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| Fürst Wittekind of Waldeck and Pyrmont. |
Today, Fürst Wittekind zu Waldeck und Pyrmont celebrates his eighty-fifth birthday.
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| 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).
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
Many happy returns of the day to Fürst Wittekind!
