Karl Friedrich von Hohenzollern
Karl Friedrich in 2012
Prince of Hohenzollern
Tenure16 September 2010 – present
PredecessorFriedrich Wilhelm
Heir apparentAlexander
Born (1952-04-20) 20 April 1952
Sigmaringen, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany
SpouseCountess Alexandra Schenck von Stauffenberg
Katharina Maria de Zomer
IssueAlexander, Hereditary Prince of Hohenzollern
Princess Philippa
Princess Flaminia
Princess Antonia
Names
German: Karl Friedrich Emich Meinrad Benedikt Fidelis Maria Michael Gerold
HouseHohenzollern-Sigmaringen
FatherFriedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Hohenzollern
MotherPrincess Margarita of Leiningen

Karl Friedrich Emich Meinrad Benedikt Fidelis Maria Michael Gerold (born 20 April 1952) is the eldest son of the late Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Hohenzollern and Princess Margarita of Leiningen.[1] He became head of the Catholic Swabian branch of the House of Hohenzollern upon his father's death on 16 September 2010.[1]

Education and career

Karl Friedrich is said to have attended the Institut auf dem Rosenberg for his secondary education.[2] He studied business administration at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.

He is the chairman and sole owner of Unternehmensgruppe Fürst von Hohenzollern (Corporate Group Prince of Hohenzollern),[1] including real estate and forests with 400 employees, and owns a 50% share in the Zollern GmbH und Co. KG (steelworks, transmission technics) with 2800 employees. The Prince himself is voice, saxophonist and leader of the music band Royal Groovin'.

He has been a member of the Advisory Board of Südwestbank, a member of the Advisory Board of Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (LBBW) since 2007 and a member of the Southwest Regional Advisory Board of Commerzbank since 2008.[3][4]

According to the suspended 1938 Constitution of Romania, Karl Friedrich is heir to the throne since 2017, upon the death of former King Michael. However, in a 2009 interview, he stated that he had no interest in the defunct Romanian throne.[5]

Marriage and children

Sigmaringen Castle

Karl Friedrich married Countess Alexandra Schenk von Stauffenberg on 17 May 1985 in the Beuron Archabbey, Baden-Württemberg. They were divorced on 21 January 2010, in Sigmaringen.[1] They have four children:[1]

  • Alexander Friedrich Antonius Johannes, Hereditary Prince of Hohenzollern (b. 16 March 1987) married in November 2021 American-born Michelle Vincentia Keith. They have one son.
  • Princess Philippa Marie Carolina Isabelle of Hohenzollern (b. 2 November 1988)
  • Princess Flaminia Pia Eilika Stephanie of Hohenzollern (b. 9 January 1992), married Baron Károly von Stipsicz de Ternova (b. 13 June 1990) on 26 June 2021 at Sigmaringen Castle
  • Princess Antonia Elisabeth Georgina Tatiana of Hohenzollern (b. 22 June 1995)

On 17 July 2010, Karl Friedrich married for the second time with Katharina Maria "Nina" de Zomer (born 1959).

Residences

Karl Friedrich lives on his hunting estate Josefslust House, whereas the nearby hunting lodge is used by his brother Albrecht (born 1954) and the nearby Krauchenwies estate by his ex-wife, Princess Alexandra. Furthermore, he owns Umkirch Castle and, as head of the princely Sigmaringen branch of the house of Hohenzollern, has a one-third ownership share in Hohenzollern Castle, together with the head of the royal branch, Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia.

He has his offices at Sigmaringen Castle which is also open to the public and is used for family weddings and other ceremonial occasions.

Titles and styles

  • Present: His Serene Highness Karl Friedrich I, Prince of Hohenzollern[6]

Ancestry

Discography

  • Jive and Candies (2003, Charly and the Jivemates)[7]
  • Jump for Joy (2007, Charly and the Jivemates)[8]
  • Just Friends (2010, with Frieder Berlin Trio)[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürstliche Häuser XIX. "Haus Hohenzollern". C.A. Starke Verlag, 2011, pp. 32-33, 260. ISBN 978-3-7980-0849-6.
  2. ↑ Aschwanden, Erich (19 January 2022). "Behind the doors of Switzerland's most elite boarding school". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  3. ↑ "Landesbank Baden-Wuerttemberg Advisory Board". Archived from the original on 14 June 2011.
  4. ↑ "Commerzbank: Geschaeftsbericht 2008". Archived from the original on 17 February 2015.
  5. ↑ (in Romanian) "Karl Friedrich of Hohenzollern: "Radu Duda's Hohenzollern title is a farce" Archived 12 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Cotidianul, 10 June 2009
  6. ↑ "WELCOME".
  7. ↑ "SATIN DOLL PRODUCTIONS - Charly and the Jivemates: Jive and Candies". www.satindoll.de.
  8. ↑ "SATIN DOLL PRODUCTIONS - Charly and the Jivemates: Jump For Joy (K.F. von Hohenzollern, Rettenmaier, Berlin, Müller, Schmidt, Gerhold)". www.satindoll.de.
  9. ↑ "SATIN DOLL PRODUCTIONS - Karl Friedrich von Hohenzollern & Frieder Berlin Trio: Just Friends - (Hohenzollern, Berlin, Schuller, Schmidt)". www.satindoll.de.
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