Ernst August von Hannover (born 1954) facts for kids

Ernst August von Hanover (born 26 February 1954) is the current head of the House of Hanover. This is a very old royal family. Members of the House of Hanover once ruled in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1714 to 1901. They also ruled the Kingdom of Hanover from 1814 to 1866. And they ruled the Duchy of Brunswick from 1913 to 1918. Ernst August is married to Princess Caroline of Monaco. This makes him the brother-in-law of Albert II, Prince of Monaco, who is the current ruler of Monaco.

Education and Learning

Ernst August left high school when he was 15 years old. He went to work on a farm. Later, he decided to go back to school. He studied at the Royal Agricultural College in England. He also studied at the University of Guelph in Canada.

Family Background and Titles

Ernst August was born in Hanover, Germany. He is the oldest son of Prince Ernest Augustus of Hanover (1914–1987). His mother was Princess Ortrud of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1925–1980). His full birth name is Ernst August Albert Paul Otto Rupprecht Oskar Berthold Friedrich-Ferdinand Christian-Ludwig.

As the oldest male descendant of George III of the United Kingdom, Ernst August is the head of the House of Hanover. He is also a first cousin to Queen Sofía of Spain. He is also a first cousin to King Constantine II of the Hellenes.

The title "Prince of Great Britain and Ireland" was given to Ernst August's father and his father's siblings in 1914. This was done by George V of the United Kingdom. Other titles, like the Dukedom of Cumberland and Teviotdale, were stopped in 1917. However, the title "Royal Prince of Great Britain and Ireland" was put into the family's German passports. This happened along with their German titles in 1914.

After the German Revolution of 1918–19, noble titles became part of a person's last name in Germany. So, the British princely title is still part of their last name in German passports. But it is not mentioned in their British documents. Ernst August still uses the style "Royal Prince of Great Britain and Ireland." He is a German citizen. He also has British citizenship. His father successfully claimed British citizenship under the Sophia Naturalization Act 1705. This means Ernst August and his siblings inherited British nationality.

Family Life

Ernst August first married Chantal Hochuli. They had a civil wedding in Pattensen, Germany, on August 28, 1981. Their religious wedding was on August 30, 1981. Chantal Hochuli was born in Zürich in 1955. Her father was a Swiss architect and real estate developer. Ernst August and Chantal had two sons. Their first son is Prince Ernst August, born on July 19, 1983. Their second son is Prince Christian, born on June 1, 1985. Ernst August and Chantal Hochuli divorced in London on October 23, 1997.

Ernst August married for a second time on January 23, 1999. He married Princess Caroline of Monaco in Monaco. At the time, Princess Caroline was expecting their daughter. Their daughter, Princess Alexandra, was born on July 20, 1999. Because Ernst August was a descendant of George II of Great Britain, he needed permission to marry. This was required by the British Royal Marriages Act 1772. This law was later changed in 2015.

After they married, Ernst August and Caroline moved to Le Mée-sur-Seine, France. They bought an old manor house there. In 2009, it was reported that Caroline had moved back to Monaco.

Titles and Family Symbols

In Germany, the special rights of royal and noble families were ended in 1919. After that, for legal reasons, old family titles became part of a person's last name.

Family Symbols

Arms of Prince Ernst and Princess Caroline of Hanover

Cypher of Prince Ernst and Princess Caroline

See also

In Spanish: Ernesto Augusto de Hannover (1954) para niños