Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

A German prince in line for the British throne has died in a tragic Ducati motorbike accident leaving four children between the ages of 11 and 21 without their dad.

Prince Otto of Hesse died in the fatal incident, which took place near Lake Constance on the A96 motorway near Lindau in the southern German state of Bavaria on Sunday 17th March.

According to German newspaper Bild, the prince, 55, hit a barrier at speed. Suffering from multiple injuries, he died at the scene.

The prince, who was fond of motorbikes and sports cars was speeding, according to the German police.

The prince recently shared a picture of himself sitting with his arms crossed, posing for the camera, on the very Ducati motorbike that would claim his life a few days later.

In 2010, he had been acquitted of speeding. As well as being a huge sports car and motorbike fan, the prince was also a businessman, notably owning numerous McDonald’s franchises.

The second son of William of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld, the current head of the Hesse-Philippsthal family, Otto was the descendant of King Frederick William III of Prussia and of William V of Orange-Nassau. William V was a Prince of Orange and the last Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic. He went into exile to London in 1795.

Otto married Carla Blickhaauser in Las Vegas in 1998. They had four children, Prince Max, 21, Princess Elena, 20, Prince Moritz, 13, and Prince Leopold, 11. They divorced in 2017.

According to royal genealogist Daniel Willis, Prince Otto was 1,461st in line for the British throne.

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