Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern (Johann Georg Carl Leopold Eitel-Friedrich Meinrad Maria Hubertus Michael; 31 July 1932 – 2 March 2016) was a German prince, and through his marriage to Princess Birgitta of Sweden, was brother-in-law of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.
The House of Hohenzollern also produced rulers of the Kingdom of Romania. King Carol I of Romania was the first king of Romania born as a Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. He was followed by his nephew Ferdinand I of Romania (1865–1927), who was adopted as heir in 1889 by his uncle and succeeded as King in 1914 upon his uncle's death. Ferdinand became the father of King Carol II of Romania and grandfather of Michael I of Romania (1921–2017), the last reigning member of the Royal Family of Romania.
Johann Georg, known as "Hansi", had six siblings: Benedikta (who married Heinrich count of Waldburg zu Wolfegg und Waldsee); Maria Aldegunde (who married Werner Hess); Maria Theresia; Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Hohenzollern (who married Princess Margarita of Leiningen); Franz Joseph (who married Princess Maria Ferdinande von Thurn und Taxis and second Princess Diane of Bourbon-Parma); and Prince Ferfied (who married Maja Meinert).
Career
Johann Georg lived in Grünwald, Munich and was a fine art expert. From 1992 to 1998 he served as Director General of the Bavarian State Picture Collection and was also a director of the Hypo-Kunsthalle of the Hypo Cultural Foundation.
He served as a Member of Advisory Board - Europe at Christie's International plc.[1]
A patron of the arts, his 75th birthday was celebrated with a special concert in Munich.[2]
Personal life
Johann Georg met Princess Birgitta of Sweden, the sister of the current King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf, in 1959 at a cocktail party while visiting friends and relatives in Germany. Their engagement was announced by the Royal Palace of Stockholm on 15 December 1960. The civil marriage ceremony took place at the Royal Palace of Stockholm on 25 May 1961, and the religious wedding in the Sankt Johann Church at the bridegroom's family palace of Sigmaringen on 30 May/31 July 1961.[3] Together, they were the parents of three children:
Prince Carl Christian of Hohenzollern (b. 1962), who married Nicole Helene Neschitsch in 1999 in Kreuzpullach.
Princess Désirée of Hohenzollern (b. 1963), who married Heinrich Franz Josef Georg Maria, Imperial Count of Ortenburg in 1998 in Weitramsdorf. They divorced in 2002 and she married Eckbert von Bohlen und Halbach, a son of industrialist Berthold von Bohlen und Halbach (and grandson of Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach and heiress Bertha Krupp of ThyssenKrupp).
Prince Hubertus of Hohenzollern (b. 1966), who married Uta Maria König.
Johann Georg and Birgitta separated in 1990, though they remained legally married and attended Swedish royal family events together, including the 2010 wedding of Crown Princess Victoria.[4] They celebrated their golden wedding in 2011.[3]
Prince Johann Georg died on 2 March 2016 in Munich.[4]
Descendants
Through his eldest son, he was a grandfather of Nicolas Johann Georg Maria, Prince of Hohenzollern (b. 1999). Through his daughter Désirée's first marriage, he was a grandfather of Carl Theodor, Count of Ortenburg (b. 1992), Frederik-Hubertus, Count of Ortenburg (b. 1995), and Carolina, Countess of Ortenburg (b. 1997).[4]
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