Ernst Gunther II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (11 August 1863 – 22 February 1921), was a son of Frederick VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein and Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. He inherited his father's title as titular third duke of Schleswig-Holstein.

Marriage

On 2 August 1898 in Coburg, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, he married Princess Dorothea of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, daughter of Prince Philipp of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Louise of Belgium. The grandfather of the bride, King Leopold II, did not attend the wedding but sent the Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold as wedding gift. The couple had no children. However, on 11 November 1920, Ernst Gunther adopted Prince Johann Georg (24 July 1911 – killed in Russia 23 June 1941) and his sister Princess Marie Luise (1908–1969, married 1st 1934 and div 1955 Rudolf Karl Freiherr von Stengel and married 2nd 1962 Friedrich Christian Prince zu Schaumburg-Lippe), children of his cousin Prince Albrecht of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1863–1948).

Honours

He received the following orders and decorations: • Duchy of Anhalt: Grand Cross of Albert the Bear, 1891 • Austria-Hungary: • * Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of Leopold, 1889 • * Grand Cross of St. Stephen, 1903 • Baden: Knight of the House Order of Fidelity, 1901 • Kingdom of Bavaria: Knight of St. Hubert, February 1901 • 🇧🇪 Belgium: Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold (military), 22 July 1898 • Principality of Bulgaria: Grand Cross of St. Alexander • Ernestine duchies: Grand Cross of the Saxe-Ernestine House Order • Grand Duchy of Hesse: Grand Cross of the Ludwig Order, 2 August 1898 • Kingdom of Italy: Grand Cross of Saints Maurice and Lazarus • 🇳🇱 Netherlands: Grand Cross of the Netherlands Lion • Kingdom of Prussia: • * Knight of the Red Eagle, 1st Class, 10 March 1881 • * Knight of the Black Eagle, 22 October 1892; with Collar, 17 January 1893 • Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach: Grand Cross of the White Falcon • Kingdom of Saxony: Knight of the Rue Crown • 🇸🇪 Sweden: Commander Grand Cross of the Order of Vasa, 1890 • Württemberg: Grand Cross of the Württemberg Crown, 1892

Ancestors