Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

Richard
The Prince in Stockholm at Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden's wedding celebrations, June 2010
Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Predecessor	Gustav Albrecht
Heir apparent	Prince Gustav
Born	29 October 1934 Giessen, Germany
Spouse	Princess Benedikte of Denmark (m. 1968)
Issue	Prince Gustav Princess Alexandra Princess Nathalie
Full name Richard Casimir Karl August Robert Konstantin
House	House of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Father	Gustav Albrecht, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Mother	Margareta Fouché d'Otrante

Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (Richard Casimir Karl August Robert Konstantin; born 29 October 1934 in Giessen, Germany) is the head of the House of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and husband of Princess Benedikte of Denmark.

Biography

Richard Casimir Karl August Robert Konstantin is the eldest son of Gustav Albrecht, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, a highly decorated Nazi officer declared missing in 1944 yet only legally declared dead in 1969, and Margareta Fouché d'Otrante, a descendant of Napoleonic statesman Joseph Fouché. Richard was raised in Sweden with his maternal grandfather, the Duke of Otrante, at Elghammar Castle. He attended the boarding schools Viggbyholm and Sigtuna.

Having studied forest science at Munich University, Prince Richard obtained his forestry diploma at the University of Göttingen in Hann.-Münden. He took his post-graduate training as Forstreferendar, obtaining a degree as Assessor des Forstdienstes after passing the second forestry examination at the North Rhine Westphalian State Forestry Service.^[1]

In July 2003, he underwent surgery for treatment of prostate cancer; previously, he had undergone treatment for skin cancer.^[2]

Conservation

Prince Richard is involved in several conservation programmes. He launched a project to re-introduce European bison into Europe on part of his 30,000 acre estate in North Rhine-Westphalia, credited as a success by Rewilding Europe as part of a larger effort to restore depleted animals across Europe.^[3]

Berleburg Castle

Marriage

Richard married Princess Benedikte of Denmark at Fredensborg Palace Church on 3 February 1968. She is the second daughter of Frederick IX of Denmark and Ingrid of Sweden and younger sister of Margrethe II of Denmark.^[1] The couple live at Berleburg Castle.

Children and grandchildren

• Gustav, Hereditary Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born 12 January 1969)
• Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born 20 November 1970). On 6 June 1998 at Gråsten Palace, she was married to Count Jefferson von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth. The couple have two children:
  • Count Richard von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth (born 14 September 1999).
  • Countess Ingrid von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth (born 16 August 2003).
• Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born 2 May 1975). On 27 May 2010, she was married to Alexander Johannsmann. The couple have two childeren:
  • Konstantin Johannsmann (born 24 July 2010).
  • Louisa Johannsmann (born 28 January 2015)

The children of Princess Benedikte are styled as Highnesses in Denmark by an Order in Council. Elsewhere they are Serene Highnesses by courtesy.

Titles, styles and honours

Styles of Prince Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Reference style	His Highness
Spoken style	Your Highness
Alternative style	Sir

Titles

His Highness Prince Richard zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg^[4]

Honours

National Honours

•  Germany: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, 1st Class^[5][6][7]
•  Denmark: Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Elephant (R.E.)^[8][9][10]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the 50th Anniversary Medal of the Arrival of Queen Ingrid to Denmark
•  Denmark: Recipient of the 50th Birthday Medal of Queen Margrethe II
•  Denmark: Recipient of the Silver Anniversary Medal of Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik^[11]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the Silver Jubilee Medal of Queen Margrethe II^[12][13]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the 100th Anniversary Medal of the Birth of King Frederik IX
•  Denmark: Recipient of the Queen Ingrid Commemorative Medal
•  Denmark: Recipient of the 75th Birthday Medal of Prince Henrik^[14]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the 70th Birthday Medal of Queen Margrethe II
•  Denmark: Recipient of the Ruby Jubilee Medal of Queen Margrethe II^[15]

Foreign Honours

•  Sweden: Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star^[16]
•  Spain:Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic^[17][18]
•  Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown^[19]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

