The Saxon Royal Succession Act of 1997 and the Current Royal Family of Saxony

Prince Alexander, Princess Anastasia-Luise, Prince Maria Emanuel, and Princess Gisela of Saxony

On 22 May 1997 at Dresden, all of the living princes and princesses of the Royal House of Saxony, including living consorts (morganatic or otherwise) who had married princes of the blood, agreed to a succession agreement as it pertained to the future of the Saxon royal family. This act decreed that Prince Maria Emanuel of Saxony, Margrave of Meißen and Head of the Royal House, would be succeeded by his nephew, Prince Alexander, the eldest son of Maria Emanuel's sister Princess Maria Anna of Saxony and her husband Robert de Afif.

Prince Dedo of Saxony (1922-2009)

Princess Erina of Saxony (1921-2010; née Eilts)

Princess Anastasia-Luise of Saxony, Margravine of Meissen (b.1940; née Princess of Anhalt)

Prince Albert of Saxony (1934-2012)

Princess Elmira of Saxony (b.1930; née Henke)

Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony (1928-2018)

Princess Maria Anna of Saxony (1929-2012)
Photograph (c) Royal House of Saxony

Princess Mathilde of Saxony (1936-2018) with her son Prince Johannes Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1969-1987)

Specifically, those present at the gathering in Dresden were these members of the royal family: Prince Dedo of Saxony (1922-2009; he also acted as a representative for his brother, Prince Gero of Saxony [1925-2003], and for his stepmother, Princess Virginia of Saxony [1910-2002; née Dulon; widow of Prince Ernst Heinrich of Saxony]), Princess Erina of Saxony (1921-2010; née Eilts; widow of Prince Timo of Saxony), Princess Anastasia Luise of Saxony (b.1940; née Anhalt; wife of the late Margrave Maria Emanuel of Meissen, Prince of Saxony [1926-2016]), Prince Albert of Saxony (1934-2012), Princess Elmira of Saxony (b.1930; née Henke; wife of Prince Albert), Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony (1928-2018), Princess Maria Anna of Saxony (1929-2012), and Princess Mathilde of Saxony (1936-2018).

Margrave Friedrich Christian of Meißen with his sons Prince Maria Emanuel and Prince Albert
Photograph (c) Royal House of Saxony

The Saxon Royal Succession Act of 22 May 1997 read as follows:

H.R.H. Prince Dedo of Saxony, Duke of Saxony
     at the same time acting in authority for
     H.R.H. Prince Gero of Saxony, Duke of Saxony, as well as for
     H.R.H. Princess Virginia of Saxony, Duchess of Saxony
H.R.H. Princess Erina of Saxony, Duchess of Saxony
H.R.H. Princess Anastasia-Luise, Margrave of Meissen, Duchess of Saxony
H.R.H. Dr. Prince Albert of Saxony, Duke of Saxony
H.R.H. Princess Elmira of Saxony, Duchess of Saxony
H.R.H. Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony, Duchess of Saxony
H.R.H. Princess Maria Anna of Saxony-Gessaphe, Duchess of Saxony
H.R.H. Dr. Princess Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Saxony 

We hereby declare, 

In the responsibility of today's living and acting generation of the Wettins and in light of the more than 900-year history of our dynasty and in the knowledge that the family and Saxony should be given a predictable for the next decades personnel perspective: 

We acknowledge the wishes of H.R.H. Prince Maria Emanuel, Margrave of Meissen, Duke of Saxony, who has expressed his intention to enable our nephew Prince Alexander to succeed him as Margrave of Meissen, and we are in agreement with his intention. 

This consent does not affect any civil rights of the declarant. 

(Signed) 

H.R.H. Prince Dedo of Saxony, Duke of Saxony 

H.R.H. Princess Erina of Saxony, Duchess of Saxony 

H.R.H. Princess Anastasia-Luise, Margrave of Meissen, Duchess of Saxony 

H.R.H. Dr. Prince Albert of Saxony, Duke of Saxony  

H.R.H. Princess Elmira of Saxony, Duchess of Saxony 

H.R.H. Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony, Duchess of Saxony 

H.R.H. Princess Maria Anna of Saxony-Gessaphe, Duchess of Saxony 

H.R.H. Dr. Princess Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Saxony 

The above copy is in accordance with the original submitted to me today.

