Prince Wolfgang of Hesse

Who was Prince Wolfgang of Hesse?

Prince Wolfgang of Hesse-Kassel, was the designated Hereditary Prince of the monarchy of Finland, and as such, already called the Crown Prince of Finland officially until 14 December 1918, and also afterwards by some monarchists.

Wolfgang was the second-born of a pair of twins, the fourth child and son born to Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse and Princess Margaret of Prussia. His maternal uncle was the German Emperor William II. Wolfgang's father Frederick Charles of Hesse was elected King of Finland on 9 October 1918, to replace his first cousin once removed, the deposed Russian emperor, Nicholas II, who was titled Grand Duke of Finland. However, Frederick Charles renounced the throne on 14 December 1918, and the title was never actually held by the family.

Wolfgang would have been his father's heir as King of Finland instead of his elder twin Prince Philipp of Hesse, apparently because Wolfgang was with his parents in 1918 and ready to travel to Finland. Philip was in the military and incommunicado at the time.