Prince George William of Hanover (1915–2006)

Prince George William of Hanover was born on March 25, 1915, in Athens, Greece, as the eldest son of Prince Christian of Hanover and his wife, Princess Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He was the grandson of the last King of Hanover, George V. After the end of World War I and the abolition of the monarchy in Germany, the family settled in Austria. Prince George William was enrolled in a boarding school in England before attending the University of Munich to study law. In 1940, he joined the German Army and served on the Eastern Front during World War II, rising to the rank of Major. He was captured by the Soviet Army in 1945 and spent five years as a prisoner of war. After his release, Prince George William settled in Hanover and became involved in various philanthropic activities, including serving as president of the German Red Cross. In 1946, he married Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark, with whom he had three children. Sophie died in 2001, and Prince George William passed away on January 8, 2006, at the age of 90, in his home in Hanover.