Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt
 |
Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt | |
|---|---|
 At the Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin in 2008 | |
| Born | Hans Robert Lichtenberg (or Hans-Georg Lichtenberg) June 18, 1943 Bad Kreuznach, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany[1] |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Robert Lichtenberg[1] |
| Citizenship | Germany; United States[1] |
| Occupation | Socialite |
| Known for | marriage to Zsa Zsa Gabor |
| Spouse | |
Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt (born June 18, 1943) is a German-born American socialite best known as Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband from her latest and longest-lasting marriage. He was born Robert Hans Lichtenberg;[2] and in 1980, he became the adult adopted son of Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt.[1][2]
Biography
Prinz von Anhalt was born as Hans Robert Lichtenberg (other sources state Hans-Georg Lichtenberg) in Bad Kreuznach, Germany.[1] He is one of 5 children of the chief of police in Frankfurt.[1]
In 1980, Lichtenberg was adopted as a 36-year-old adult by Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt (1898–1983), daughter-in-law of German Emperor Wilhelm II.[1]
"Prinz von Anhalt" is his surname, not a title, following contemporary German laws about the country's nobility.[1] Marie Auguste's first husband was Prince Joachim of Prussia, the youngest son of German Emperor Wilhelm II. Prince Joachim committed suicide in 1920, after four years of marriage. In 1926, she wed Johannes-Michael Freiherr von Loën, whom she divorced in 1935.[3]
Some reports say that Prinz von Anhalt, a former masseur,[4] claims 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, giving 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 a business transaction, allegedly masterminded by Hans Hermann Weyer, a former window dresser who became the honorary consul of Bolivia in Luxembourg.[5] Weyer was known for selling certificates of nobility, doctoral degrees from fictitious universities and other spurious decorations in Germany in the 1960s.[6][7]
Although Princess Marie-Auguste adopted Frédéric, the ducal family of Anhalt (the House of Ascania) has never recognized him as being part of their lineage. The website of the House of Ascania states that the adoption laws of Germany allow adult adoptions with almost no conditions, and the website lists those who are actually descended from the House of Ascania. Frédéric is not included.[8]
When asked about his name in 2010, Prinz von Anhalt explained that he was a family friend and had often played soccer with Princess Marie-Auguste's son and said she had 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]
Zsa Zsa Gabor has claimed that, shortly after their marriage, she came close to arranging Prinz von Anhalt's adoption by an unnamed member of the British Royal Family.[9]
Marriage
On 14 August 1986, Prinz von Anhalt married Zsa Zsa Gabor, who is 26 years his senior. The couple is 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]
Affair
On 9 February 2007, von Anhalt stated that he had a decade-long affair with Anna Nicole Smith and could potentially be the father of her infant girl. However, later in March, it was determined that Frederic von Anhalt was not the father of the baby, Smith's ex-boyfriend Larry Birkhead was the biological father.[10]
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";[11] Oliver Prinz von Anhalt (formerly known as Oliver Bendig); Michael Prinz von Anhalt (formerly known as Michael Killer).[12] Following their 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]
Robbery and stripping
On 25 July 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.[13]
Clash with Gabor's daughter
Zsa Zsa Gabor's daughter, the late Francesca Hilton, alleged Prinz von Anhalt compromised her mother's dignity, security and health for attention and profit. Hilton claimed Prinz von Anhalt prohibited Gabor from having visitors, including her own daughter.[14]
Hilton claimed he fostered a circus atmosphere surrounding her mother's health,[15] had plans to have her body preserved with plastic for public display, and claims Gabor wanted to mother a child at the age of 94, which she described as "just weird."[16] Hilton remained worried about her mother's health, home, and fortune.
At the time of her death, relations between Hilton and Prinz von Anhalt had been sour for nearly a decade. In 2005, he sued Hilton, alleging she had attempted to defraud her mother. However, Gabor refused to sign the papers in her husband's suit against her daughter so the court dismissed it.[17]
Bid for Governor of California
On 16 February 2010, Prinz von Anhalt announced his candidacy for Governor of California, as an independent candidate.[18] He withdrew his candidacy on 2 August 2010, citing his wife's health issues.[19]
Publicized accidents
On 20 October 2010 von Anhalt was taken to the hospital after swallowing a bee, which then stung him in the throat.[20]
On 22 December 2010 von Anhalt was rushed to the hospital after gluing his eye shut with nail glue.[21]
On 2 September 2011 von Anhalt was hospitalized after being hit by a car in Beverly Hills.[22]
References
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b Laufenberg, Norbert B. (2005). Entertainment Celebrities. Vol. 1. Victoria, BC: Trafford. p. 245. ISBN 1-4120-5335-8. Retrieved 2011-10-09.
The prince was legally adopted in 1980 by Princess Marie Auguste von Anhalt, daughter-in-law of the last Kaiser. Frederick was born Robert Hans Lichtenberg, son of a German policeman.
- ^ An Online Gotha - Anhalt
- ^ "Inside Edition"
- ^ Der Mantel des schönen Konsuls
- ^ New York Times article mentioning Weyer's career, 1982
- ^ John Vinocur, "For German Who 'Awarded' Titles, First Gold, Then Bars", The New York Times, 16 March 1978, page A2
- ^ "Familie heute". Anhalt-Askanien (in German). München: Julia Katharina von Anhalt. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
- ^ Gabor, Zsa Zsa (2011). I, Zsa Zsa. ML Publishing. ISBN 1-61701-046-4.
- ^ "Gabor Husband may be Smith's baby's dad". Associated Press. February 9, 2007. Archived from the original on February 13, 2007. Retrieved February 14, 2007.
- ^ PrinzGermany Homepage
- ^ Prinz Michael Homepage
- ^ CNN: Zsa Zsa Gabor's Husband Found Naked In Car, Says He Was Mugged
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Zsa Zsa Gabor to become new mother at 94?". The San Francisco Chronicle. 1 April 2014.
- ^ "Zsa Zsa Gabor's Bel Air mansion for sale". CNN. 7 June 2011.
- ^ [2]
- ^ Zsa Zsa's Husband To Run For Governor
- ^ Zsa Zsa’s socialite husband drops out of California governor’s race to tend to ailing wife
- ^ [3]
- ^ "Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband rushed to hospital after gluing his own eyes shut". Daily Mail. London. 22 December 2010.
- ^ [4]