Latest news with #JosefaVonHohenzollern
New York Post
01-07-2025
- General
- New York Post
German prince dies ‘unexpectedly' just days before birth of first child
Prince Harald von Hohenzollern has died suddenly at the age of 63 — just days before his wife was due to give birth to their first child. The German aristocrat died from cardiac arrest in Windhoek, Namibia, where he had been on a work trip to the diamond industry. Herald's wife, Princess Josefa von Hohenzollern — who is currently running for re-election as mayor of Leonberg in Baden-Württemberg — announced the sad news on social media. 4 Prince Harald von Hohenzollern has died suddenly at the age of 63. Josefa Von Hohenzollern / Facebook 'Dear fellow citizens of Leonberg, today I am writing with a heavy heart,' Josefa, 51, wrote on Instagram. 'My beloved husband Harald V. Hohenzollern died quite unexpectedly of a sudden cardiac death. This loss hits me very deep.' 'I need time to grieve, say goodbye and be there for our unborn child. That's why I will be stepping back from campaigning and social media in the coming days,' she went on. The pair had tied the knot in September 2024. Their first child is due to be born in the coming days. 4 The German aristocrat died from cardiac arrest in Windhoek, Namibia, where he had been on a work trip to the diamond industry. Josefa Von Hohenzollern / Facebook 'I hope for your understanding during this time off and thank you from the bottom of my heart at this point for your condolences and support,' the princess concluded her post. Alongside the heartbreaking caption, Josefa shared a series of throwback photos with her late husband. The pair wed in Josefa's hometown of Kollnburg after meeting at a trade fair in 2022. Josefa assumed the princess title after marrying Harald, who belonged to the former royal German dynasty called the House of Hohenzollern. 4 The prince died just days before the pair were due to welcome their first child. Josefa Von Hohenzollern / Facebook The dynasty, which dates back to 1061, boasts historical ties to the Hohenzollern family, Brandenburg, Prussia, Romania and the German Empire. The locals affectionately refer to the princess as the 'singing mayor' — given her love of music and frequent appearances in various cultural events in the area. Josefa's bid for mayorship started in November 2020 when she ran for the post of financial mayor of Leonberg in Baden-Württemberg. She managed to secure the third most votes in the first round, though she narrowly missed advancing by just one vote. The elected candidate ultimately withdrew before taking office, allowing her to run again. She was then elected as the only remaining candidate in May 2021 after securing 17 of 33 votes for an eight-year term. 4 'This loss hits me very deep,' Josefa wrote on social media alongside photos of the pair. Josefa Von Hohenzollern / Facebook While serving as First Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Leonberg, Josefa has faced somewhat of a challenging time in office. During her tenure, Mayor Martin Cohn had placed her on leave in June 2023 following months of political conflict.
Daily Mail
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Prince dies suddenly just days before welcoming first child, his heartbroken wife reveals
Princess Josefa von Hohenzollern has revealed her heartbreak after her husband tragically died just days before they were due to welcome their first child. German aristocrat Prince Harald von Hohenzollern, 63, is said to have died 'unexpectedly' due to cardiac complications, Josefa wrote on Instagram. Josefa, 51, who is running for mayor of Leonberg, a German town in Baden-Württembergwed, wed Harald just nine months ago. Harald tragically died during a trip in Windhoek, Namibia, where he was working in the diamond industry, according to Hello!. Alongside a collage of images with her late husband, Josefa broke the devastating news to her Instagram followers and said she would understandably be taking a step back from campaigning. 'Dear fellow citizens of Leonberg, today I am writing with a heavy heart,' she began, continuing, 'My beloved husband Harald v. Hohenzollern died completely unexpectedly of sudden cardiac death. 'This loss hits me very deep. I need time to grieve, say goodbye and be there for our unborn child. That's why I will be stepping back from campaigning and social media in the coming days. 'I hope for your understanding during this time off and thank you from the bottom of my heart at this point for your condolences and support.' While Josefa has put her campaigning duties on hold, she has previously discussed the need for female representatives among the mayors in Baden-Württemberg. In a post earlier this week, she said, 'Out of 105 mayors in Baden-Württemberg, only seven are women - that does not reflect our society! 'It's not about quotas; it's about real parity: women make up half of the population and bring competence, experience, and new perspectives to local politics. 'I'm running as mayor for Leonberg because I'm convinced: our cities need more female leadership. For a Leonberg, which reflects the diversity of its citizens at the top!' It's not known when Josefa will continue to pursue her campaign to become mayor following her loss. Her late aristocratic husband Harald came from the House of Hohenzollern - a formerly royal German dynasty. The house previously made headlines in May when a fake German prince, who had rubbed shoulders with King Charles, used a legal loophole to access high society. His Serene Highness Dr Donatus, Prince of Hohenzollern, spent the better part of two decades schmoozing with Britain's elite. Josefa shared a heartbreaking Instagram post where she shared the news of her husband's passing But Donatus, who is really a 64-year-old music teacher called Markus Hänsel, was only able to do this after paying to be adopted by the House of Hohenzollern at the age of 42. The real Prince of Hohenzollern, Karl Friedrich, the head of the House of Hohenzollern, hit out at Donatus for using his family's name. He told The Sun, 'It makes me angry and frustrated, it leaves a very bitter taste in my mouth. 'Donatus is not my blood, he is not a member of the German royal family, he is simply a non-royal name bearer. He certainly cannot use the moniker of Serene Highness.' Donatus is connected to several music organisations and charities alongside King Charles and Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent. He is the Chairman of the Friends of the English Chamber Orchestra and is an ambassador of The Purcell School for Young Musicians in Bushey, Hertfordshire, both of which are organisations that King Charles is a patron of. Donatus is also a member of the International Board of Governors of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, of which the Duke of Kent is a patron and Creative Benefactor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. On top of this, he was previously a Principal Supporter of London's Royal College of Music and a founding patron of the Royal College of Music Prince Consort Orchestra. In one clip taken from his Surrey home, a photo of him and King Charles was seen on the side. Prince Karl told The Sun that he confronted Donatus over his claim to his family's name, and it was revealed that Katharina Feodora, Princess of Hohenzollern, adopted him in around 2003. 'I wrote to Donatus and said I know all the members of my family, but I hadn't heard of him. He wrote back and said, 'Yes, I have been adopted by your aunt Katharina'. 'I then spoke to my aunt, and she told me, 'Yes, well, he offered me such an amount of money I couldn't resist'. She was always short of money. There's nothing we as a family can do,' he added. Three years after he was adopted, he married Dr Viola Hallman, heiress of the Theis steel business, who later became Dr Viola Christa, Princess of Hohenzollern. The couple lived in a castle in Haelen, the Netherlands. Viola sadly died of cancer in 2012. Donatus told The Sun in an emailed statement, written in the third person, 'Donatus has the same legal rank and rights represented in Germany's family law as Karl Friedrich of Hohenzollern, who does not have the authority to speak on behalf of all the members of the family.' Prince Karl said he is now seeking legal advice on the matter, 'We don't like somebody bringing the family name into a bad light. 'It's obvious he doesn't know me and the history of the Swabian branch of the Hohenzollerns. He's an uninformed man. He is not a member of the royal house of Hohenzollern.'
