Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duke of Saxony has been the head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha since 1998.
Background
He is the grandson of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the last ruling duke. Prince Andreas was born at Schloss Casel in Lower Lusatia to Friedrich Josias, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and the former Countess Viktoria-Luise of Solms-Baruth, his parents divorced in 1946. In 1949 he moved to New Orleans in the United States where he spent his childhood with his mother and her second husband, Richard Whitten.
Prince Andreas became heir-apparent to the headship of the ducal house on 6 March 1954, when his father became the head
Education
He completed his military service between 1966 and 1968 in the Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion 6 based in Eutin, Schleswig-Holstein.
Career
He is styled as His Highness. From the age of 16 he made regular visits to Germany in preparation for his future role as head of the ducal house, permanently returning in 1965. After leaving the army he trained as a timber merchant in Hamburg from 1969 to 1971.
Prince Andreas succeeded to the Headship on his father"s death on 23 January 1998.
Johann Leopold was the eldest son of the former Duke of Albany, but by marrying unequally had to renounce his dynastic rights to Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. In 2006, Prince Andreas created the Ducal Saxe-Coburg and Gotha House Order, which is based on the extinct Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order.
Prince Andreas has both German and British nationality and is a first cousin of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. He is the godfather of the king"s youngest daughter Princess Madeleine, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland.
Prince Andreas is the owner of Callenberg Castle in Coburg and Greinburg Castle in Grein, Austria.
He manages the family estates including farms, forests and real estate.
