Prince Wilhelm of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was born on 21 December 1853 in
Stuttgart. He was the eldest son of the
Prince Hermann of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and his wife,
Princess Augusta of Württemberg (1826–1898). Prince Wilhelm also has had his own financial problems, and has been forced by the Grand Duke to live outside
Weimar. Wilhelm was heir presumptive to the throne as the young Grand Duke
Wilhelm Ernst was a widower. Wilhelm Ernest's wife,
Princess Karoline Reuss of Greiz died on 17 January 1905, eighteen months after their marriage, under mysterious circumstances. Prince William had a problem with his eldest son. Prince Hermann
morganatically married Wanda Paola Lottero (1881–1963) on 5 September 1909 in
London. Lottero was an Italian stage actress, and due to Hermann's rollicking lifestyle, the ducal family forced him to renounce his rights of succession to the Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach throne, as well as his royal status, title and prerogatives, granting him a lesser, noble title, Count von Ostheim, along with a small allowance on the grounds that he stay out of the duchy. Prince Wilhelm also had a bad reputation. His behavior aroused the dissatisfaction of the head of the family. Prince Wilhelm fled to the
United States in his youth, served as a riding master, clerk, book agent and even as a restaurant waiter in
New York City, but was finally persuaded to return to
Germany, marry his second cousin, and live on a small pension from the head of the house. ==Marriage and family ==