Wilhelm Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, from 1934 Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (in German: Wilhelm Friedrich Christian Günther Albert Adolf Georg Prinz zu Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg then Prinz zu Schleswig-Holstein; 23 August 1891 – 10 February 1965), was the sixth Duke of Schleswig-Holstein and Head of the House of Oldenburg from 21 January 1934 until his death on 10 February 1965.
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Early life
Prince Friedrich was born on 23 August 1891 at Grünholz Castle in Schleswig-Holstein, Kingdom of Prussia. He was the fifth child and only son of Frederick Ferdinand, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderbug-Glücksburg and Princess Karoline Mathilde of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg.
Prince Friedrich's father was the eldest son of Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and a nephew of Christian IX of Denmark. Upon the death of his father in 1885, he had succeeded to the headship of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and the title of duke.
Marriage
Friedrich married Princess Marie Melita of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, daughter of Ernst II, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, on 15 February 1916. Both Friedrich and Marie Melita were great-grandchildren of Princess Feodora of Leiningen, making them second cousins.
Later life
When the Head of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, Albert, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, died on 27 April 1931, Friedrich's father Friedrich Ferdinand became the Head of the House of Oldenburg and inherited the title of Duke of Schleswig-Holstein.
On 21 January 1934, Duke Friedrich Ferdinand died, and Friedrich became head of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.
Duke Friedrich and his wife both joined the Nazi Party on 1 May 1937.
He died on 10 February 1965 in Coburg, Bavaria, West Germany.
Issue
Duke Wilhelm Friedrich and Duchess Marie Melita had four children:
Hans Albrecht, Hereditary Prince of Schleswig-Holstein (12 May 1917 – 10 August 1944)
Prince Wilhelm Alfred Ferdinand of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (24 September 1919 – 17 June 1926)
Friedrich Ernst Peter, seventh Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (30 April 1922 – 30 September 1980), married with Princess Marie Alix of Schaumburg-Lippe, and father of the late head of the House of Schleswig-Holstein, Christoph, Prince of Schleswig-Holstein
Princess Marie Alexandra of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (9 July 1927 – 14 December 2000), married on 27 July 1970 Douglas Barton-Miller (born 8 December 1929)