Ernst August of Hanover: a German prince in decline

A simple glance at the physical appearance of Ernst of Hanover (who's younger than 70) immediately gives you an idea of how a turbulent life has taken its toll on the aristocrat.

One of his biggest scandals was a violent attack on police officers and the employees of his hunting lodge, which led to a conviction and a suspended prison sentence in 2021. What's the back story of Ernst August of Hanover? And when did his decline begin?

Ernst of Hanover comes from the German aristocracy. He was born in 1954 and was baptized as Ernst August Albert Paul Otto Rupprecht Oskar Berthold Friedrich-Ludwig-Ferdinand Christian. In 1981 he married Chantal Hochuli, with whom he had two children: Christian and Ernst.

His global fame came when he began a relationship with Caroline of Monaco, whom he married in 1999. Caroline is the daughter of the late Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly. Her brother Albert is the Prince of Monaco.

Caroline of Monaco had been married twice before. By the time she married Ernst of Hanover, she was already pregnant. In July 1999, the couple's daughter Alexandra was born, the Princess of Hanover.

The marriage of Caroline and Ernst was one of many parties. It is undeniable, if we follow the reports of media like The Daily Mail and La Vanguardia, that the Prince of Hanover is a man who likes to enjoy life in its most hedonistic sense.

The media have collected hundreds of images in which you can see the prince enjoying a party. However, the above-mentioned outlets report that his love of parties has also led him to great excesses.

This fondness for excess has gotten the prince into trouble more than once. At the 2000 World Exposition in Hanover, he was photographed urinating in the Turkish Pavilion, provoking an official protest from the Turkish government.

Later in 2000, he attacked the owner of a hotel near the residence where he spent the summer on the island of Lamu in Kenya. The prince was annoyed by the loud music coming from the hotel's disco and assaulted the hotel owner with a metal object, Der Spiegel reported.

Many years of partying have caused health problems for the prince, such as acute pancreatitis that led to a coma in 2005 (a period in which his father-in-law, Rainier of Monaco, died) and an abdominal infection in 2011. He underwent emergency heart surgery in 2016.

Caroline of Monaco and Ernst of Hanover had a good marriage for some time, La Vanguardia observed. It appeared that she was rarely overly disturbed by her husband's way of life.

Among the incidents between the couple was the prince's absence at the wedding of the Spanish Crown Prince in 2004. The couple went to Madrid together, but Ernst August left the hotel to party in the city and ended up missing the wedding. As appears in this photo, Carolina attended the ceremony alone.

In 2008, the relationship of Ernst August and Caroline came to an end. They did not get a divorce, but they no longer live together. Their lives have become completely estranged.

Gone are the days when Ernst of Hanover was an active member of the Monegasque royal family and attended its official events. He now spends much of his time in Spain with his girlfriend Claudia Stilianopoulos, an artist who's about 20 years younger than him, La Vanguardia reports.

One of the unknowns in the recent life of Ernst August is why, despite the total separation from Caroline of Monaco, their divorce has not been legally signed.

In addition to his relationship problems and temperamental issues, the prince does not have a good relationship with his eldest son, also called Ernst August.

Father and son, who married Russian model and businesswoman Ekaterina Malysheva in 2017, are in a fierce dispute over an emblematic property of the family. In fact, the prince did not even attend his son's wedding ceremony.

Ernst August of Hanover has sued his son to return ownership of castles such as Marienburg (pictured) and Calenberg, as well as other properties. Ernst Jr. sold the Marienburg Castle he inherited, Insider reports, and his father didn't like that at all.

Now the elder Ernst demands that his son return the inheritance he passed onto him. Some media, including Insider and The Daily Mail, claim that he is suing his son because of an alleged lack of liquidity.

In recent years, images of Prince Ernst celebrating life to the fullest have continued to appear in the Spanish media. He does not seem to be bothered by his age or numerous ailments, and his unhealthy party habits never end.

A shocking incident involving Prince Ernst August happened in the summer of 2020. The aristocrat threatened police officers and employees of his hunting lodge with a baseball bat. According to the Mail, witnesses said he was in an extreme state of intoxication.

The facts gathered for this trial, held in early 2021, were enough to send the prince to prison. It was also demanded that he go to a psychiatric center for rehabilitation.

Although the Austrian court sentenced Ernst of Hanover to 10 months in prison, he was granted parole. In addition, the prince avoided admission to a clinic.

According to Bild, Ernst of Hanover put forward a theory that his fall from grace was the fault of his son. The stained royal allegedly claims that his son asked personnel to keep giving him drinks so that he would get into trouble.

However, the free fall of Ernst Sr. has been a long one with many excesses of his own doing. Even as a teenager, the prince already got into trouble. At the age of 15, in Germany, his motorcycle license was withdrawn due to his involvement in an accident. He also left school at that age.

The suspended prison sentence currently hanging over his head is a serious warning: if he repeats his offenses, punishment will be much worse.

Ernst of Hanover's youth - as we can see in this picture from 1984 - is a long way off. The aristocrat who conquered the heart of Caroline of Monaco is now only a memory from the past.