Maximilian, Margrave of Baden

Maximilian, Margrave of Baden, also known as Max von Baden, was a German businessman and the head of House of Baden. Through his mother, Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark, the second sister of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, he was a first cousin of Charles III, King of the United Kingdom.

Early life and family

Maximilian was born on 3 July 1933 in Salem. He was the second child and eldest son of Berthold, Margrave of Baden, and his wife, Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark. He had one older sister, Princess Margarita, and has a younger brother, Prince Ludwig.

Maximilian was briefly engaged to his first cousin, Princess Beatrix of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, although this was eventually broken off. In 1963, he followed his father as head of the former grand ducal house of Baden, styled HRH The Margrave of Baden, Duke of Zähringen. In 1966, he married Archduchess Valerie of Austria, daughter of Archduke Hubert Salvator of Austria and his wife, Princess Rosemary of Salm-Salm. They were married civilly on 23 September 1966 at Salem and religiously on 30 September 1966 at Persenbeug Castle in Lower Austria.
The Margrave and Margravine had four children:

Princess Marie Louise Elisabeth Mathilde Theodora Cecilie Sarah Charlotte of Baden ; she married, civilly, at Salem on 15 September 1999 and religiously on 25 September 1999, Richard Dudley Baker, had issue.
Bernhard Max Friedrich August Gustav Louis Kraft, Margrave of Baden
Prince Leopold Max Christian Ludwig Clemens Hubert of Baden, unmarried and without issue.
Prince Michael Max Andreas of Baden ; he married at Salem on 4 July 2015 Christina Höhne, daughter of Claus Höhne and wife Herlinde or Gerlinde Geiger, without issue.

The Margravine represented the Margrave for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, his aunt, at Westminster Abbey in London on 19 September 2022, with Prince Bernhard and his wife, Princess Stephanie.

Maximilian died in Salem Abbey on 29 December 2022, at the age of 89. He was succeeded as titular margrave and head of house by his son Bernhard. The Margrave's funeral service on 13 January 2023 in the church of Salem Abbey was attended by numerous representatives from politics, including the minister president of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann, and royalty and aristocracy, such as King Philippe of Belgium, Prince Albert II of Monaco and his sister Caroline, Princess of Hanover, Prince Hassan of Jordan and the Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein as well as the heads or representatives of most of the former ruling houses of Germany. His first cousin King Charles III was represented by Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse.