Johann Leopold, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
| Johann Leopold | |||||
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Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Duke of Saxony | |||||
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| Born |
2 August 1906 Callenberg Castle, Coburg | ||||
| Died |
4 May 1972 (aged 65) Grein, Austria | ||||
| Spouse |
Feodora von der Horst (m. 1932–62) Maria Theresia Reindl (m. 1963–72) | ||||
| Issue |
Princess Caroline Mathilde Prince Ernst Leopold Prince Peter Albert | ||||
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| House | Saxe-Coburg and Gotha | ||||
| Father | Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha | ||||
| Mother | Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg | ||||
| British Royalty |
| House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha |
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| Victoria and Albert |
Johann Leopold, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Johann Leopold William Albert Ferdinand Victor; 2 August 1906 – 4 May 1972) was the eldest son of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. From his birth until his father's abdication, he was known as Hereditary Prince Johann Leopold.
Early life
Johann Leopold was born 2 August 1906 at Callenberg Castle in Coburg as the eldest son of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.
His paternal grandparents were Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, (the fourth and last son of Queen Victoria of Great Britain and her consort, Prince Albert), and his wife, Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont
John Leopold had four younger siblings: Sibylla, Hubertus, Caroline Mathilde and Friedrich Josias.
He was heir-apparent, from his birth, until the forced abdication of his father on 18 November 1918, to Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The abdication was a result of the German Revolution.
Marriage
Johann Leopold's first wife was Feodora Freiin von der Horst (1905–1991),[1] whom he married morganatically on 9 March 1932. The prince was forced to cede his own succession rights at the time of the marriage. The couple had three children and were divorced on 27 February 1962. His second wife was Maria Theresia Reindl (1908–1996),[1] whom he married morganatically on 3 May 1963. They had no children.
Notwithstanding his morganatic marriages and his father's loss of his British title of Duke of Albany under the Titles Deprivation Act 1917, Johann Leopold remained heir to the title and was eligible to apply for its reinstatement, though he did not do so. Since he and his siblings married in contravention of the Royal Marriages Act 1772 the right to petition for the return of the title became extinct on his brother Friedrich Josias's death in 1998.
Issue
The Prince had three children by his first wife, all barred from the succession of the duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
| Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| By Feodora von der Horst | |||
| Caroline Mathilde Adelheid Sibylla Marianne Erika Prinzessin von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha | 5 April 1933; Hirschberg | married, 5 December 1953, Michael Nielsen (12 August 1923 – 20 September 1975); had issue - Margarethe-Brigitte (b. 30 September 1954) and Renate Christine (b. 4 February 1957) | |
| Ernst Leopold Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha | 14 January 1935; Hirschberg | 27 June 1996; Bad Wiessee (suicide) | married (1), 4 February 1961, Ingeborg Henig; divorced 1963; had issue (one son, Hubertus Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha) (2), 29 May 1963, Gertraude Monika Pfeiffer; divorced 1985; had issue (two daughters, Viktoria and Alice, and three sons: Ernst-Josias, Karl-Eduard and Ferdinand-Christian) (3), 20 January 1986, Sabine Biller, with whom he committed suicide; no issue |
| Peter Albert Friedrich Josias Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha | 12 June 1939; Dresden | married, 12 May 1964, Roswitha Henriette Breuer; had issue (two sons, Peter and Malte) | |
Ancestry
References
| Johann Leopold, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Cadet branch of the House of Wettin Born: 2 August 1906 Died: 4 May 1972 | ||
| German royalty | ||
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| Preceded by Prince Arthur of Connaught |
Heir to Saxe-Coburg and Gotha as heir apparent 2 August 1906 – 14 November 1918 |
Succeeded by None Monarchy abolished |