He was born in
Schloss Ludwigslust as the son of
Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and his first wife
Princess Augusta Reuss of Köstritz. He succeeded his father as Grand Duke on 15 April 1883. From an early age Frederick Francis suffered from
asthma and severe breathing difficulties. He could not live in the north of Europe and lived instead on the shores of the Mediterranean, where the mild climate agreed with him. His
homosexuality was an open secret. Frederick Francis' death in
Cannes on 10 April 1897 is shrouded in mystery, as he was originally reported to have committed suicide by throwing himself off a parapet of a bridge. According to the official account of his death, however, he was in his garden when he experienced breathing difficulties and staggered around before falling over a low wall. Barones Louise von Reibnitz-Maltzan, a lady-in-waiting who was in Cannes with the family at the time of his death, described the incident as "the Grand Duke's suicide". He was succeeded by his son
Frederick Francis IV, who would be the last Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. ==Marriage and children==