European Royalty during World War II:
Royal Houses

Living Members of
The Former Ruling House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, 1939-1945

Head of House

Friedrich Franz IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1882-1945).  Succeeded as Grand Duke in 1897 on the death of his father, Grand Duke Friedrich Franz III.  Designated Regent of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in 1918 upon the death of his distant cousin, Grand Duke Adolf Friedrich VI of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.  Abdicated as both Grand Duke and Regent in November 1918.  Succeeded as de jure Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in 1918 upon the renunciation of the title by Duke Karl Michael, the last male of the house of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (below).  Died on November 17, 1945, at Flensburg.
Wife:  Alexandra, née Princess of Hanover (1882-     )
Issue:
  1. Friedrich Franz (V), Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1910-     ).  Married unequally on June 11, 1941, at Wiligrad.  Succeeded as head of the dynasty on November 17, 1945 upon the death of his father, Grand Duke Friedrich Franz IV.
    Wife:  Karin Elisabeth, née von Schaper (1920-     )
  2. Christian Ludwig, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1912-     )
  3. Thyra, Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1919-     )
  4. Anastasia, Princess Friedrich Ferdinand of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1922-     ).  Married on September 1, 1943, at Wiligrad.

Sisters
Daughters of Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1851-1897)

Alexandrine, Queen of Denmark (1879-     )

Cecilie, Crown Princess of Prussia (1886-     )

Brother of Father
Son of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1823-1883) by his first marriage

Paul Friedrich, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1852-1923).  Forfeited his rights of succession as a result of his conversion to Catholicism and his marriage to a Catholic in 1881.

Issue:  4 children, including
  1. Marie Antonia, Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1884-1944).  Died on October 26, 1944, in Bled, Yugoslavia.
  2. Borwin, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1885-1942).  Died on November 3, 1942, at Sarszentmihaly, Hungary.
    Wife:     Karola, née von Alers (1882-     )

Half-Brothers and Half-Sister of Father
Children of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1823-1883) by his third marriage

Elisabeth, Dowager Grand Duchess of Oldenburg (1869-     )

Adolf Friedrich, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1873-     ).  Nominated Duke of the United Baltic Duchy in accordance with a 1918 resolution by the General Provincial Assembly in Riga that called upon the German Emperor Wilhelm II to recognize the Baltic provinces of Latvia and Estonia as a monarchy and a German protectorate.
2nd Wife: Elisabeth, widow of Duke Johann Albrecht of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, née Princess of Stolberg-Rossla (1885-     )

Issue of his first marriage:
  1. Woizlawa-Feodora, Princess Heinrich I Reuss zu Köstritz (1918-     ).  Married on September 15, 1939, at Bad Doberan.

Henrik, Prince of the Netherlands, né Duke Heinrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1876-1934)
Wife:  Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands (1880-     )

Issue:
  1. Juliana, Crown Princess of the Netherlands, Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1909-     )

Brother of Grandfather
Son of Grand Duke Paul Friedrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1800-1842)

Wilhelm, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1827-1879)

Issue:

  1. Charlotte, Frau Robert Schmidt (1868-1944).  Died on December 20, 1944, at Partenkirchen.

Extinct Junior Mecklenburg Line
Descendants of Duke Adolf Friedrich II of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1658-1708)

Last Male of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

Karl Michael, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1863-1934).  Expected to succeed as head of the dynasty in 1918 upon the death of his cousin, Grand Duke Adolf Friedrich V (below), but renounced his rights, at which time Mecklenburg-Strelitz reverted to the senior line of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (above).

Brother
Son of Duke Georg of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1824-1876)

Georg Alexander, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1880-     )
Issue of his unequal marriage:
  1. Catherine, Princess Vladimir Emmanuelovich Galitzine (1891-1940).  Killed in London on October 8, 1940, during a bombing raid of World War II.
  2. Marie, Countess Vladimir Petrovich Kleinmichel (1893-     )
  3. Georg, Count von Carlow, Duke of Mecklenburg (1899-     ).  Adopted in 1928 by his uncle, Duke Karl Michael of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (above), and assumed the title of Duke of Mecklenburg.
    Wife:  Irina Mikhailovna, widow of Count Aleksandr Tolstoy,     née Raievskya (1892-     )
    Issue:
    1. Georg Alexander, Duke of Mecklenburg, né Count von Carlow (1921-     )
    2. Helene, Duchess of Mecklenburg, née Countess von Carlow (1924-     )
    3. Karl Gregor, Duke of Mecklenburg (1933-     )

Brother of Father
Son of Grand Duke Georg of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1779-1860)

Friedrich Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1819-1904)
Issue:  2 children, including
  1. (Georg) Adolf Friedrich V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1848-1914)
    Issue:  4 children, including
    1. Marie, Princess Julius Ernst of Lippe-Biesterfeld (1878-     )
    2. Militza, Queen of Montenegro (1880-     )
    3. Adolf Friedrich VI, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1882-1918).  Last Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.  Committed suicide in 1918.

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Last updated on 12/05/03 .