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Germany’s Prince Otto of Hesse Dies After Crashing His Ducati Into Guardrail

The Royal house of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld is in mourning, as the second son of William Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld, Prince Otto, has died in a motorcycle crash.
Germany's Prince Otto of Hesse dies in motorcycle crash 6 photos
Photo: Facebook / Prince Otto of Hesse
Ducati Multistrada 1260 EnduroDucati Multistrada 1260 EnduroDucati Multistrada 1260 EnduroDucati Multistrada 1260 EnduroDucati Multistrada 1260 Enduro
The accident happened over the weekend and the exact details surrounding the tragedy have not yet been determined. A police investigation is underway, but TZ reports that speeding may have been a factor, since weather conditions did not pose any problems on that day. Prince Otto was a known speeding enthusiast, both on four and two wheels.

On the day of the crash, he was riding his Ducati Multistrada 1260 alone, on the highway near Lake Constance in Bavaria. Citing a police statement, Bild says it’s likely the bike started swerving after he overtook a vehicle, and this sent him smashing into the guardrail. The Prince died on the spot, from injuries sustained.

Prince Otto was 55 years old and an avid rider, as evidenced by photos he would often post to his social media, including the one attached to this article, posted weeks before the crash. He is survived by his ex-wife and their four children. He owned several McDonald’s restaurants in Ingolstadt, with staff here taking to social media to lament his passing and describe him as the most hard-working, down to earth type of guy and the ideal employer – the kind who wouldn’t back out of flipping burgers by their side, if the situation required it.

The Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld family is an old dynasty with ties to other European Royal houses, which gives some credit to reports that Prince Otto was also in line for the British throne. He was probably at the bottom of the line, for what it’s worth.

Through the Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld family, Prince Otto was a descendant of King Frederick William III of Prussia and King William I of the Netherlands and, on his mother’s side, Princess Marianne of Prussia, a member of the House of Hohenzollern.
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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