Prince Friedrich Josias of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Prince Friedrich Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (Friedrich Josias Carl Eduard Ernst Kirill Harald) (November 29, 1918–January 23, 1998) was the Head of the Ducal House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha from 1954 to his death.
The Prince was born to Carl Eduard, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. However, the Duke was forced to abdicate on November 14, 1918. The third of three sons, he was not expected to succeed as Head. However, the eldest, Hereditary Prince Johann Leopold, married unequally and renounced his rights in 1932, and Prince Hubertus was killed in action in 1943, thus leaving Prince Friedrich Josias as the heir-apparent. He succeeded to the Headship on March 6, 1954.
The Prince married three times: He first married Countess Viktoria-Luise of Solms-Baruth on January 25, 1942. However, the two divorced on September 19, 1946, but not without leaving a son, Andreas. His second marriage on February 14, 1948 was to Denyse von Muralt, but they divorced as well on September 17, 1964, leaving two daughters and a son: Claudia, Beatrice and Adrian. His third and final marriage was to Katrin Bremme, who bore him no children.
The Prince died at Amstetten, Germany. He was succeeded as Head by his son Andreas.
