Princess Josefa von Hohenzollern has shared her heartbreak following the unexpected death of her husband, Prince Harald von Hohenzollern, 63, nine months after their marriage and ahead of the impending birth of their first child.
She shared the tragic news on her personal Instagram account after the German aristocrat died of sudden cardiac arrest in Windhoek, Namibia, where he was working in the diamond industry.
Josefa, 51, who is currently running to be re-elected as mayor of Leonberg, a town in the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg, shared a post of a collage of images with her late husband in happier times.
She wrote: "Dear fellow citizens of Leonberg, today I am writing with a heavy heart. My beloved husband Harald v. Hohenzollern died quite unexpectedly of a sudden cardiac death. This loss hits me very deep.
"I need time to grieve, say goodbye and be there for our unborn child. That's why I will be stepping back from campaigning and social media in the coming days. I hope for your understanding during this time off and thank you from the bottom of my heart at this point for your condolences and support."
The couple's first child is due to be born in July.
Civil servant Josefa became a princess when she married Prince Harald in September 2024 in Josefa's hometown, Kollnburg. According to Paris Match, the pair had met two years earlier at a trade fair.
The House of Hohenzollern is a formal royal German dynasty with members hailing from Hohenzollern, Brandenburg, Prussia, the German Empire and Romania.
Meanwhile, Josefa is known as the "singing mayor" for her love of music and participation in cultural events.
If you have been affected by this story, please call Cruse Bereavement Support for free in the UK on 0808 808 1677.