16. Albrecht, 2nd Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg               8. Prince Gustav of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg                       17. Countess Charlotte of Ortenburg               4. Richard, 4th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg                             18. Baron Hermann of Gemmingen-Hornburg               9. Baroness Marie of Gemmingen-Hornberg                       19. Baroness Pauline of Ellrichshausen               2. Gustav Albrecht, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg                                   20. Wilhelm, 4th Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg               10. Prince Alfred of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg                       21. Countess Olga of Schönburg-Glauchau               5. Princess Madeleine of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg                             22. Count Wilhelm of Reichenbach-Lessonitz (son of William II, Elector of Hesse)               11. Countess Pauline of Reichenbach-Lessonitz                       23. Baroness Amélie Göler of Ravensburg               1. Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg                                         24. Athanase Fouché d'Otrante, 4th Duc d'Otrante               12. Gustave Fouché, 5th Duc d'Otrante                       25. Baroness Vilhelmina Amalia of Stedingk               6. Charles Louis Fouché, 6th Duc d'Otrante                             26. Baron Ludvig of Stedingk               13. Baroness Therese of Stedingk                       27. Lovisa of Haxthausen               3. Margareta Fouché d'Otrante                                   28. Count Carl Israel Wilhelm Douglas, 10th Count af Skenninge-Stjernorp               14. Ludvig Douglas, 12th Count af Skenninge-Stjernorp                       29. Countess Louise Katharina of Langenstein and Gondelsheim (daughter of Louis I, Grand Duke of Baden)               7. Countess Madeleine Douglas                             30. Count Albert Ehrensvärd               15. Countess Anna Ehrensvärd                       31. Hedda Vogt

References

1. "Unasylva - No. 88 - News of the world". Fao.org. Retrieved 2011-10-24.
2. "iEuropa – News > Infos concernant iEuropa". Ifrance.com. Retrieved 2011-10-24.
3. "German Prince Plans To Put Bison Back In The Wild | KUNC". kunc.org. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
4. Bysted A/S. "HRH Princess Benedikte - The Danish Monarchy". kongehuset.dk. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
5. "realm3/denmark1/benedikte". angelfire.com. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
6. "Image: Dinner Christiansborg Palace Q6oBsSwD26Il.jpg, (397 × 594 px)". www2.pictures.gi.zimbio.com. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
7. http://c7.alamy.com/comp/DAMJAM/princess-nathalie-of-sayn-wittgenstein-berleburg-and-her-father-prince-DAMJAM.jpg
8. "Image: AlexandraSWBWeddingFrontView.jpg, (319 × 480 px)". 4.bp.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
9. "Image: den6.jpg, (388 × 588 px)". 3.bp.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
10. http://c7.alamy.com/comp/D574P7/danish-princess-benedikte-and-her-husband-prince-richard-zu-sayn-wittgenstein-D574P7.jpg
11. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/cf/69/55/cf6955fe62ec4a7f1f2cd42db40b0119.jpg
12. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nERnXtvoe58/TwJgF3LX-KI/AAAAAAAAFiI/hTdfMM1aIF8/s1600/GroupPhoto--GammaRapho-GettyImages.jpg
13. http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f178/queen-margrethe-iis-silver-jubilee-january-14-1997-a-4671.html
14. http://c7.alamy.com/comp/D4PECC/princess-benedikte-l-and-her-husband-prince-richard-zu-sayn-wittgenstein-D4PECC.jpg
15. http://c7.alamy.com/comp/D6C5JK/danish-princess-benedicte-and-her-husband-prince-richard-zu-sayn-wittgenstein-D6C5JK.jpg
16. "Crown%2BPrincess%2BWedding%2BGuests%2B17.jpg". 3.bp.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
17. "Boletín Oficial del Estado" (PDF). boe.es. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
18. http://40.media.tumblr.com/5cf22314f484eda80be5aa6b1b70773a/tumblr_n9l5a6Xnyq1r6jme9o6_250.jpg
19. http://c7.alamy.com/comp/EHWN1H/copenhagen-denmark-17th-mar-2015-princess-benedikte-of-denmark-and-EHWN1H.jpg

External links

• Richard Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg on Rodovid