Carl Duke of Württemberg was considered a skilful entrepreneur and persistent fundraiser with close ties in business, politics, culture and the church.

In recent years, however, things have calmed down around the head of the House of Württemberg - after the accidental death of his son Friedrich in May 2018, he had almost completely withdrawn from the public eye.

Carl Duke of Württemberg died on Tuesday - after a long illness, but surprisingly - at the age of 85 in a clinic in Ravensburg, as his personal advisor said.

He was only in the clinic for five days and had lived at home before that.

Proud namesake of the federal state

The deceased leaves behind his wife, Diane Duchess of Württemberg, and five children.

Baden-Württemberg's Deputy Prime Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) announced on Tuesday that the head of the House of Württemberg had left deep marks that will remain.

"His kindness, his kindness, his devotion, his humanity and his wisdom will remain in our memories."

Carl Duke of Württemberg came from the Catholic line of one of the oldest ruling aristocratic houses in the German-speaking world.

Until the dissolution of the monarchy after the First World War, the noble family ruled over large areas of south-west Germany.

In 1918, King Wilhelm II abdicated and assumed the title of Duke of Württemberg - as part of their name, his descendants still bear it today, as a spokesman for the House of Württemberg explained.

The fact that his family is also one of the namesakes of the federal state fills him with pride, Carl von Württemberg once told the German Press Agency (dpa).

However, he did not regard the title of nobility only as a privilege.

"The special thing is that I have a much greater obligation than if my name were Müller." He therefore stood up for the common good in countless areas.

"You have to be there for the population and help where there is a need."

A comment made by Carl von Württemberg on the monarchy was always a source of discussion: "The monarchy still seems to me to be the best form of government," he told the "Stuttgarter Zeitung" shortly before his 70th birthday in 2006.

"In my opinion, a monarch is far less dependent than a representative of the state who has risen from politics." A monarch acting for life can shape more than a politician who has been elected for a limited period of time.

However, he himself never aspired to political office.

"I always wanted to keep my independence," he told the dpa.

Successor as head of the house is grandson Duke Wilhelm

Carl von Württemberg was born on August 1, 1936 in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance, the son of Philipp Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg and Rosa Archduchess of Austria.

He studied law at the University of Tübingen, which his ancestor Count Eberhard im Bart had founded in 1477.

He then entered the administration of the family property, the so-called Hofkammer.

After the death of his father in 1975, he became head of the noble house and, in accordance with tradition, moved to Altshausen in Upper Swabia in the Ravensburg district.

At the head of the court chamber, the duke had made a name for himself as a modernizer.

Today it is managed like a holding company and also includes company investments and real estate.

He had been married since 1960 to Diane, Princess of France, daughter of Count Henri of Paris.

His wife is a painter and sculptor.

Their works adorn, among other things, the castle park.

In 2018, Carl von Württemberg suffered a severe stroke of fate: his eldest son Friedrich, who had taken over the management of the Hofkammer just ten years earlier, died in a car accident at the age of 56.

Around 2000 mourners - including King Philip and Queen Mathilde of Belgium - said goodbye to him at a mass in Altshausen Castle.

An unbelievable misfortune happened to his family, the duke said at a New Year's reception at Altshausen Castle in January 2020. But he also emphasized: "The encouragement that my whole family and I received in May 2018 was so touching."

At the reception, Carl von Württemberg also announced that he was retiring from the current day-to-day business of his noble family and had appointed his son Michael to the management of the Hofkammer at the beginning of the year.

"In terms of health, I am no longer in the stable condition to devote myself to all of the Hofkammer's entrepreneurial issues," he said.

Duke Michael currently heads the Hofkammer – i.e. the private administration of the House of Württemberg – together with its President Henrik Lingenhölin.

Successor as head of the house is now the eldest grandson Duke Wilhelm - the son of Friedrich.

Wilhelm was to study in Great Britain until 2020 and then initially gain work experience outside of the family.