Adelshaus distances itself: Harald von Hohenzollern-Emden is not a prince!

Adelshaus distances itself: Harald von Hohenzollern-Emden is not a prince!

In an unusual turn, the Hohenzollern house recently commented on Harald Prinz von Hohenzollern-Emden, who died surprisingly at the age of 63. Prince Karl Friedrich von Hohenzollern personally accepted the topic and made it clear that Harald was not part of the family. This was done in a press release that will be published on Monday and the Schwäbische Zeitung

The sudden death of Harald, who died in South Africa as a result of cardiac arrest, came unexpectedly for many. This has made his wife, Josefa of Hohenzollern-Emden, who announced the sad news about social media on June 25, 2025. The couple expected their first child in July, which makes the situation even bitter.

Why does Harald's Hohenzollern dynasty distant? The answer is his origin. According to the press release, Harald is not a member of the nobility family because he accepted the last name through the marriage of the ex-wife of a Hohenzollern prince. Harald was the twin brother of the Sigmaringer Prince Friedrich Viktor and was wearing the namesake Emden, a title that he acquired as a member of the imperial Navy. The name was inherited to his descendants by Franz Joseph Prinz von Hohenzollern.

a short life with many facets

Before his death occurred, Harald lived in Namibia, where he worked in the diamond industry. His sudden cardiac arrest happened there and brought all the more grief about the loss in the family and with friends. His wife Josefa has just positioned herself for the re-election as the mayor in Leonberg, Baden-Württemberg, and is now faced with a difficult personal tragedy.

The real situation around the family strains is even more complex due to the marriage history of Harald's siblings. When Harald's twin brother Friedrich Viktor, Prince of Hohenzollern, married, it was not uncommon for the bloodlines to reach and have been mixed. Carl Alexander Prinz von Hohenzollern-Emden 1991 married Angela Stölzle, who was entitled Princess of Hohenzollern, but the marriage was divorced in 1997. Angela later married Tom Harald Krieger, who finally accepted her last name.

perspectives and questions

The clarification by the Fürstenhaus came in response to numerous inquiries that were received after Harald's death and should create the clear conditions. The question now arises how the Hohenzollern family will deal with this stressful situation in the future. The grief for a deceased and the clarification of the relatives present the noble family with new challenges.

How will Josefa by Hohenzollern-Memden deal with this difficult time? And what does that mean for your political career in Leonberg? The coming weeks should bring answers to these questions and do not make the situation easier for everyone involved.