Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt

"Frederick Anhalt" redirects here. For the Seattle building contractor, see Fred Anhalt.
Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt

Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt at the Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin, 2008
Born Hans Georg Robert Lichtenberg
(1943-06-18) 18 June 1943
Bad Kreuznach, Rhineland, Germany[1]
Residence Bel Air, California, U.S.
Nationality German
Other names Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt[1]
Citizenship Germany;
United States (naturalized)[1]
Known for Adoptive son of Marie-Auguste of Anhalt
Marriage to Zsa Zsa Gabor
Reality TV
Religion Roman Catholicism
Spouse(s) Zsa Zsa Gabor (m. 1986)
Website www.princefrederic.com

Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt (born Hans Georg Robert Lichtenberg, 18 June 1943) is a German-American man best known as the current husband of film actress Zsa Zsa Gabor. He changed his name after paying Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt to adopt him.

Early life

Hans Lichtenberg was born in Bad Kreuznach in the Rhineland, Germany,[1] one of five children of a criminal police councillor, Ferdinand, and his wife, Barbara.[1]

He became a medical entrepreneur, specialising in remedial treatments – particularly with women – later opening a brothel, and furthermore a nightclub; an industry later taken on by his eldest son.

Adoption and professed title

In 1980, at the age of 36, Lichtenberg was adopted as an adult by Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt (1898–1983), whose first husband was Prince Joachim of Prussia, son of German Emperor Wilhelm II.[1] Upon adoption, Lichtenberg's name became "Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt", although "Prinz" is part of the legal surname, and not a princely title. Since 1919, former royal and noble titles in Germany have been able to be registered as part of the legal surnames. Despite this, Anhalt styles himself "Prince Frédéric of Anhalt, Duke of Saxony and Westphalia, Count of Ascania". Some reports state that Anhalt claims to have been a childhood friend of Princess Marie Auguste's only child, Prince Karl Franz of Prussia (1916–1975), and that the grieving mother adopted him out of kindness, naming him "Prince" and "Duke of Saxony". However, British press reports indicate that Princess Marie Auguste was bankrupt and the adoption was a business transaction, allegedly masterminded by Hans Hermann Weyer, a former window dresser who became the honorary consul of Bolivia in Luxembourg.[2] Weyer was known for selling certificates of nobility, doctoral degrees from fictitious universities, and other spurious decorations in Germany in the 1960s.[3][4] Lichtenberg was one of about 35 adults adopted by the Princess, some then styling themselves Princes of Anhalt.[5]

Despite the adoption by Princess Marie-Auguste, the ducal family of Anhalt (the House of Ascania) has never recognized Anhalt or any of the other adults adopted by Princess Marie Auguste as members of the family. While the adoption laws of Germany allow adult adoptions with almost no conditions (except in Bavaria, where since 1998 the transfer of formerly noble attributes in surnames has been unlawful), the website of the House of Ascania makes no mention of Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt.[6]

Marriage to Gabor

In 1984, Anhalt moved to America, becoming a socialite and living a flamboyant lifestyle. On 14 August 1986, he married Hungarian-born American actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, who was 26 years his senior. It was his seventh marriage: he had married and divorced six times before, on one occasion receiving a settlement of $4 million.[7]

It was factually Gabor's ninth marriage, but legally her eighth, as her marriage to Felipe de Alba had been annulled because she was still married to Michael O'Hara at the time.. In concert with Anhalt's new surname, after the marriage Gabor styled herself "Princess Zsa Zsa, Duchess of Saxony". It also became her longest marriage. "We didn't marry for love", Anhalt later said. "It was a friendship, but when you're with someone over a certain time you fall in love."[8]

Gabor has claimed that, shortly after their marriage, she came close to arranging Anhalt's adoption by an (anonymous) member of the British Royal Family.[9]

Adult adoptees & "knights"

Together with Gabor, Anhalt has himself adopted at least ten adult males. "If someone offers you $2 million, you do it," he is reported to have said.[8] Among them are: Marcus Prinz von Anhalt (formerly known as Marcus Eberhardt), who refers to himself as "Prinz Germany";[10] Oliver Prinz von Anhalt (formerly known as Oliver Bendig); Michael Prinz von Anhalt (formerly known as Michael Killer).[11] Adoption entitled the men to use the surname "Prinz von Anhalt". German newspapers have speculated that Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt is effectively selling the name, which would be a criminal offence in Germany and render the adoptions, which were made under German law, invalid.

