Ortrud Prinzessin zu Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
Princess Ortrud of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (Legal name in Germany: Ortrud Prinzessin zu Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg;[citation needed] Full given names: Ortrud Bertha Adelheid Hedwig), (19 December 1925, Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany – 6 February 1980) was a member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and a Princess of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg by birth, and through her marriage to Ernest Augustus IV, Prince of Hanover, a member of the House of Hanover and Princess consort of Hanover (30 January 1953 – 6 February 1980).
Ortrud was the daughter of Prince Albrecht of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1863–1948) and his second wife, Princess Hertha of Ysenburg and Büdingen (1883–1972), daughter of Bruno, 3rd Prince of Ysenburg and Büdingen.
Ortrud married Prince Ernest Augustus of Hanover (later Ernest Augustus IV, Prince of Hanover) on 31 August 1951 at Marienburg Castle,Nordstemmen, Hanover, Germany in a civil marriage ceremony. They were remarried four days later in a religious ceremony in Hanover. Ernest Augustus and Ortrud had six children:
- Princess Marie Viktoria Luise Hertha Friederike of Hanover (1952– ), married Count Michael of Hochberg and had issue.
- Ernst August V Albert Paul Otto Rupprecht Oskar Berthold Friedrich-Ferdinand Christian Ludwig, Prince of Hanover (1954– ), married first Chantal Hochuli and had issue, married second Princess Caroline of Monaco and had issue.
- Prince Ludwig Rudolph Georg Wilhelm Philipp Friedrich Wolrad Maximilian of Hanover (1955–88), married Countess Isabelle of Thurn and Valsassina-Como-Vercelli (1962–88) with whom he had one son, Prince Otto Heinrich of Hanover. Ludwig committed suicide shortly after discovering the body of his wife, who had died of a drug overdose.
- Princess Olga Sophie Charlotte Anna of Hanover (1958– )
- Princess Alexandra Irene Margaretha Elisabeth Bathildis of Hanover (1959– ), married Andreas, 8th Prince of Leiningen and had issue.
- Prince Heinrich Julius Christian Otto Friedrich Franz Anton Günther of Hanover (1961– ), married Thyra von Westernhagen and had issue (including a son, Albert, born on the 138th anniversary of the death of his ancestor, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
After Ortrud’s death in 1980, her widower husband Ernest Augustus married Ortrud’s first cousin once removed, Countess Monika of Solms-Laubach in 1981.
Titles and styles
- 19 December 1925 – 31 August 1951: Her Serene Highness Princess Ortrud of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
- 31 August 1951 – 30 January 1953: Her Royal Highness Princess Ernst August of Hanover
- 30 January 1953 – 6 February 1980: Her Royal Highness The Princess of Hanover
Prince Ernst August IV and Princess Ortrud of Hanover with their 6 children, from top: Princess Marie, Prince Ernst August, Prince Ludwig Rudolph, Princess Olga, Princess Alexandra, and Prince Heinrich Julius.