Sad news today! Prince Max, the Margrave of Baden has passed away at Schloss Salem, at the age of 89. The eldest son of Berthold, Margrave of Baden and Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark, the brother of Princess Margarita of Baden and Yugoslavia and Prince Ludwig and a nephew of the Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Maximilian Prince Max grew up at Schloss Salem and, after the Second World War, attended the Gordonstoun Boarding School in Scotland, according to the educational principles of the Schloss Salem School founded by his grandfather, Prince Max von Baden, in 1919.
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Upon the death of his father in 1963, Prince Max became the Margrave of Baden and Head of the House of Zähringen. The Royal Family had extensive agricultural, forestry and industrial holdings, as well as at least three castles, the most prominent of which is Schloss Salem, and the extensive collection of the Grand Ducal House of Baden, which they managed to retain despite financial troubles in the 1990s. Margrave Max led the industrialisation and internationalisation of the Markgräflich Badischen Verwaltung from the 1960s, and after the financial hardships of the 1990s, had stabilised it by his 65th Birthday in 1998, when control of the estates was passed to Hereditary Prince Bernhard. Involved with over 60 clubs and associations, the Margrave founded ‘GermanAid-Baden’, a non-profit organization to support refugees in need in the third world, gaining particular attention for services to Ethiopian refugees in Sudan.
After a failed engagement to his cousin, Princess Beatrix of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, in 1966, the Margrave married Archduchess Valerie of Austria, the ninth of the thirteen children of Archduke Hubert Salvator of Austria and Princess Rosemary of Salm-Salm, in lavish ceremonies at Schloss Salem and at Schloss Persenbeug. The Margrave and Margravine of Baden had four children: Princess Marie Louise, Hereditary Prince Bernhard, Prince Leopold, and Prince Michael.
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As a nephew of the late Duke of Edinburgh, the Margrave and Margravine were close to the British Royal Family, as well as the Swedish and Danish Royal Families and various exiled Royalties, so we saw them at many Royal Events. Most recently, the Margrave was represented by the Margravine of Baden, Hereditary Prince Bernhard and Hereditary Princess Stephanie at the Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and the Committal Service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
Hereditary Prince Bernhard becomes the new Margrave of Baden, Head of the House of Zähringen, though he has already been the Head of the Markgräflich Badischen Verwaltung, managing the Family Estates and Cultural Heritage, for almost 25 years.
Our condolences to the Baden Royal Family!
The 89-year old Margrave Max of Baden died today at Schloss Salem near Lake Constance. He had been head of the House of Baden since 1963 and was married to Archduchess Valerie of Austria since 1966.
His successor is his son Bernhard.https://t.co/yFv23zeDEt pic.twitter.com/TC9b6lzZ4S
— JR (@Jakreg76) December 29, 2022
The 89-year old Margrave Max of Baden died today at Schloss Salem near Lake Constance. He had been head of the House of Baden since 1963 and was married to Archduchess Valerie of Austria since 1966.
His successor is his son Bernhard.https://t.co/yFv23zeDEt pic.twitter.com/TC9b6lzZ4S
An open funeral service will be held for companions, friends and acquaintances as well as employees, former employees and retirees together with the Margravial Family. There will also be a closed funeral service for the family circle, royal houses as well as for the representatives of politics, economy and culture. The exact dates for both funeral services will be announced shortly.