In addition to selling his name in marriage, Anhalt has sold as many as 68 "knighthoods" for $50,000 apiece.[7]

Anna Nicole Smith affair

On 9 February 2007, Anhalt stated that he had had a decade-long affair with Anna Nicole Smith and could potentially be the father of her infant girl Dannielynn Birkhead. However, later in March, it was determined that Anhalt was not the father of the child, and Smith's former boyfriend Larry Birkhead was the biological father.[12]

Politics

Candidacy for Governor of California

On 16 February 2010, Anhalt announced his candidacy for Governor of California, running as an independent candidate against Arnold Schwarzenegger.[13] He withdrew his candidacy on 2 August 2010, citing problems with his wife's health.[14]

Personal life

Clash with Gabor's daughter

Zsa Zsa Gabor's daughter, the late Francesca Hilton, alleged von Anhalt compromised her mother's dignity, security and health for attention and profit. Hilton claimed von Anhalt prohibited Gabor from having visitors, including her own daughter.[15]

Hilton claimed he fostered a circus atmosphere surrounding her mother's health,[16] had plans to have her body preserved with plastic for public display, and claims Gabor wanted to mother a child at the age of 94, which she described as "just weird."[17] Hilton remained worried about her mother's health, home, and fortune.

At the time of her death, relations between Hilton and von Anhalt had been sour for nearly a decade. In 2005, he sued Hilton, alleging she had attempted to defraud her mother. However, Gabor refused to sign the papers in her husband's suit against her daughter so the court dismissed it.[18]

Health

On 20 October 2010 Anhalt was taken to a hospital after swallowing a bee, which then stung him in the throat.[19] On 22 December 2010 he was again admitted to a hospital after gluing his eye shut with nail glue.[20] On 2 September 2011 he was hospitalized after being hit by a car in Beverly Hills.[21]

Robbery and stripping

On 25 July 2007, while sitting in his Rolls-Royce in Southern California von Anhalt was allegedly approached by three women whom he later described as attractive. He said they asked him to pose for pictures with them, at which point one of the women robbed him at gunpoint, taking his car keys, jewelry, wallet, driver's license, and all his clothes. According to Anhalt, his assailants bound him and placed him in handcuffs, yet he managed to call the authorities on a cellular phone. Los Angeles police found him completely naked approximately one hour later. No handcuffs were found at the scene. The culprits apparently drove away in a Chrysler convertible.[22]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Allen, Kristen (2010-02-04). "Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt: 'I'll give up Hollywood and mingle with the people'". The Local (Germany). Berlin: The Local Europe. Retrieved 2010-09-01. Contains a short interview with von Anhalt.
  2. ↑ Der Mantel des schönen Konsuls Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ "A MUNICH HOSTELRY THAT PAMPERS YOU". 20 June 1982 – via NYTimes.com.
  4. ↑ John Vinocur, "For German Who 'Awarded' Titles, First Gold, Then Bars", The New York Times, 16 March 1978, page A2
  5. ↑ Times, Serge Schmemann, Special To The New York (1990-04-29). "EVOLUTION IN EUROPE; A Prince, His Castle and the Tenants". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-05-10.
  6. ↑ "Familie heute". Anhalt-Askanien (in German). Munich: Julia Katharina von Anhalt. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
  7. 1 2 Bennetts, Leslie. "It's a Mad, Mad, Zsa Zsa World".
  8. 1 2 "Who is Prince Frederic von Anhalt? - CNN.com". 3 March 2007. Archived from the original on March 3, 2007.
  9. ↑ Gabor, Zsa Zsa (2011). I, Zsa Zsa. ML Publishing. ISBN 1-61701-046-4.
  10. ↑ PrinzGermany Homepage
  11. ↑ "Prinz Maximilian Michael von Anhalt - News".
  12. ↑ "Gabor Husband may be Smith's baby's dad". Associated Press. February 9, 2007. Archived from the original on February 13, 2007. Retrieved February 14, 2007.
  13. ↑ Zsa Zsa's Husband To Run For Governor Archived October 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  14. ↑ "Zsa Zsa's socialite husband drops out of California governor's race to tend to ailing wife".
  15. ↑ "Zsa Zsa's Daughter Claims She's Banned From Visiting Her Mother".
  16. ↑ "Zsa Zsa Gabor to become new mother at 94?". The San Francisco Chronicle. 1 April 2014.
  17. ↑ "Zsa Zsa Gabor's Bel Air mansion for sale". CNN. 7 June 2011. Archived from the original on April 16, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Zsa Zsa says daughter stole $2m".
  19. ↑ "Prince Von Anhalt Rushed To Hospital Due To 'Inside' Bee Sting - Celebrific".
  20. ↑ "Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband rushed to hospital after gluing his own eyes shut". Daily Mail. London. 22 December 2010.
  21. ↑ "Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband hit by car, rep says".
  22. ↑ CNN: Zsa Zsa Gabor's Husband Found Naked In Car, Says He Was Mugged Archived November 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.

External links


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