I certify this. 

Dresden, 22.05.1997 

Dr. Horn de la Fontaine 

Notary

The original document reads as follows:

S.K.H. Prinz Dedo von Sachsen Herzog zu Sachsen     zugleich in Vollmacht handelnd für     S.K.H. Prinz Gero von Sachsen Herzog zu Sachsen sowie     I.K.H. Prinzessin Virginia von Sachsen Herzogin zu SachsenI.K.H. Prinzessin Erina von Sachsen Herzogin zu SachsenI.K.H. Prinzessin Anastasia-Luise Markgräfin von Meissen Herzogin zu SachsenS.K.H. Dr. Prinz Albert von Sachsen Herzog zu SachsenI.K.H. Prinzessin Elmira von Sachsen Herzogin zu SachsenI.K.H. Prinzessin Maria Josepha von Sachsen Herzogin zu SachsenI.K.H. Prinzessin Maria Anna von Sachsen-Gessaphe Herzogin zu SachsenI.K.H. Dr. Prinzessin Mathilde von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha Herzogin zu Sachsen 

erklären hiermit 

in der Verantwortung der heute lebenden und handelnden Generation der Wettiner vor der über 900-jährigen Geschtichte unseres Hauses und in dem Besußtsein, daß der Familie und Sachsen eine für die nächsten Jahrzehnte berechenbare personelle Perspektive gegeben werden soll: 

Wir nehmen die von S.K.H. Prinz Maria Emanuel Markgraf von Meissen Herzog zu Sachsen geäußerte Absicht, unserem Neffen Prinz Alexander die unmittelbare Nachfolge als Markgraf von Meissen zu ermöglichen, zustimmend zur Kenntis. 

Von dieser Zustimmung bleiben etwaige bürgerliche Rechte der Erklärenden unberührt. 

S.K.H. Prinz Dedo von Sachsen Herzog zu Sachsen 

I.K.H. Prinzessin Erina von Sachsen Herzogin zu Sachsen 

I.K.H. Prinzessin Anastasia-Luise Markgräfin von Meissen Herzogin zu Sachsen 

S.K.H. Dr. Prinz Albert von Sachsen Herzog zu Sachsen 

I.K.H. Prinzessin Elmira von Sachsen Herzogin zu Sachsen 

I.K.H. Prinzessin Maria Josepha von Sachsen Herzogin zu Sachsen 

I.K.H. Prinzessin Maria Anna von Sachsen-Gessaphe Herzogin zu Sachsen 

I.K.H. Dr. Prinzessin Mathilde von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha Herzogin zu Sachsen 

Vorstehende Abschrift stimmt mit der mir heute vorgelegten Urschrift überein. 

Dies beglaubige ich.  

Dresden, 22.05.1997 

Dr. Horn de la Fontaine 

Notar

Page 1 of the Saxon Royal Succession Act of 1997

Page 2 of the Saxon Royal Succession Act of 1997

Page 3 of the Saxon Royal Succession Act of 1997

In accordance with the Saxon Royal Succession Act of 1997, Prince Alexander of Saxony (b.1953) was unilaterally recognised by all members of the royal family as the heir to his uncle, the Margrave of Meißen. Further, on 1 June 1999, Maria Emanuel of Saxony legally adopted his nephew Alexander as his son; therefore, Alexander and his children were able to use the surname in Germany of "Prinz/Prinzessin von Sachsen, Herzon/Herzogin zu Sachsen." When Prince Maria Emanuel of Saxony died in 2012, Prince Alexander succeeded as the Head of the Royal House. In 1987, Prince Alexander of Saxony married Princess Gisela of Bavaria (b.1964), daughter of Prince Rasso of Bavaria and Archduchess Theresa of Austria-Tuscany. Margrave Alexander and Margravine Gisela of Meißen have four children: Prince Georg (b.1988), Prince Mauricio (b.1989), Prince Clemens (b.1993), and Princess Teresita (b.1999). 

Margrave Alexander and Margravine Gisela of Meißen, with the Dowager Margravine Anastasia-Luise, as well as their children: Prince Georg, Prince Mauricio, Prince Clemens, and Princess Teresita of Saxony (2012)
Photograph (c) Royal House of Saxony

For more about the Royal Family of Saxony, please visit this link: Markgraf von Meissen

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