ferdinand.  I have heard more about the situation. I will use the words alleged or allegedly in reporting this information.

It has been alleged that the Hereditary Prince is concerned about his father's management of the Leiningen portfolio (financial investments, real estate, and forestry.)   Andreas has had to allegedly provide financial infusions to a firm run by his younger son.  

Ferdinand allegedly confronted his father about the financial situation, which led to Andreas dismissing him as managing director of Schloss Waldleiningen.   The Hereditary Prince and his younger brother are also estranged.  

The Hereditary Prince may seek legal action.  He has the support of members of German noble families as many believe his father's actions toward him are "unjustified."

This is not the first time the Leiningen Princely family has been fractured.  In May 1991, Hereditary Prince Karl-Emich, eldest son of Emich, 7th Prince of Leiningen, married Gabriele Thyssen.  This was his second marriage.  His first wife was Princess Margarita of Hohenlohe-Öhringen.  She was killed in a car crash in 1989, five years after their wedding.

Karl-Emich's marriage did not receive his father's approbation.  Shortly before his death in October 1991, the Prince of Leiningen flew to Munich to meet with his lawyers on the airport's runway to change his will and disinherit his eldest son, in favor of his younger son, Prince Andreas, who married Princess Alexandra of Hanover in 1981.   The Princess of Leiningen is the younger sister of Prince Ernst August of Hanover, the de jure King of Hanover, who is also estranged from his eldest son and heir.  

The former Hereditary Prince lost every round in the German courts. He -- and his nephew,  Ferdinand, were raised to take over the family businesses.  Karl-Emich's second marriage ended in divorce in 1998.  A few weeks later, Gabriele, a convert to Islam, became the second wife of the Aga Khan.  

Andreas was recognized as the titular 8th Prince of Leiningen, succeeding his father.  Apparently, family strife can be generational.