Carl Herzog von Württemberg (Carl Maria Peter Ferdinand Philipp Albrecht Joseph Michael Pius Konrad Robert Ulrich; 1 August 1936 – 7 June 2022) was the head of the House of Württemberg from 1975 to 2022. He was succeeded by his grandson Wilhelm.
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Life
Carl was born in Friedrichshafen on 1 August 1936. He was the second son of Philipp Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg, and Archduchess Rosa of Austria, Princess of Tuscany. He was educated at the classical grammar school in Riedlingen and the University of Tübingen, where he studied law. After graduating, he joined the family estate business, based at Altshausen Palace.
Carl became heir-presumptive to the headship of the House of Württemberg on 29 June 1959, when his older brother, Ludwig, renounced his succession rights. He became head of the family when his father died 15 April 1975. The family company manages around 5500 hectares of forest, around 2000 hectares of meadows and fields, fifty hectares of vineyards, other land in Germany and abroad, forests in Canada and Austria, and company holdings. It also maintains some seventy cultural monuments of the House of Württemberg. The current headquarters of the estate is Friedrichshafen Castle.
On 7 June 2022, Carl died in a hospital in Ravensburg at the age of 85. He was succeeded by his grandson Wilhelm since Carl's eldest son Friedrich had predeceased him.
Charitable activities
Carl took part in many social and charitable activities, including the German Red Cross, the Friends of Cancer Children, the Free School Foundation, the Art Foundation, the Preventive Youth Welfare Foundation, and the Baden-Württemberg Monument Foundation, which he chaired from 2002 to 2008. He was Patron of the Society for the Promotion of the State Museum of Württemberg, and chairman of the Friends of the University of Tübingen and the University Foundation. In Altshausen, where he lived, he was Patron of the Citizens Guard Yellow Hussars.
On 30 July 2002 Carl and his wife Diane met with President of Lebanon Emile Lahoud and his wife at the Baabda Palace in Beirut to discuss a project to assist deprived Lebanese children as well as other social and cultural activities.
Marriage and issue
On 21 July 1960, Carl married Princess Diane d'Orléans, the daughter of Prince Henri, Count of Paris, and his wife Princess Isabelle of Orléans-Braganza. The wedding took place at Schloss Altshausen, the ancestral seat of the Dukes of Württemberg.
They had four sons and two daughters and sixteen grandchildren:
Duke Friedrich Philipp Carl Franz Maria (born Friedrichshafen, 1 June 1961 – near Ebenweiler, 9 May 2018), married in Altshausen civilly on 11 and religiously on 13 November 1993 to his distant cousin Princess Wilhelmine Friederike Pauline Elisabeth Marie of Wied (born Munich, 27 December 1973), great-granddaughter of Friedrich, Prince of Wied, and wife Princess Pauline of Württemberg, the only child of the last King of Württemberg to reach adulthood, and had one son and two daughters:
Duke Wilhelm Friedrich Carl Philipp Albert Nikolaus Erich Maria (born Ravensburg, 13 August 1994). His father having died in a car accident four years earlier, he succeeded his grandfather Carl as Head of the House of Württemberg in 2022
Duchess Marie-Amélie Diane Katharina Beatrix Philippa Sophie (born Ravensburg, 12 March 1996), married in 2023 Baron Franz-Ferdinand von Feilitzsch (born Tegernsee, 21 November 1997)
Duchess Sophie Dorothée Martina Johanna Henriette Charitas Maria (born Ravensburg, 19 August 1997)
Duchess Mathilde Marie-Antoinette Rosa Isabelle (born Friedrichshafen, 11 July 1962), married in 1988 to Prince Erich of Waldburg zu Zeil und Trauchburg (born 21 November 1962), has issue.
Duke Eberhard Alois Nikolaus Heinrich Johannes Maria (born Friedrichshafen, 20 June 1963), married firstly in 2011 (divorced in 2016) Lucia Desiree Copf (born Samedan, 29 December 1969), married secondly in 2023 Gaby Maier (b. 1970); he has one son with his first wife:
Honours and awards
House of Württemberg
Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown
Sovereign of the Order of Olga
Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Military Merit
Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Frederick I, Special Class
States
Austria
Town of Hinterstoder: Honorary Citizen (2006)
Germany: Great Cross of Merit of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Baden-Württemberg: Great Staufer Medal in Gold (Große Staufermedaille in Gold) (2017)
Town of Althaus, Baden-Württemberg: Honorary Citizen (2006)
Holy See: Knight Commander, Order of St. Gregory the Great (31 May 2002).
: Lebanon: Knight, National Order of the Cedar (30 July 2002)
Sovereign Military Order of Malta: Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion
Formerly reigning families
Ducal Family of Anhalt: Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Albert the Bear
Imperial and Royal Family of Austria: Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece
Royal Family of Bavaria: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Hubert
Royal Family of Italy: Knight Grand Collar of the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation
Royal Family of the Two Sicilies: Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George
Religious orders
Knight of Honour of the Teutonic Order (2009)
Academic institutions
Honorary Senator, University of Tübingen
Honorary Senator, University of Hohenheim
Honorary Doctor of Theology, Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule Vallendar (8 November 2008)