On June 27, 1996, a shocking event shook the royal family of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Ernst-Leopold Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha, aged 61, and his wife Sabine, 55, were found dead in their car outside a pub in Bad Wiessee, Bavaria. The gruesome scene was discovered by a local farmer who had parked his own vehicle nearby. The couple’s bodies were discovered with hunting rifles in their laps, leading investigators to conclude that they had committed a joint suicide.
Financial struggles and desperation were reportedly the driving forces behind this tragic event. Ernst-Leopold, a morganatic member of the royal family, had been struggling to accept his reduced status and had introduced himself as the Duke of Albany during visits to the United Kingdom. His financial situation had become increasingly dire due to a failed business venture and the loss of properties seized by the Soviets. The couple’s suicide was seen as the only way out of their hopeless financial, economic, and emotional predicament.
what were the main reasons behind Ernst-Leopold and Sabine’s decision to end their lives
what were the financial struggles that Ernst-Leopold faced before his death
how did Ernst-Leopold’s financial struggles affect his public image
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| Ernst-Leopold and Sabine. |
On 27 June 1996, Ernst-Leopold Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha and his wife Sabine died by suicide at Bad Wiessee, a resort town in Bavaria. Ernst-Leopold was sixty-one; Sabine was fifty-five, having celebrated her birthday only two days before her untimely death. The bodies of the couple were discovered by a local farmer who came across their white Mercedes Benz outside of a pub; the car had been parked when the farmer entered the pub and was still there when he left the pub. Peering inside, the farmer discovered the horrific sight of the deceased couple, who each had hunting rifles in their laps. One of the detectives involved in the case stated: “It couldn’t have been a murder then suicide. All the circumstances and all the evidence from the discovery of the bodies to the post mortem confirm the joint suicide thesis.” Upon learning of the death of the couple, an unnamed relative of Ernst-Leopold told The Guardian, “Oh God, I bet the British royal family is getting anxious. It’s those Coburgs again.”
Born on 14 January 1935, Ernst-Leopold Eduard Wilhelm Josias Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha was the eldest son and second child of Hereditary Prince Johann Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his wife Baroness Feodore von der Horst, who wed in 1932. Johann Leopold and Feodore’s marriage was morganatic; the result of this was that Johann Leopold gave up his rights of succession to the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha as well as the ability to pass on his princely titles to his children. Ernst-Leopold had one older sister, Marianne, and one younger brother, Peter.
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| Ernst-Leopold. |
Ernst-Leopold found it difficult to accept his position as a morganatic member of the extended family of the Ducal House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. When he visited the United Kingdom, Ernst-Leopold would introduce himself as the Duke of Albany, a title that was stripped from his grandfather Duke Carl Eduard of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1919. After the unification of West Germany and East Germany, Ernst-Leopold relocated to Limbach-Oberfrohna; there he established a property development and consulting company. A German baron, who was a friend of the family, recalled: “He tried to build up that business in Saxony, got taken for a ride by the sharks out there and got trapped in a hopeless financial situation. He was living beyond his means.” Ernst-Leopold was hopeful that he could gain restitution of properties that had been seized by the Soviets. However, as the elderly baron remembered, “He got nothing, because the government has recognised the Soviet robbery and, anyway, he is well out of the line of succession. That’s because under the law he and his children are allowed to call themselves princes and princess but they have no inheritance rights where the dukedom is concerned because his father [Johann Leopold] married wrong. She [Feodore] was an excellent woman but she wasn’t a princess. Ernst Leopold made a mess of most things. His suicide was the only way out of desperation, out of a hopeless financial, economic and personal situation.”
what were the immediate consequences of the Saxe-Coburg double suicide
The tragic story of Prince Ernst Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his wife Sabine, who died by suicide on June 27, 1996, serves as a poignant reminder of the devastating consequences of financial struggles and desperation. The couple’s joint suicide, which was discovered by a local farmer in a parking lot in Bad Wiessee, Bavaria, was a shocking event that sent shockwaves through the royal family and the public alike. As we reflect on this tragic event, it is essential to acknowledge the complex emotional and financial struggles that the couple faced, which ultimately led them to this desperate decision.
Financial struggles and desperation were the driving forces behind this tragic event. Ernst-Leopold, a morganatic member of the royal family, had been living beyond his means and was deeply in debt. His financial situation had become increasingly dire due to a failed business venture and the loss of properties seized by the Soviets. The couple’s suicide was seen as the only way out of their hopeless financial, economic, and emotional predicament. As we remember this tragic event, it is crucial to recognize the importance of seeking help and support when faced with such challenges. It is only through open and honest discussions about mental health and financial struggles that we can work towards creating a more compassionate and understanding society.
