The 80th Birthday of Prince Volkwin zu Waldeck und Pyrmont

Today, HSH Prince Volkwin zu Waldeck und Pyrmont celebrates his eightieth birthday.

Princess Helene and her brother Prince Georg Wilhelm zu Waldeck und Pyrmont

Prince Volkwin Georg Ludwig zu Waldeck und Pyrmont was born at Braunschweig on 20 September 1940. The prince was the fourth child and third son of Prince Georg Wilhelm zu Waldeck und Pyrmont (1902-1971) and his wife, the former Countess Ingeborg von Platen Hallermund (1902-1991). Volkwin had four siblings: Prince Josias (b.1935), Prince Georg-Friedrich (1936-2020), Princess Rixa (b.1939), and Prince Christian-Peter (b.1945).

Prince Volkwin (second from left) at the wedding of his son Nikolaus to Princess Katharina zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg.
Photograph (c) Seeger-Presse.

Prince Volkwin served in the Germany military. He was firstly married in a civil ceremony at Bad Pyrmont on 1 December 1967 to Baroness Orlinda Frn von Gablenz (b.1938); the couple's religious union was held at Bad Driburg on 2 March 1968. Volkwin and Orlinda had two sons, Prince Anton-Ulrich (b.1969; married Baroness Elisabeth von Hammerstein-Equord) and Prince Nikolaus (b.1970; married Princess Katharina zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg), before divorcing in 1980.

Prince Ludwig zu Waldeck und Pyrmont
Photo (c) LinkedIn

In 1980, Prince Volkwin remarried Baroness Friederike von Humboldt-Dachroeden (b.1955). Volkwin and Friederike had two children, Prince Ludwig (b.1983; married Sara Hansen) and Princess Felicitas (b.1984; married Philippe Sauzier de la Villetheart). [Friederike is a second cousin of Baroness Maria Anna von Humboldt-Dachroeden (1916-2003), who was married to Prince Hubertus of Prussia from 1941-1943; in December 1943, Maria Anna gave birth to a son, Christian Ernst von Humboldt-Dachroeden, whose father was Prince Ernst August of Hannover (1914-1987).] Volkwin and Friederike divorced in 1991.

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Prince Volkwin zu Waldeck und Pyrmont is a first cousin of Fürst Wittekind, the Head of House Waldeck.