Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Richard |
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The Prince in Stockholm at Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden's wedding celebrations, June 2010
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| Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg | |||||
| Predecessor | Prince Gustav Albrecht | ||||
| Successor | Prince Gustav | ||||
| Born | 29 October 1934 Giessen, Hesse, Germany |
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| Died | 13 March 2017 (aged 82) Berleburg, Siegen-Wittgenstein, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany |
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| Burial | 21 March 2017 Forest Cemetery Sengelsberg, Berleburg |
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| Spouse |
Princess Benedikte of Denmark
(m. 1968) |
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| Issue | Gustav, 7th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Princess Alexandra Princess Nathalie |
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| House | Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg | ||||
| Father | Gustav Albrecht, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg | ||||
| Mother | Margareta Fouché d'Otrante | ||||
Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born October 29, 1934 – died March 13, 2017), was an important German prince. He was the head of the Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg family. He was also married to Princess Benedikte of Denmark.
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Early life and education
Richard Casimir Karl August Robert Konstantin was the oldest son of Prince Gustav Albrecht and Margareta Fouché d'Otrante. His father was a German army officer. His mother was a descendant of Joseph Fouché, a famous statesman from the time of Napoleon.
Richard grew up in Sweden with his grandfather at Elghammar Castle. He went to boarding schools called Viggbyholm and Sigtuna. He studied forestry at Munich University and the University of Göttingen. He earned special degrees in forestry.
Conservation efforts
Prince Richard cared a lot about nature. He worked on several projects to protect animals and their habitats. He managed his family's large lands in Germany.
One of his most famous projects was bringing European bison back to their native continent. He released them on his 32,000-acre estate in North Rhine-Westphalia. This project was very successful. It helped restore these animals across Europe.
Marriage and family
Richard married Princess Benedikte of Denmark on February 3, 1968. Their wedding took place at Fredensborg Palace Church. Princess Benedikte is the second daughter of Frederick IX of Denmark and Ingrid of Sweden. She is also the younger sister of Margrethe II of Denmark. Her older sister is Queen Anne-Marie of Greece.
The couple lived at Berleburg Castle. In Denmark, Richard and his children were given the title of Highness. This was part of their marriage agreement. Princess Benedikte spent some of her time in Denmark. She also reduced her royal duties while raising her family.
Children and grandchildren
Prince Richard and Princess Benedikte had three children:
- Gustav, 7th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born January 12, 1969).
- Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born November 20, 1970). She married Count Jefferson von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth in 1998. They had two children and later divorced. She remarried Count Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille in 2019.
- Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born May 2, 1975). She married Alexander Johannsmann in 2010. They had two children and later divorced in 2022.
Death
Prince Richard passed away suddenly on March 13, 2017. He was 82 years old. He died at Berleburg Castle in Germany.
Titles and honours
| Styles of Prince Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg |
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| Reference style | His Highness |
| Spoken style | Your Highness |
Titles
His official title was His Highness The Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.
Honours
Prince Richard received many awards and honours during his life. These included:
- From Germany: The Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, 1st Class.
- From Denmark: He was a Knight of the Order of the Elephant, which is a very high honour. He also received several special medals from the Danish Royal Family.
- From other countries: He received high honours from Sweden, Spain, and the Netherlands.
See also
In Spanish: Ricardo de Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg para niños
