The Death of the First Cousin of the Fürst: Prince Georg-Friedrich zu Waldeck und Pyrmont (1936-2020)

On Thursday, 16 April 2020, Prince Georg-Friedrich zu Waldeck und Pyrmont passed away at the age of eighty-three. The prince was a first cousin of the head of the princely family, Fürst Wittekind zu Waldeck und Pyrmont (b.1936).

The death notice of Prince Georg-Friedrich zu Waldeck und Pyrmont

His Serene Highness Prince Georg-Friedrich Nikolaus zu Waldeck und Pyrmont was born on 22 November 1936 at Hannover as the second child of Prince Georg zu Waldeck und Pyrmont (1902-1971) and Countess Ingeborg von Platen Hallermund (1902-1991). Georg-Friedrich had one older brother and three younger siblings: Prince Josias (b.1935), Princess Rixa (b.1939), Prince Volkwin (b.1940), Prince Christian-Peter (b.1945).

Fürst Georg II zu Waldeck und Pyrmont (1789-1845)

Fürstin Emma zu Waldeck und Pyrmont (1802-1858; née Princess of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym)

Georg-Friedrich's parents-in-law: Fürst Wolff-Heinrich and Fürstin Irma zu Stolberg-Stolberg

The commemorative coin celebrating the marriage of Fürst Wolff Heinrich and Irma zu Stolberg-Stolberg.

On August 1961, Prince Georg-Friedrich married Princess Irmgard Sixtina Juliana zu Stolberg-Stolberg (b.4 November 1933). Sixtina was the daughter of Fürst Wolff-Heinrich zu Stolberg-Stolberg (1903-1972) and Irma Erfert (1910-1994). Georg-Friedrich and Sixtina were third cousins; they both were great-great-grandchildren of Fürst Georg II zu Waldeck und Pyrmont (1789-1845) and Princess Emma of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym (1802-1858).

Georg-Friedrich and Sixtina had three children: Princess Henriette (b.1963), Princess Isabelle (b.1965), and Prince Philipp (b.1967).

Princess Henriette zu Waldeck und Pyrmont with her husband Count Hermann zu Castell-Rüdenhausen as well as Princess Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis.
Photograph (c) Presse-Foto-Seeger.

In August 1989, Princess Christine Henriette Bathildis zu Waldeck und Pyrmont married Count Hermann zu Castell-Rüdenhausen (b.1963). The couple have three children: Countess Annabell (b.1991), Countess Cecily (b.1992), and Count Casimir (b.1994). Hermann is a younger brother of the late Countess Donata zu Castell-Rüdenhausen (1950-2015), wife of Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (1944-1977) and Duke Friedrich August of Oldenburg (1936-2017). Henriette, who studied geography at university, is thus an aunt-by-marriage of Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia, the Head of House Prussia.

Georg-Friedrich and Sixtina's second daughter Princess Marie Isabelle zu Waldeck und Pyrmont has made her career as an employment and occupational therapist. In December 1989, Isabelle changed her surname to be simply "Waldeck." She has one son, Constantin.

Philipp-Heinrich, the only son of Georg-Friedrich and Sixtina, has never married and has no children. He is currently fourteenth in the line of succession to the Head of the Princely House of Waldeck and Pyrmont.

Georg-Friedrich's widow Princess Sixtina zu Waldeck und Pyrmont, Princess zu Stolberg-Stolberg, lives in Bad Arolsen.