In the early hours of Thursday 29 December, Maximillian, Margrave of Baden, first cousin to King Charles III, passed away at Schloss Salem in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, at the age of 89.
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How was Max Markgraf von Baden related to the British Royals?
Born in July 1933, Max Markgraf von Baden was the eldest son of Berthold, Margrave of Baden and Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark, Prince Philip’s older sister. The Margraves grew up near the Lake Constance region in Germany.
Worn #onthisday in 1931 by Berthold, Margrave of Baden, and Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark at their #wedding at Neues Schloss in Baden-Baden, Germany. The bride's 10-year-old brother, Prince Philip, was a guest. #OTDpic.twitter.com/YZ36XeH61Y
— Worn On This Day (@WornOnThisDay) August 17, 2022
After World War II, Maximillian attended Gordonstoun boarding school in Scotland, where King Charles and Prince Philip also studied.
He inherited the title of Margrave of Baden, equivalent to a British Marquess, from his father in 1963.
Maximillian married Archduchess Valerie of Austria in 1966. The couple had four children and four grandchildren.
A man of many talents
Maximillian may have been an aristocrat, but he was also a soldier. The Margrave served in the Bundeswehr, the German Armed Forces, up until 1990.
He was also a businessman. During his lifetime, he supervised renovations to wineries around Lake Constance and the renovations of Schloss Salem and the Cathedral of Salem.
#NEW Margrave Maximilian of Baden passed away today at the age of 89. Sending condolences to the family 🙏
— CoutureAndRoyals (@CoutureRoyals) December 29, 2022
The new Margrave is now his son Bernhard. Maximilian was a son of Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark, sister of Prince Philip, so he was a first cousin of King Charles pic.twitter.com/Dn3afitDC0
He was also a philanthropist. In 1982, Maximillian founded GermanAid-Baden, an aid organization whose aim is to help refugees all over the world. He also reportedly had close ties to the Red Cross.
A tribute to the Margrave read:
The Margrave led a modest and reclusive lifestyle. He was free from conceit and cultivated good contacts with the people of his homeland. He always had an open ear for people in need, for people who asked him for help.
The funeral
According to a statement released by The House of Baden’s official website:
Max Margrave of Baden died in the early morning hours of December 29, 2022 in Salem Castle
According to the House of Baden website and Express,there will be two funeral services for the Margrave: an open funeral for friends, acquaintances and employees and a private funeral service for the close family and political representatives.
Max Markgraf von Baden, Herzog von Zähring 1933-2022, was born at Salem Castle in 1933, as son of Margrave Berthold and Margravine Theodora, Princess of Denmark and Greece. In 1966 Margrave Max married Archduchess Valerie of Austria. #maxmarkgrafvonbadenhttps://t.co/3AjeHy61cbpic.twitter.com/LZcBLdwDnA
— royal_jewels (@royal_jewels) December 29, 2022
It isn’t impossible that King Charles will either attend or send someone to represent him at the funeral of his first cousin. House of Baden representatives, in the form of the Margrave’s wife and his eldest son, were present both at Prince Philip’s funeral last year and the Queen’s funeral in September.
The title and role of head of the House of Baden will pass onto Maximillian’s eldest son, Bernhard, the previous hereditary prince.
Sources used:
- Express: King Charles’ first cousin, Max Margrave of Baden, dies in Germany
- Mail Online: King Charles's first cousin dies aged 89: Maximilian, Margrave of Baden, the son of Prince Philip's sister Theodora of Greece and Denmark, passes away at his castle in Germany
- Merriam Webster Dictionary: Margrave
