William II. German Emperor

Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert of Prussia, German Emperor and King of Prussia from 1888 until his abdication 1918.

Called “Willy” by his family.

Son of Friedrich III. German Emperor (1831-1888) and his wife Victoria, Princess of Great Britain and Ireland (1840-1901)

Born: Berlin, 27. Jan 1859

Traumatic breech birth left him with a withered left arm due to Erb’s Palsy (brachial plexus paralysis).

Married:

1.      Royal Palace, Berlin 27. Feb 1881 Auguste Victoria, Princess of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg (1858-1921)

2.      Huis Doorn, Doorn, Netherlands 5. Nov 1922 Hermine, Princess Reuss (1887-1947)

Issue by first marriage:

• Wilhelm, German Crown Prince (1882-1951) m. 1905 Cecile, Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1886-1954)
• Eitel Friedrich, Prince of Prussia (1883-1942) m. 1906 Sophie Charlotte, Duchess of Oldenburg (1879-1964)
• Adalbert, Prince of Prussia (1884-1948) m. 1914 Adelheid, Princess of Saxe-Meiningen (1891-1971)
• August Wilhelm, Prince of Prussia (1887-1949) m. 1908 (div. 1920) Alexandra Victoria, Princess of Schleswig-Holstein (1887-1957)
• Oskar, Prince of Prussia (1888-1858) m. 1914 Ina Marie, Gräfin v. Bassewitz-Levetzow, cr. 1914 Gräfin v. Ruppin, cr. 1919 Princess of Prussia (1888-1973)
• Joachim, Prince of Prussia (1890-1920) m. Marie Auguste Princess of Anhalt (1898-1983)
• Viktoria Luise, Princess of Prussia (1892-1980) m. 1913 Ernst August, Duke of Braunschweig (1887-1953)

Died: Huis Doorn, Doorn, Netherlands, 4. Jun 1941

Buried: Mausoleum Huis Doorn, Netherlands

Source: GHdA, Fürsten I, Vol XIV 1991; Detlev Schwennicke "Europäische Stammtafeln. Neue Folgen", Vol. I/1, 1998, Vittorio Klostermann; Marlene A. Eilers ”Queen Victoria’s Descendants”, Rosvall Royal Books 1997