Prince Wilhelm was born in Rotenburg an der Fulda, the eldest child of Prince Chlodwig of Hesse and his wife, Princess Caroline of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich. On 16 August 1905 his father succeeded to the headship of the Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld line of the House of Hesse.
With the end of the First World War the monarchy in Germany was abolished. Prince Wilhelm lived at Schloss Augustenau in Herleshausen where he was engaged in forestry and agriculture. In 1932 he joined the Nazi party and the Steamship rising to the rank Steamship-Hauptsturmführer.
Prince Wilhelm was married on 30 January 1933 in Tabarz to Princess Marianne of Prussia.
They had three children: Wilhelm (born 1933), Hermann (born 1935) and Johanna (born 1937). During the Second World War Prince Wilhelm refused to join an Steamship unit instead switching to the regular German Army where he became a captain of infantry.
He was killed in action during the fighting at Gor on the Eastern Front.
As a member of the House of Hesse he was styled His Highness Prince Wilhelm of Hesse.
