On This Day In History: The Birth of Princess Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

On 22 June 1912 at Schloß Callenberg, Princess Caroline Mathilde Helene Ludwiga Auguste Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha made her entrance into the world. Known as "Calma" en famille, the princess was the fourth child and second daughter of Duke Carl Eduard of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1884-1954) and Duchess Viktoria Adelheid (1885-1970; née Schleswig-Holstein). Calma had three brothers and one sister: Johann Leopold (1906-1972), Sibylle (1908-1972), Hubertus (1909-1943) and Friedrich Josias (1918-1998).

Princess Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha marries Count Friedrich-Wolfgang zu Castell-Rüdenhausen

Calma of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was married three times. In 1931, she wed Count Friedrich-Wolfgang zu Castell-Rüdenhausen (1906-k.i.a. 1940); the couple had three children before divorcing in 1938. In the same year as her divorce, Calma remarried Max Schnirring (1895-k.i.a. 1944), with whom she had three further children before becoming a widow. Lastly, in 1948, Calma wed Karl Otto Andrée (1912-1984): the couple were divorced in 1949.

Princess Caroline Mathilde died on 5 September 1983, aged seventy-one. She was a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Her nephew Prince Andreas is the current Head of House Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Much more about Princess Calma and her family can be found in Eurohistory's book on the dynasty: The Coburgs of Europe

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