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Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt

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Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt
Born1944 (age 66)
Bad Kreuznach, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany[1]
Other namesRobert Lichtenberg[1]
Citizenship Germany;  United States[1]
OccupationSocialite
Known formarriage to Zsa Zsa Gabor
SpouseZsa Zsa Gabor (August 14, 1986–present)

Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt (born 1944) is a German-born socialite best known as Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband from her latest and longest-lasting marriage. He was born Hans Lichtenberg;[citation needed] in 1980, he became the adult adopted son of Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt.[1]

Name

Prinz von Anhalt was born as Hans Robert Lichtenberg (other sources state Hans-Georg Lichtenberg)[citation needed] in Bad Kreuznach, Germany.[1] He was one of 5 children at home, and his grandmother also lived with them. His father was the chief of police in Frankfurt.[1]

In 1980, he was adopted as an adult by Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt (1898-1983), daughter-in-law of German Emperor William II.[1]

"Prinz von Anhalt" is his surname, rather than a title, as per German laws regarding the country's former nobility.[1] Marie Auguste's first husband was Prince Joachim of Prussia, the youngest son of German Emperor William II. Prince Joachim committed suicide in 1920 after four years of marriage. She subsequently (1926) wed Johannes-Michael Freiherr von Loën, whom she divorced in 1935.[2]

Some reports state that Prinz von Anhalt, a former masseur,[3] has claimed to be a friend of Princess Marie Auguste's only child, Prince Karl Franz of Prussia (1916-1975), and that the grieving mother adopted him out of kindness and "gave" him the name Prince Frederic von Anhalt, Duke of Saxony. However, British press reports indicate that Princess Marie Auguste was bankrupt and the adoption was apparently a business transaction. The transaction was said to be masterminded by Hans Hermann Weyer, a former window dresser who became an honorary consul of Bolivia in Luxembourg,[4] known for selling certificates of nobility, doctoral degrees from invented colleges and universities, and other decorations in Germany throughout the 1960s.[5][6]

Although Princess Marie-Auguste adopted Frédéric, the rest of the ducal family of Anhalt (the House of Ascania) has never recognized him as being part of their lineage nor that he be entitled to any official title.[citation needed] The House of Ascania's family website states that the adoption laws of Germany allow adult adoptions with almost no conditions, and that the website itself lists only people who actually descend from the House of Ascania. Frédéric is not listed on the website.[7]

When asked about the title in his name in 2010, Prinz von Anhalt said that he was a family friend and had played soccer for a long time with the son of Princess Marie-Auguste, and that she agreed to adopt him. He also said: "It doesn't mean anything, it’s just a name. After 1918 in Germany royalty didn't exist any longer."[1]

Marriage

In 1986, Prinz von Anhalt married Zsa Zsa Gabor. The couple are still married, making it Gabor's longest marriage. "We didn't marry for love", he later said. "It was a friendship, but when you're with someone over a certain time you fall in love." The marriage is legally Gabor's eighth, her marriage to Felipe de Alba having been annulled because she was still married to Michael O'Hara when she married de Alba.[citation needed]

Adult adoptions

Together with his wife Zsa Zsa Gabor, Prinz von Anhalt has adopted several men. Among them are: Marcus Prinz von Anhalt (formerly known as Marcus Eberhardt), who refers to himself as "Prince Germany";[8] Oliver Prinz von Anhalt (formerly known as Oliver Bendig); Michael Prinz von Anhalt (formerly known as Michael Killer);[9] as well as Markus Maximilian Prinz von Anhalt.[10] Following the adoption, these men are entitled to use the last name of "Prinz von Anhalt". German newspapers have speculated that Frédéric is effectively selling the name, which would be a criminal offence in Germany and render the adoptions, which were made under German law, invalid.[citation needed]

Claims of paternity of Dannielynn Marshall Birkhead

Prinz von Anhalt has been quoted as saying that he could potentially be the father of Anna Nicole Smith's infant girl, Dannielynn, who was born in September 2006.[11] On 10 April 2007, it was determined by a Bahamian Court that DNA evidence proved Larry Birkhead to be the father of Dannielynn.

Robbery and stripping

On July 25, 2007, Prinz von Anhalt was allegedly approached by three women he described as attractive while sitting in his Rolls-Royce in Southern California. They asked him to pose for pictures with them, at which point one of the women robbed him at gunpoint, taking his car keys, jewelry, wallet, driver's license and all his clothes. According to Prinz von Anhalt, his assailants bound him and placed him in handcuffs, yet he managed to call the authorities on a cellular phone. Los Angeles police found him completely naked approximately one hour later. No handcuffs were found at the scene. The culprits apparently drove away in a Chrysler convertible.[12]

Run for Governor of California

On February 16, 2010, Prinz von Anhalt announced his candidacy for Governor of California, as an independent candidate.[13] He withdrew his candidacy on August 2, 2010, citing his wife's health issues.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Allen, Kristen (2010-02-04). "Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt: 'I'll give up Hollywood and mingle with the people'". The Local (Germany). Berlin: The Local Europe. Retrieved 2010-09-01. Contains a short interview with Prinz von Anhalt.
  2. ^ An Online Gotha - Anhalt
  3. ^ "Inside Edition"
  4. ^ Der Mantel des schönen Konsuls
  5. ^ New York Times article mentioning Weyer's career, 1982
  6. ^ John Vinocur, "For German Who 'Awarded' Titles, First Gold, Then Bars", The New York Times, 16 March 1978, page A2
  7. ^ "Familie heute". Anhalt-Askanien (in German). München: Julia Katharina von Anhalt. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
  8. ^ PrinzGermany Homepage
  9. ^ Prinz Michael Homepage
  10. ^ Prinz Markus Homepage
  11. ^ Gabor Husband may be Smith's baby's dad, Associated Press, February 9, 2007.
  12. ^ CNN: Zsa Zsa Gabor's Husband Found Naked In Car, Says He Was Mugged
  13. ^ Zsa Zsa's Husband To Run For Governor
  14. ^ Zsa Zsa’s socialite husband drops out of California governor’s race to tend to ailing wife

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