Ernesto de Hannover remains hospitalized: Who makes up the group around the prince

Prince Ernesto of Hanoverhas left the ICU at the Ruber International Clinic in Madrid, according to Hola. The aristocrat has been in the hospital since April 3, as reported by elcierredigital.com. He is expected to be discharged in a few days.

The initial reports mentioned a complication arising from a hip surgery performed in December. However, sources close to him told this outlet that between April 11 and 12 his health worsened, which led to his transfer to the ICU. It is believed that the reason could be due to another previous injury, according to the magazine Hola.

Despite the recent good news, his health has concerned several family members of the prince. Ernesto's supporters have visited him: his girlfriend Claudia Stilianopoulos, who has acted as spokesperson, and his son Cristián with his wife. His other two children, Ernesto Jr. and Alexandra, have not been seen in Madrid and are not expected to visit.

The origins of Ernesto of Hanover

The German prince is the son of Ernesto Augusto (1914-1987) and Princess Ortrudis of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1925-1980). His father was the brother of Queen Frederica of Greece, the mother of Queen Sofía, making Ernesto and the emeritus cousins.

His grandfather Ernesto Augusto III was forced to abdicate in 1918, so his father could not claim the headship of the House until his death. In 1953 he assumed the position, proclaiming himself Ernesto Augusto IV of Hanover.

The children of Ernesto of Hanover

Prince Ernesto was married to Swiss Chantal Hochuli (69 years old) from 1981 to 1997. From this marriage, Ernesto Augusto (41 years old) and Cristián (39 years old) were born. The first is the godson of King Felipe VI and married designer Ekaterina Malysheva (38 years old). This union did not please Prince Ernesto.

Ernesto and Katerina married in 2017 under community property regime, which his father strongly opposed. The German aristocrat has taken legal actions against his son for the estate he had transferred to him during his lifetime. The marriage has four children: Isabel Tatiana, Welf Augusto, Eleanora, and Margarita.

Meanwhile, his son Cristián and his wife, Peruvian lawyer Alessandra de Osma (37 years old), have been the prince's great support after his hospitalization. The also aristocrat married Cristián in 2018 and they have three children: the twins Sofía and Nicolás, and Alexia.

The marriage with Caroline of Monaco

In 1997 the German prince divorced Chantal. Around that time, there were rumors of a romance with Caroline of Monaco (68 years old), which were eventually confirmed. Grace Kelly's daughter and Ernesto married in 1999 and that same year their only daughter, Alexandra, was born.

Like with Ernesto Jr., the prince doesn't have a good relationship with his daughter. The German press believes the reasons lie in his father's scandals and the breakup with her mother in 2008. Even so, they are legally married, although the prince is now in a relationship with artist Claudia de Stilianopoulos since 2021.

The siblings of Ernesto Hanover

The German aristocrat has five siblings: María Victoria, Ludwig, Olga Sofía, Alexandra, and Enrique, about whom little is known. The first is married to Count Michael of Hochberg, Alexandra to Prince Andrés of Leiningen, and Enrique to Thyra von Westernhagen.

A tragedy hovered over this family. Ernesto Augusto's third son, Ludwig, married Isabel of Thurn and they had a son, Otto. In 1988, Ludwig found his wife dead from a cocaine overdose, at 26 years old. The member of the Hanover family asked his older brother, Ernesto, to take care of Otto and committed suicide with a gun. His son ended up being raised by his maternal family.