Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia
| Prince Franz Wilhelm | |
|---|---|
| Prince of Prussia | |
| Born | 3 September 1943 |
| Spouse | Maria Vladimirovna, Grand Duchess of Russia (m. 1976; div. 1985) |
| Issue | Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia |
| House | Hohenzollern |
| Father | Prince Karl Franz of Prussia |
| Mother | Princess Henriette of Schönaich-Carolath |
Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia (Franz Wilhelm Victor Christoph Stephan; born 3 September 1943) is a German businessman and member of the House of Hohenzollern, the former ruling German imperial house and royal house of Prussia. From 1976 to 1986 he was known as Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich of Russia. As a descendant of Wilhelm II, he is also a great-great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria and a fourth cousin of Charles, Prince of Wales.
Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia was born in Grünberg, Silesia, as the son of Prince Karl Franz of Prussia (1916–1975) and his first wife Princess Henriette von Schönaich-Carolath (1918–1972). He had a twin brother, Prince Friedrich Christian, who died three weeks after his birth. Prince Franz Wilhelm is a grandson of Prince Joachim of Prussia, the youngest son of Emperor William II.
In 2002 Prince Franz Wilhelm with Theodor Tantzen founded the Prinz von Preussen development company, which restores old buildings in Germany. In 2004, with financing from a group of investors, he purchased the Royal Porcelain Manufacture Berlin, saving it from insolvency.
Prince Franz Wilhelm married his third cousin once-removed, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia (a great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria), in a civil marriage at Dinard on 4 September 1976 and religiously on 22 September 1976 in Madrid. Following his marriage he converted to the Russian Orthodox faith and was created a Grand Duke of Russia with the name Mikhail Pavlovich by his father-in-law Grand Duke Vladimir of Russia. Prince Franz Wilhelm and Grand Duchess Maria had one son before divorcing in 1986, at which point he reverted to his previous title.
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