The 85th Birthday of Fürst Wittekind zu Waldeck und Pyrmont

Fürst Wittekind of Waldeck and Pyrmont.

Today, Fürst Wittekind zu Waldeck und Pyrmont celebrates his eighty-fifth birthday.

Hereditary Prince Josias zu Waldeck und Pyrmont and Duchess Altburg of Oldenburg.

Prince Wittekind Adolf Heinrich Georg-Wilhelm zu Waldeck und Pyrmont was born on 9 March 1936 at Arolsen. The prince was the only son and fourth of five children of Prince Josias zu Waldeck und Pyrmont (1896-1967) and his wife Duchess Altburg of Oldenburg (1903-2001), who married in 1922. Wittekind has four sisters: Princess Margarethe (1923-2003; married Count Franz August zu Erbach-Erbach), Princess Alexandra (1924-2009; married Fürst Botho zu Bentheim und Steinfurt), Princess Ingrid (b.1931), and Princess Guda (b.1939; married 1st Fürst Friedrich Wilhelm zu Wied, married 2nd Horst Dierkes).

The wedding of Countess Cecilie von Goëß-Saurau and Fürst Wittekind zu Waldeck und Pyrmont.

On 1 April 1988 at Frohnleiten, Styria, Fürst Wittekind zu Waldeck und Pyrmont civilly married Countess Cecilie von Goëß-Saurau (b.Frohnleiten 23 August 1956). Wittekind and Cecilie's religious wedding took place on 19 May 1988 at Arolsen. Fürstin Cecilie zu Waldeck und Pyrmont is a daughter of Count Carl-Anton von Goëß-Saurau (1921-2015) and his wife Baroness Maria Mayr von Melnhof (1921-1996), who wed in 1948. Cecilie of Waldeck and Pyrmont is a cousin of Count Moritz von Goëß, the husband of Duchess Fleur of Württemberg.

The three princes Waldeck-Pyrmont.

Wittekind and Cecilie have three sons. Hereditary Prince Carl Anton of Waldeck-Pyrmont was born at Arolsen on 25 December 1991. The hereditary prince was followed by twin sons: Prince Josias and Prince Johannes were born at Arolsen on 7 July 1993.

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Fürstin Cecilie, and Fürst Wittekind of Waldeck-Pyrmont.

Fürst Wittekind of Waldeck-Pyrmont is the second cousin of Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands (b.1938; former Queen). Wittekind and Beatrix are both great-grandchildren of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Princess Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.